spite, and the firing for a time
died down. The comparative lull enabled us to reorganize and
consolidate our position on the new line we had taken up and to obtain
some rest after the fatigue and strain of the night. It did not last
long, however, and in the afternoon the climax of the battle was
reached, for, under the cover of intense artillery fire, the Germans
launched no less than five separate assaults against the east of the
salient.

To the north and northeast their attacks were not at first pressed so
hard as on the south of the Menin road, where the fighting was
especially fierce. In the latter direction masses of infantry were
hurled on with absolute desperation and were beaten off with
corresponding slaughter.

At one point, north of the town, 500 of the enemy advanced from the
wood, and it is affirmed by those present that not a single man of them
escaped.

[Sidenote: German losses at Chateau Hooge.]

On the eastern face, at 6:30 P. M., an endeavor was made to storm the
grounds of the Chateau Hooge, a little north of the Menin road, but the
force attempting it broke and fell back under the hail of shrapnel
poured upon them by our guns. It was on this side, where they had to
face the concentrated fire of guns, Maxims and rifles again and again in
their efforts to break their way through, that the Germans incurred
their heaviest losses, and the ground was literally heaped with dead.

They evidently, for the time being at least, were unable to renew their
efforts, and as night came on the fury of their offensive gradually
slackened, the hours of darkness passing in quietness.

During the day our troops saw some of the enemy busily employed in
stripping the British dead in our abandoned trenches, east of the Hooge
Chateau, and several Germans afterward were noticed dressed in khaki.

[Sidenote: A successful day.]

So far as the Ypres region is concerned, this for us was a most
successful day. Our line, which on the northeast of the salient had,
after the previous day's fighting, been reconstituted a short distance
behind the original front, remained intact. Our losses were
comparatively slight, and, owing to the targets presented by the enemy,
the action resolved itself on our part into pure killing.

The reason for this very determined effort to crush our left on the part
of the Germans is not far to seek. It is probable that for some days
previously they had been in possession of information which