The line was under attack from the large numbers of Germans and although they nearly reached the British lines the attack was repulsed at the cost of casualties including Captain J D Steele.

A second attack was also repulsed after which the Germans resorted to smaller sorties using a sunken road.

At 11am the opposition grew again and troops on the right and left flanks were forced to withdraw. Communications with Battalion HQ were lost.

By this stage Lieutenant J D Robinson and Second Lieutenant Corps were the only officers left uninjured..

At 12 noon the Company came under a bomb attack but they were forced back. Privates Smith and Nightingale displayed especial valour in this defence.

The position became more isolated with the Germans holding grounds on both sides of the Company.

Bombing parties were only held back by effective sniping from the British.

By 4.30pm a council of war was held involving Lt Robinson, 2nd Lt Corps, CSM A H Edwards and Platoon Sergeants C Phillips, E C Parsons, W Fairbrass, R Lodge and L S Legg.

The group recognised that their ammunition was running out and the position was hopeless but as they had been ordered to hold the position at all costs they decided to attempt to hold on overnight and fight on to the last with no surrender.

Sgt Legg and one man undertook the dangerous task of infiltrating the German lines to get back to the British lines and inform the command of the situation. They succeeded in this task.

The men held on through the night but at 7.20am there was an overwhelming attack by the Germans that overran the British position with all remaining men killed or surrendered having held on for 22 hours they were all exhausted.

Once Sgt Legg had delivered the message an attempt had been made to relieve the men but this was unsuccessful.

Field Marshall Haig personally praised the stand and released the story to the British Press.

The story appeared in newspapers throughout the world and D Company became known as the No Surrender Company.