During the fortnight preceding the offensive, changes were made in the order of the forces holding the line.
British troops relieved the Belgians and French who had been operating near the coast, in the direction of Lombaertzyde. Moreover, the French forces, placed at the disposal of General Anthoine, had taken up positions between the Belgians and the British from Reninghe to Elverdinghe.
FIRST STAGE OF THE ALLIES' ADVANCE FROM JULY 31 TO AUGUST 11, 1917
(31/7—11/8)
At 4 a.m. on July 31, in spite of unfavourable weather, the British troops, under the command of Generals Plumer and Gough, co-operating with the Franco-Belgian troops led by General Anthoine, attacked in force along a front of fourteen miles from Dixmude to the Lys.
In the French sector, the greater part of the troops had crossed the Yser during the night. The artillery then pounded the first and second German lines, and as soon as the range had been lengthened, the infantry dashed forward. At the scheduled hour the first and second enemy lines from Dixmude to Bixschoote, to a depth in places of almost two miles, were occupied, while Bixschoote, Steenstraat, and Kortekeer Inn fell.
The British were on the right of the French. The Ypres-Roulers Road formed the axis on which their attack turned. On the left of this road they pierced the German lines to a depth of nearly two miles, and occupied the bridges over the Steenbeek Canal. Several villages were captured: Verlorenhoek, Frezenberg, St. Julien, Pilkem, in addition to a large number of fortified farms and woods.
On the right of the Ypres-Roulers Road, the British encountered a very strong resistance. The ground, more broken than that on the other part of the battle-front, and also intersected with woods, enabled the Germans to keep several points d'appui. Despite the fiercest fighting, it was impossible to drive them out of part of the second position on the right wing. Nevertheless, an advance of about a mile in depth was made in this sector, and the village of Hooge and Sanctuary Wood were captured.
On their extreme right the British had captured Hollebeke Village early that morning.