es
and Roulers. I told him I would deal with these later by means of the
1st Corps, but for the moment his left required careful watching.

In carrying out these orders some progress was made, and the troops
reached the following lines by midnight:--

2nd Corps.--Givenchy-les-La Bassee--Pont du Hem.

3rd Corps.--Neighbourhood of Sailly.

The remaining parts of the line were much in the same position as
before.

On the 16th I went out to see the cavalry. The day was wet and misty,
and it was almost impossible to get artillery targets.

The 1st and 2nd Cavalry Divisions fought all day to gain the
passage of the Lys from Warneton to Comines, but without success.

The 2nd Cavalry Division gained a footing in Warneton, but was
counter-attacked and driven out in the evening. Before I left Allenby,
he told me he had great hopes of succeeding the next day. I remember
watching some of this fighting from an artillery observation post
established in a very roughly constructed hay-loft, through the rotten
floor of which we were nearly precipitated some twenty feet to the
ground.

On my way back I came to the Headquarters of the 3rd Corps. They were
getting on fairly well and had made some progress, but they had not
yet taken Armentieres.

On this day the 2nd Corps was able to move forward with slight
opposition to the line Givenchy--north-west of Aubers.

Of the 4th Corps, the 7th Division occupied the line
Houthem-Gheluvelt-St. Julien, in touch with German outposts.

The 3rd Cavalry Division moved towards Roulers, and was slightly
engaged with the enemy in the forest of Houthulst. In the evening they
occupied the line Zonnebeke-Westroosebeke.

Reports pointed to an increasing hostile advance centred on Thourout.

My ideas as to an earnest offensive on our part were so far modified
by what I had seen and heard, that I sent Wilson to Foch expressing my
conviction that we could not hope to advance east on the lines which
we had discussed on the 10th until our left was cleared. An offensive
on that flank was the only move open to us. This, if successful, would
drive the enemy back from Bruges, and possibly clear Ghent. I was
anxious to know what support Foch could give me in the north. I told
Wilson to assure Foch that the 2nd and 3rd Corps, as well as the
cavalry, would continue their endeavour to make headway east, so far
as circumstances permitted.

Foch replied that he had already two Territorial Divisi