ON NOV. 2, THE FRENCH COUNTER-ATTACKED AND RETOOK THE MESSINES-WYTSCHAETE RIDGE. THE GERMANS LAUNCHED A MASS ATTACK AGAINST GHELUVELT
During the night of October 31, the Messines-Wytschaete crest was again fiercely attacked. The Germans gained a footing in Wytschaete and broke the British line to the north of Messines. A withdrawal became necessary, and at dawn the line was set back as far as the western outskirts of Wulverghem.
During the day of November 1, Wytschaete was retaken and lost again.
French Zouaves, acting as reinforcements, held their ground doggedly in front of St. Eloi. The enemy offensive redoubled in intensity, and the situation became desperate. As a result of the flooding of the Yser, the German IIIrd Corps in the northern sector became available and joined in the assault.
The French 14th Corps, hurriedly called up, counter-attacked furiously and succeeded in driving back the Germans and gaining a fresh footing in the western outskirts of Wytschaete. On November 2, the French were once more in possession of the western crest of Messines-Wytschaete.
This check did not daunt the Germans, who, having just been reinforced from their Belgian garrisons, directed their efforts further to the north. The attack was made by compact masses of troops on the St. Eloi-Zwarteleen front, the movement coinciding with a thrust against Gheluvelt on the Menin-Ypres Road. At the latter point the front was momentarily broken, but furious counter-attacks re-established the original positions. The French troops which held the bend of the canal north-east of Hollebeke were overpowered and thrown back on Verbranden-Molen. A counter-attack by the 1st British Corps checked the enemy onrush, and after a magnificent defence the original line was almost entirely maintained.
THE GERMANS CONTINUED THEIR FURIOUS ATTACKS UNTIL NOV. 11, BUT FAILED TO REACH THEIR OBJECTIVE: YPRES
The battle continued to rage with increasing violence, the culminating point being reached on November 11. At dawn the Germans, after a terrific artillery preparation lasting several hours, attacked with the infantry of the Ist and IVth Brigades of the Prussian Guards. They succeeded in piercing the line in three places, and forced their way into the woods behind the trenches to a depth of rather more than two miles through the principal breach.