At 4-0 p.m. there was no sign of the attack.  Instead, a German machine gun crew returned to the now empty “wall and corner” position and started to enfilade our left flank, making the hill side almost uncrossable.  The C.O. decided to withdraw at once, and at 4-30 p.m. the runner, Blindley, set off with the message.  It was a hazardous journey, but he succeeded in crawling to within a few yards of the end man and passed a message along.  Steadied by the R.S.M., the party started one by one to withdraw, while the enemy kept up a heavy fire at them.  For a moment it looked as though it would be impossible to get back, but Pte.  Caunter—­Lewis Gunner of No. 1 Platoon—­calmly mounted his gun and “traversed” the whole edge of the wood.  The Boche were silenced for the moment, and the party, making a rush at the same time, managed to reach the trenches in safety.  Last of all Caunter calmly picked up his gun and came away himself, fired at, but never hit.  Half-an-hour later two tanks appeared, and keeping on the West side of the Aisonville Road, climbed the rise towards Retheuil Farm.  Whether the enemy imagined a general attack was coming, or merely wanted to make the road dangerous, is not known, but at 5-0 p.m. he started to bombard the area at the foot of the “Z” shaped hedge, where a Company of Staffordshires, our Battalion Headquarters, and our “A” Company were all gathered, and for nearly an hour gas and H.E. shells of every calibre fell all round.  There was little or no cover, and had the shells been all H.E. the casualties would have been tremendous.  As it was we escaped lightly, but the valley became full of gas and we could see nothing.  The position was bad, so Major Dyer Bennet ordered a general withdrawal to a line along high ground on both sides of the Aisonville-road—­the remains of “B” Company under Lieut.  Ashdowne to the left and “A” Company to the right.  Here we once more dug a line of pits, and by 7-30 p.m. had our new position in fighting condition, while a succession of explosions, coming from two blazing heaps near Retheuil Farm, showed how the Tanks had fared.  The whole of these operations had been most difficult and, in addition to those who had been conspicuous in the attack on the Chateau in the morning, many other N.C.O.’s and men showed the utmost courage and coolness.  A/C.S.M.  Smith, of “A” Company, and Serjts.  Wilbur and Swift and Cpl.  Hubbard of Battalion Headquarters, worked particularly well.

At 8-0 p.m. we were relieved by the 5th South Staffordshires and, after placing Lewis Guns on the limbers, which had been waiting all day for us behind the farm, went to Fresnoy.  It can hardly be called a march, and few of us remember much about it.  Those on horses slept, those on foot walked in their sleep and woke up whenever there was a halt, because they hit their heads against the haversacks of the men in front.  Soon after 11-0 p.m., tired out, we reached Fresnoy and dropped down in the billets the Right half Battalion had found for us, murmuring as we did so—­“Now we shall have our rest.”