n the reports of the commander to the War
Office.

The British War Office summarized the attack as follows in its report of
June 8:

"The position captured by us yesterday was one of the enemy's most
important strongholds on the western front. Dominating as it did the
Ypres salient and giving the enemy complete observation over it, he
neglected no precautions to render the position impregnable. These
conditions enabled the enemy to overlook all our preparations for
attack, and he had moved up reinforcements to meet us. The battle,
therefore, became a gauge of the ability of the German troops to stop
our advance under conditions as favorable to them as an army can ever
hope for, with every advantage of ground and preparation and with the
knowledge that an attack was impending.

GERMAN FORWARD DEFENSE.

"The German forward defenses consisted of an elaborate and intricate
system of well-wired trenches and strong points forming a defensive belt
over a mile in depth. Numerous farms and woods were thoroughly prepared
for the defense, and there were large numbers of machine guns in the
German garrisons. Guns of all calibers, recently increased in numbers,
were placed to bear not only on the front but on the flanks of an
attack. Numerous communicating trenches and switch lines, radiating in
all directions, were amply provided with strongly constructed concrete
dugouts and machine-gun emplacements designed to protect the enemy
garrison and machine gunners from the effect of our bombardment. In
short, no precaution was omitted that could be provided by the incessant
labor of years, guided by the experience gained by the enemy in his
previous defeats on the Somme, at Arras, and on Vimy Ridge.

"Despite the difficulties and disadvantages which our troops had to
overcome, further details of yesterday's fighting show that our first
assault and the subsequent attacks were carried out in almost exact
accordance with the timetable previously arranged. * * *

"Following on the great care and thoroughness in preparations made under
the orders of General Sir Herbert Plumer, the complete success gained
may be ascribed chiefly to the destruction caused by our mines, to the
violence and accuracy of our bombardment, to the very fine work of the
Royal Flying Corps, and to the incomparable dash and courage of the
infantry. The whole force acted in perfect combination. Excellent work
was done by the tanks, and every means of offense at o