Part 4 (1/2)

In the evening of September 20, the front ran approximately as follows: from Rose Farm (700 yards west of Poelcappelle) to Fokker Farm (on the eastern edges of Zevenkote); across the western part of Polygone Wood--including Veldhoek--then to the east of Herenthage Chateau, and ending at Hollebeke.

The Germans, in their costly and unsuccessful efforts to retake the lost positions, suffered exceedingly heavy losses, without gaining any advantage.

On the morning of the 26th the British continued their attack along a five-mile front, from the east of St. Julien to Tower Hamlet near the Ypres-Menin Road.

The rest of Tower Hamlet Spur was captured, in addition to the whole of Polygone Wood.

Further north, a fresh advance of 1,700 yards was made, and the strongly fortified village of Zonnebeke remained in the hands of the British.

Besides the gain in ground, more than 4,000 prisoners were taken.

The Germans, by a series of powerful counter-attacks, sought to win back the lost positions. On the evening of the 26th, four attacks were made in the neighbourhood of Tower Hamlet.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THIRD STAGE: BRITISH ADVANCE FROM SEPT. 20 TO SEPT. 26 (20/9--26/9)]

On the 27th they attacked the village of Zonnebeke, while on the morning of the 30th three attacks were made, without result, on both sides of the Ypres-Menin Road.

On October 1 the Germans attacked three times on a front of 1,700 yards to the south of the Ypres-Menin Road, while the same night two fresh a.s.saults gave no appreciable result.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BATTERY OF BRITISH HEAVY HOWITZERS IN ACTION]

=Fourth Phase= (_October 4--8, 1917._)

The increasing activity of the Germans did not in any way prevent the British from preparing a fresh offensive. On the morning of October 4, English divisions, supported by Welsh, Scottish and Irish battalions, attacked along a front of ten miles, between Tower Hamlet and the north of Langemarck. The Germans, disconcerted and surprised by this unexpected attack--they were themselves preparing to attack with five divisions--fell back from the beginning of the action.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PART OF THE GROUND COVERED BY THE OFFENSIVE, SEEN FROM AN AEROPLANE]

A rapid advance of one-half to nearly two miles was made.

South of the Menin Road the objectives were attained almost at the outset.

To the north of the same road the enemy resistance was more stubborn.

Nevertheless, the villages of Reutel and Polderhoek, together with the chateau of that name, were captured, freeing at the same time the top of the crest, whose eastern slopes run down to the village of Bacelaere.

Further north, the Australians captured Noordhemhoek and Molenaarelsthoek, reached Broodseinde Crest, and thus advanced beyond the Bacelaere-Broodseinde Road.

On the other side of the Ypres-Roulers railway, the British drew appreciably nearer Pa.s.schendaele, captured Gravenstafel and a certain number of fortified farms, and approached the western outskirts of Poelcappelle.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FOURTH STAGE: THE 4TH OCTOBER, 1917 (4/10)]

In spite of the violent storm which was then raging, all the objectives were attained and the line of crests conquered.

Owing to the very large numbers of troops ma.s.sed on the front at the time of the attack, the German losses, which included 4,500 prisoners, were particularly heavy.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A DIFFICULT CROSSING. BRITISH AND BELGIAN SOLDIERS]

=Fifth Phase= (_October 9--12, 1917._)

To completely clear Ypres, a few strongly fortified villages beyond the line of crests captured on October 4 had still to be taken. These formed the objective of the attacks of October 9 and 12.