On 27 September the 57th Division forced the line of the Canal du Nord. 170th Brigade's attack was led by the &lt;a href="Bolton%20Rifles"&gt;1/5th Bn Loyals&lt;/a&gt;, with two companies of 2/4th Loyals in support for mopping-up and then defending the captured ground. Over the next four days of continuous fighting, the battalion's four companies were split up, assisting any unit in need to fill gaps, fight off counter-attacks, and consolidate ground won. On the afternoon of 1 October, A Company took part in a minor operation with 2/5th Bn to take 'Z' Trench, but failure by a neighbouring unit left A Company isolated. On the night of 2 October a man of A Company swam back across the St. Quentin Canal to report that the company was still holding out but the enemy were behind Z Trench. Attempts to get in touch with the company failed, and on the afternoon of 3 October B and D Companies attempted an attack covered by trench mortars, but only made 300 yards and were halted by machine gun fire with heavy casualties. On 4 October the survivors of A Company made it back to regain touch with the battalion.