ions
and rushed forward to attack. The first and second German lines were
carried almost without opposition, but at some points the Germans held
up the advance with machine guns from their rear positions. These the
British stormed, and lost considerable men in the operation, but they
were comforted with the thought that the German losses were much
heavier.

As a result of the day's operations the British had advanced their
line on a front of over fifteen miles from La Basse Ville, on the
river Lys, to Steenstraete on the river Yser.

The French troops on the extreme left and protecting the left flank of
the British forces captured the village of Steenstraete, and rushing
on penetrated the German defenses to a depth of nearly two miles.
Having won all their objectives at an early hour in the day, the
French continued to advance, occupying Bixschoote and capturing German
positions to the southeast and west of the village on a front of
nearly two and a half miles. In the center and on the left British
divisions swept the enemy from positions to a depth of two miles, and
secured crossings at the river Steenbeek, thus gaining all their
objectives. In carrying out this attack British troops captured two
powerful defensive systems by assault, and won against fierce
opposition the villages of Verlorenhoek, Frezenberg, St. Julien, and
Pilken, together with farms that had been transformed into fortresses
and other strongholds in neighboring woods.

The victory of the Allies was more remarkable because of unfavorable
weather conditions. The day was marked by heavy rain and the sky was
full of heavy sodden clouds, so that observation was well nigh
impossible for the airmen and kite balloons. Fortunately on the night
before the attack the rain held off and the many thousands of British
troops who occupied mudholes and shell holes close to the enemy lines
had reason to bless the dark since they had a better chance of
escaping observation. But this was not always possible, for the German
flares and rockets often revealed their position and a shell would
pass over them or smash among them, killing some and maiming others.
Those who escaped these death-dealing visitors were forced to maintain
silence, lest they betray their position. During the night the German
aviators were more active than during the day and many times their
bombs found a mark among the British soldiers crouching on the ground.
It was a terrible ordeal through whi