reater part of the German troops opposite the salient were
from Wuerttemberg and Saxony.

CHAPTER XVI

BEGINNING OF SECOND BATTLE OF YPRES

What is called the second battle of Ypres began with a bombardment of
the little city on April 20, 1915. The rain of shells continued on
through April 22, 1915, on the evening of which the British artillery
observers reported a strange green vapor moving over the French
trenches. The wind was blowing steadily from the northeast. Soon the
French troops were staggering back from the front, blinded and choking
from the deadly German gas. Many of their comrades had been unable to
leave the spot where they were overtaken by the fumes. Those who fled
in terror rushed madly across the canal, choking the road to
Vlamertinghe. A part of the Zouaves and Turcos ran south toward the
Langemarck road, finally reaching the reserve battalions of the
Canadians. Ere long the Canadians caught the deadly odor also.

But the work of the gas did a much more valuable thing for the German
troops than causing the agonizing death of many hundreds and sending
thousands in headlong flight. It made a four-mile-wide opening in the
front of the Allies. And the Germans were quick to take advantage of
that opening. They followed the gas, and were aided in their advance
by artillery fire. The French were forced back on the canal from
Steenstraate to Boesinghe. The Canadians had not suffered so much from
the gas as the French soldiers, but their flank was too exposed for
them to do much effective work against the onrushing Teutons. The
attempt to rally the Turcos failed. The Third Brigade could not
withstand the attack of four divisions, and was forced inward from a
point south of Poelcappelle until its left rested on the wood east of
St. Julien. There was a gap beyond it, and the Germans were forcing
their way around its flank. Because the entire First Brigade of
Canadians had been held in reserve it could not be brought up in time
to save the situation. Two of the battalions, the Sixteenth and Tenth,
were in the gap by midnight. They charged and recovered the northern
edge, and the guns of the Second London Division, which had been
supporting the French in the wood east of St. Julien. But the British
could not hold all they retook, and were forced to abandon the guns
because the artillery horses were miles away. So parts of the guns
were made useless before the Germans had them again.

Then another co