Consolidation of Corons Trench was made difficult by the Germans, who had opened a sluice as they withdrew and flooded the trench knee-deep. The infantry and a field company dug a step above the water-level, as German troops in communication trenches nearby, inflicted many more casualties with machine-gun and rifle-fire. German artillery fired on the area from the vicinity of Haisnes until the British directed by observers on the Dump forced them out of action. By consolidation was complete at the Dump, the "fosse" and Corons De Pekin. A telephone line was installed to brigade headquarters but was cut so often that only three messages were passed during the day. A line from the observers at the Dump to the heavy artillery, remained open all day. Four 2.75-inch Mountain guns were moved forward from Annequin at and were ready to block a German advance from Auchy or Haisnes by a field artillery battery arrived soon after.