unterattack was made by the First and Fourth Ontarios
of General Mercer's First Brigade. The Fourth Ontario captured the
German shelter trenches and held them for two days, when they were
relieved. The Third Canadian Brigade held its position in spite of
being opposed by many times their numbers and almost overcome by the
gas fumes. The Forty-eighth Highlanders, who had had to withstand the
gas, rallied after their retreat and regained their former place in
the front. The Royal Highlanders kept their original position. Yet
there was every indication of a rout. The roads were clogged by the
night supply trains going forward and the rush of men trying to escape
from the deadly gas. The staff officers found it impossible to
straighten out the tangle, and the various regiments had to act almost
as independent bodies. It was not until early the following morning,
April 23, 1915, that the first reenforcements of British soldiers
appeared to fill the breach. These men, for the most part, were from
the Twenty-eighth Division, and had been east of Zonnebeke to the
southeast corner of Polygon Wood. So great was the pressure at the
section where the break had been made in the line that troops were
taken from wherever available, so that the units in the gap varied
from day to day. For the men had to be returned to their original
positions, such as remained available, as soon as possible. This
composite body of troops has been called Geddes's Detachment.

The Germans had captured Lizerne and Het Sase, and Steenstraate was
threatened by them. They bombarded with heavy artillery, located on
the Passchendaele ridge, the front held by the Canadians, the
Twenty-eighth Division, and Geddes's Detachment, on April 23, 1915.
The severest fighting was on that part of the front held by the Third
Brigade of Canadians. Many men had been killed or wounded in this
brigade, and those who survived were ill from the effects of the gas.
Furthermore, no food could be taken to them for twenty-four hours.
Moreover, they were subjected to a fire from three sides, with the
result that they were forced to a new position on a line running
through St. Julien. Finally the Germans forced their way around to the
left of the Third Brigade, establishing their machine guns behind it.

A terrific artillery attack was started by the Germans on the morning
of April 24, 1915, and this was followed by a second rush of gas from
their trenches. It rose in a cloud seven f