All this led to very heavy casualties, and I wish to place on record
the deep admiration which I feel for the resource and presence of mind
evinced by the leaders actually on the spot.
The parts taken by Major-General Snow and Brigadier-General Hull were
reported to me as being particularly marked in this respect.
An instance of this occurred on the afternoon of the 24th, when the
enemy succeeded in breaking through the line at St. Julien.
Brigadier-General Hull, acting under the orders of Lieutenant-General
Alderson, organized a powerful counter-attack with his own brigade and
some of the nearest available units. He was called upon to control,
with only his brigade staff, parts of battalions from six separate
divisions which were quite new to the ground. Although the attack did
not succeed in retaking St. Julien, it effectually checked the enemy's
further advance.
It was only on the morning of the 25th that the enemy were able to
force back the left of the Canadian Division from the point where it
had originally joined the French line.
During the night, and the early morning of the 25th, the enemy
directed a heavy attack against the Division at Broodseinde
cross-roads, which was supported by a powerful shell fire, but he
failed to make any progress.
During the whole of this time the town of Ypres and all the roads to
the East and West were uninterruptedly subjected to a violent
artillery fire, but in spite of this the supply of both food and
ammunition was maintained throughout with order and efficiency.
During the afternoon of the 25th many German prisoners were taken,
including some officers. The hand-to-hand fighting was very severe,
and the enemy suffered heavy loss.
During the 26th the Lahore Division and a Cavalry Division were pushed
up into the fighting line, the former on the right of the French, the
latter in support of the 5th Corps.
In the afternoon the Lahore Division, in conjunction with the French
right, succeeded in pushing the enemy back some little distance toward
the north, but their further advance was stopped owing to the
continual employment by the enemy of asphyxiating gas.
On the right of the Lahore Division the Northumberland Infantry
Brigade advanced against St. Julien and actually succeeded in
entering, and for a time occupying, the southern portion of that
village. They were, however, eventually driven back, largely owing to
gas, and finally occupied a line a short way to the south. This attack
was most successfully and gallantly led by Brigadier-General Riddell,
who, I regret to say, was killed during the progress of the operation.
Although no attack was made on the southeastern side of the salient,
the troops operating to the east of Ypres were subjected to heavy
artillery fire from this direction, which took some of the battalions,
which were advancing north to the attack, in reverse.
Some gallant attempts made by the Lahore Division on the 27th, in
conjunction with the French, pushed the enemy further north; but they
were partially frustrated by the constant fumes of gas to which they
were exposed. In spite of this, however, a certain amount of ground
was gained.
The French had succeeded in retaking Lizerne, and had made some
progress at Steenstraate and Het Sas; but up to the evening of the
28th no further progress had been made toward the recapture of the
original line.
I sent instructions, therefore, to Sir Herbert Plumer, who was now in
charge of the operation, to take preliminary measures for the
retirement to the new line which had been fixed upon.
[Illustration: COUNT ZEPPELIN
Inventor of the Air-ship that has Still to Demonstrate its Efficiency
as an Engine of War]
[Illustration: GENERAL ERICH VON FALKENHAYN