Owing to German penetration in the south the right flank of the Second Army, pivoting on Wytschaete, was obliged to withdraw in the night to a line passing through Kruisstraat Cabaret and a point east of Wulverghem. When this movement was completed the right wing of the 62nd Brigade rested on the Bogaert Farm-Pick Wood Spur, and a defensive flank was formed along the Wytschaete-Peckham road.
The retirement was naturally more pronounced in the case of the Nineteenth Division, and in conformity with the rest of that formation the South Africans were drawn back to a line N. Midland Farm-Kruisstraat Cabaret-Spanbroekmolen-Maedelstede Farm.
From the 12th to the 15th there was a lull in the fighting on the front of the Ninth, but merciless artillery-fire caused many casualties. During this period of comparative peacefulness General Tudor made several rearrangements. The 64th Brigade (less one battalion) took over the front from Somer Farm to Dome House in relief of the 26th, which continued to hold the Dammstrasse, and the 9th Seaforths and the 58th Brigade were withdrawn from the front trenches, the latter rejoining its own Division on the 13th. Meantime reinforcements were gathering in the rear; the South Africans returned to the Ninth on the night of the 13th/14th and two battalions of the 39th Composite Brigade (late Thirty-ninth Division) were moved by the Twenty-first Division to Ridge Wood to be available if required. All our defences were strengthened and the Sappers and 9th Seaforths laboured steadily on the Vierstraat line, which the 62nd and 26th Brigades were ordered to garrison, each with a battalion. A prolongation of front on the evening of the 15th obliged the 62nd Brigade to take over the front of the Nineteenth Division as far as Spanbroekmolen. The success of the enemy also forced us to surrender our dearly-bought gains of the Passchendaele campaign, and in conformity with the withdrawal round Ypres, the left flank of the Ninth from the north-east end of the Dammstrasse to the northern divisional boundary was brought back to the Corps line.
This line, leaving the Dammstrasse, east of Eikhof Farm, crossed the Canal just east of The Bluff, where, turning east-north-east, it passed over the Klein Zillebeke Spur, 500 yards north-west of the hamlet of the same name. The White Château and Klein Zillebeke were thus given up, but The Bluff and Hill 60 were retained. With a view to shortening our front, and so economising troops, a more extensive retirement—to the Vierstraat line—was contemplated; but on General Tudor urging that this position, besides offering inadequate protection against artillery-fire, was completely overlooked from the Spanbroekmolen-Wytschaete Ridge, and was a poor substitute for the valuable observation afforded by our present position, the idea was abandoned.
The stretch, for which the Ninth with its attached troops was responsible, amounted to 9000 yards. The portion of the Corps line, occupied by the Lowland Brigade, consisted of a string of cleverly camouflaged posts protected by heavy and continuous belts of wire, and had previously been reconnoitred by Brig.-General Croft and Captain Duke, his brigade major. The retreat was skilfully carried out on the night of the 15th/16th under cover of patrols, which, going out as usual after dusk, were so enterprising that the enemy failed to realise that a withdrawal was in progress. All next day the Germans violently shelled the vicinity of the Corps line, but the posts were so well concealed that little damage was done, and even low flying aeroplanes were unable to detect our new positions. Our far-reaching observation served us handsomely; the enemy frequently presented excellent targets as he advanced, and the accurate and galling fire of our Stokes mortars and machine-guns stationed on The Bluff shattered a hostile concentration near the Canal.
On the 16th a huge enemy effort was directed against Wytschaete. About 5 A.M., after a hurricane bombardment which broke down all communications in the sector, the Germans, screened by a mist, carried the battered site on which had stood Spanbroekmolen Mill, the 64th Brigade being forced to throw out a defensive flank 500 yards north of the former on the line Somer Farm-North House-Black Cot, whence it was continued to the Vierstraat line by two companies of the Black Watch. The South Africans were hastily brought up, and manned the southern sector of the Vierstraat from La Polka to Desinet Farm, while the Lowland Brigade occupied the northern sector from the Vierstraat-Wytschaete road to Snipers’ Barn.
About noon a furious attack developed against the Camerons in the Dammstrasse, but was repulsed by rifle and machine-gun fire, and the Germans withdrew to Pheasant Wood, leaving their wounded where they fell. An hour later an attempt of the enemy to debouch from the wood was easily frustrated.
The loss of Wytschaete was no light matter, and an operation for its recapture was quickly planned. French reserves having been sent up, one division was to attack with its left flank parallel to and 500 yards north of the Kemmel-Spanbroekmolen road, and the Ninth was to co-operate by retaking Wytschaete. Our available forces consisted of two battalions of the 62nd Brigade, the 7th Seaforths, and two companies of the 39th Composite Brigade, and the objective was the line Pick Wood-Bogaert Farm, the cutting 300 yards south of Wytschaete-Staenyzer Cabaret-Somer Farm. The French however were unable to complete their preparations, and at 7.30 P.M. the Ninth attacked alone under cover of a creeping barrage. Just as the German barrage began our troops moved forward. The dash of the Seaforths was superb. An irresistible charge carried them right through Wytschaete village, and during a combat where many feats of valour were performed, Captain Reid and C.S.M. Jeffries singled themselves out by the daring with which they rushed a “Pill-box” on the ridge and captured 14 prisoners and 5 machine-guns. But the extreme left of the attack was checked by machine-gun fire from North House, and though on the right the men of the 62nd Brigade reached the line Petit Bois-Maedelstede, they failed to capture the craters at the two latter places owing to machine-gun fire from Spanbroekmolen and Peckham, which the French were to have attacked. The result of the operation was that success on the left had been gained on a narrow front, while on the right a line had been established which could not be held by daylight unless Spanbroekmolen were taken.
The French therefore agreed to assault the village at 5 A.M. on the 17th, when the 62nd Brigade was to co-operate by attacking Wytschaete Wood. To support the Seaforths in Wytschaete village the South Africans were placed under the orders of Brig.-General Kennedy, and the 4th Regiment, followed by the 1st, moved up to the village. By dawn the line occupied ran from Somer Farm through North House and the Hospice to Black Cot. The French effort against Spanbroekmolen was unexpectedly feeble, only one company being used, and nothing was achieved, with the result that the 62nd Brigade had to withdraw to the line La Gache Farm-eastern edge of Petit Bois.