The partial success which attended the operation appears to have been due, in a great measure, to the weather-wind and mist having prevented our aircraft from performing their functions for the preceding three days. An undiscovered change in the disposition of the German artillery during this period would account for our counter-battery work being less effective than usual, while a strong on-shore wind appears to have prevented the monitors from taking part in the action. The position itself had certain obvious disadvantages. Entrenchments in the sand of the Dunes were especially ill-adapted to resist artillery; and, as the front trenches were only six hundred yards from the canal, the depth was insufficient either to accommodate the reserves on the north bank, or to cover the bridges. The Germans, on the other hand, had the advantage of attacking on a narrow front, with their flanks protected by the inundations and the sea, which enabled them to make the most of a comparatively small force. For some days before the opening of the new Allied offensive the Germans were aware that an attack was impending. From July 24 onwards the Berlin reports referred daily to the artillery duel, which 'raged day and night with an intensity never hitherto reached,' and to frequent reconnoitring thrusts by British troops in several sectors of the Flanders front. But, as at Messines, the varying intensity of the bombardment kept the enemy in doubt as to the time of the attack;* and they appear to have been taken by surprise when our troops sprang to the assault shortly before 4 o'clock on the morning of July 31. The front of attack extended from La Basse Ville, on the Lys, to the neighbourhood of Steenstraate, on the Yser, a distance of some fifteen miles; while the French advanced on a front of two miles, including Steenstraate. In the centre and left centre British divisions penetrated the hostile positions to a depth of two miles, and secured the crossings of the River Steenbeek, their final objectives. Two powerful defensive systems were captured, comprising the villages of Verlorenhoek, Frezenberg, St Julien, and Pilkem, as * On this subject see the 'Quarterly Review' for July, pp. 256, 257. well as many strongly defended farms, woods, and organised localities. In the right centre, obstinate resistance was encountered in the difficult country adjoining the Menin road, with the result that progress was less satisfactory; but all the first objectives were gained, including Hooge village and Sanctuary Wood, and, before evening, our troops had fought their way into Westhoek. On the right, La Basse Ville and Hollebeke were captured before noon, and all the objectives south of the Zillebeke -Zandvoorde road were attained. On the extreme left the French forced the passages of the Yser, captured Steenstraate, and, advancing rapidly, gained their appointed objectives early in the day. Not content with this achievement, they continued their advance, and, having captured Bixschoote and the positions to the south, east, and west, on a front of nearly three miles, established a strong defensive flank covering the left of the British line.* Except in the sector roughly defined by the roads to Menin and Roulers, the results of the day's fighting fulfilled, and in some parts surpassed, expectations. But the continuance of the offensive was precluded by the rain, which had begun to fall during the afternoon, and continued almost without intermission for many days. Streams overflowed their banks, shell-craters were quickly flooded, and the battlefield soon became a quagmire, in places waist-deep in mud. In these circumstances movement of any kind became well-nigh impracticable. On the other hand, the Germans, having been driven back beyond the crater-field, were on ground which was relatively little affected by the weather. Moreover, their infantry was closely supported by the artillery, whereas ours had left the guns far behind. The difficulty of entrenching, and of keeping our troops supplied with food and ammunition, enhanced the embarrassment of the situation, even from the defensive point of view. The Germans did not fail to make use of their advantages. They directed their efforts chiefly to the defence of the front east and north-east of Ypres, where, from the first, their resistance had been most obstinate. The reason for their solicitude in this quarter may readily On July 31 the Allied army captured 6000 prisoners, and a few guns. be discerned by a cursory glance at the topography of the region. It has been observed that the capture of the Messines ridge was a preliminary step to the new offensive. It gave us possession of a formidable artillery position, from which the enemy had commanded all the ground in the Ypres basin, and a footing on the southern portion of an elevated tract which extends, with slight fluctuations of level, through Veldhoek, Passchendaele, and Westroosebeke, affording positions from which guns can flank an advance towards Poelcappelle and the Forest of Houthulst, while, on the other side, it commands the lower country towards Menin and Roulers. The western slopes of the ridge are interspersed with woods, farms, and villages, which provide useful pivots for the defence of the region. These considerations, together, no doubt, with the relative immunity of the rising ground from the effects of the persistent rainfall, caused the operations, after the first day, to become concentrated in the area east and north-east of Ypres; the British striving to follow up their initial success, and the Germans struggling to hold them back, and to recover the more important of their lost positions. During the first half of August, besides minor operations, the enemy delivered ten attacks in this district, only one of which met with any success. This was on the day after the battle, when our troops, not having had time to establish themselves, were forced to vacate St Julien, and to withdraw to the western outskirts of Westhoek. The former village was recovered two days later. On the other hand, our line was advanced appreciably on three occasions. On Aug. 10 Westhoek was recaptured, and a footing was gained in Glencorse Wood. A more important operation, embracing the front from the Menin road to the French left, resulted, on Aug. 16, in the capture of Langemarke, and the occupation by our Allies of the tongue of land between the Yser and the lower reach of the Steenbeek, including the Driegrachten bridge-head, at the confluence. The advance north of the Menin road was again strongly opposed; and the fighting, which continued till nightfall, made no material change in the situation. Better success attended the next attack in this locality, on Aug. 22, when, after a fierce and prolonged struggle, our front |