STAND BY ARGYLLS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume L, Issue 175, 25 October 1917, Page 3

STAND BY ARGYLLS

BATTALION "IN' THE AIR." .LINE HELD ALL NIGHT. LONDON, Oct. 7. Details of a fine stand by two .companies of the Argyll and 'Sutherland Regiment show that they were filling a gap in the line in the course of a German counter-attack on Tuesday. The storming troops of at least four divisions were employed and when they bent back our line, the Argylls were left well in the open, smothered with German shells ,and cut off by their own barrage. Doggedly the gallant Scots stuck to the position. They seem surprised at the suggestion that they have .done anything uncommon. They could see how thejrbnt on both flanks had been, pushed well back by the weight of German numbers and might have judged that it was impossible that supports could reach them' although their commander, with another company of the battalion, was lying close up to the barrage awaiting his opportunity to penetrate. The Anzacs on their flank behaved wonderfully, deploying and throwing back waves methodically in order to restore the temporarilydisplaced line, and before the brilliant British counter-attack was launched in the afternoon the Australians had repaired the break. Although this counter-attack was spTenuldly successful in proportion to the superiority of the enemy, the former front was not entirely reached, and at nightfall the Argylls were still "in the air." They might have withdrawn in the darkness, but they had been told to hold the position, and meant to do so as lori. gas possible. So, when .in the morning the whole line advanced , there were the valiant Scots in their place. The battalion boasts that in spite of the heavy attacks it did not lose a prisoner.