the Germans now opened a determined offensive
from Zandvoorde southwards.

On the 13th April, as a result of the German successes on the Lys, the
71st Infantry Brigade, which was in reserve, had to be rushed off to
join the 49th Division on the Neuve Eglise front. It returned to the
Division on the 26th April after a pretty rough time, during which
it suffered considerable casualties (about 750), but earned great
praise. A counter-attack delivered by the 9th Norfolk Regiment was a
particularly creditable incident in this period.

Otherwise the first fortnight in the Salient was without special
incident. On the 16th April, in consequence of the progress made by
the enemy farther to the south, the Salient was reduced in accordance
with plan, and the line withdrawn to the battle zone, where an
advanced force was left out in a line of detached pill-boxes and
works. The enemy followed up cautiously in the afternoon, but the
garrisons of the line of posts by lying low were able in several cases
to catch parties unawares, and a fair number of casualties were
inflicted. One party of twenty-five in particular was annihilated.

On the 25th April the enemy attacked and captured Kemmel Village and
Hill from the French. This decided the Higher Command to withdraw the
advanced force, and this was successfully carried out on the night of
the 26/27th to the line West end of Zillebeke Lake-White Chateau.

Incessant work on the new defences, and heavy shelling, particularly
gas shelling of Ypres, were the only incidents for some time on the
actual front of the Division, though heavy attacks on the 29th April
on the Division on the right, and the enemy's unsuccessful attack on
Ridgewood on the 8th May, kept it on the alert. The Division was on
the edge of the battle, and stood to on several occasions for an
attack on its own front.

On the 11th to the 14th May the Division side-slipped to the south in
relief of the 19th Division, thus coming next door to the 14th French
Division, and passing to II Corps (Lt.-Gen. Sir C. Jacob). On the 28th
May the enemy attacked our neighbours on the right and succeeded in
driving them out of Ridgewood and almost in reaching Dickebusch Lake.
In view of the importance to us of the lost position, and of the
exhausted state of the 14th (French) Division, an offer was made
to co-operate with them in a counter-attack to regain the lost ground.
This was gladly accepted, and on the early morning of the 29th