| REARGUARD | It defends the back of retreating army (9) |
| DAIRYMAID | Retreating army to help farmhand (9) |
| REKINDLED | Fired over heads of retreating enemy, giving glower |
| HOMEGUARD | British citizen army formed in 1940 to defend the UK against invasion, disbanded in 1957 (4,5) |
| FORTRESS | It defends against intrusion in place of a lock |
| ATTRIT | Destroy retreating army slowing down across edge of desert |
| ATTRACTION | Pull retreating army right back before joining battle |
| ACLU | Group that defends the Bill of Rights: Abbr. |
| PROTECTS | Defends the role of sport, etc, in getting organised (8) |
| DEFOE | Daniel wrote of retreating into the river (5) |
| ICECAP | One can initially regulate the speed of retreating glacier (3,3) |
| FOE | Last bit of resistance of retreating enemy |
| SEAWALL | It defends entrance to anchorage as well potentially (3,4) |
| SAFETY | In American football, either of two players who defend the area furthest back in the field (6) |
| ATLANTIS | Pursuing retreating army, Stalin devastated continent? |
| EMERGENT | Suddenly appearing, bloke links up with retreating army corps |
| WITHER | Perish alongside retreating army corps |
| ICMSA | Which organisation defends the interests of Ireland's dairy farmers? (1,1,1,1,1) |
| IMMUNESYSTEM | A complex network of cells, tissues etc. that defends the body against infection (6,6) |
| LAWYER | Defends the charge that left doctor weary (6) |
