Throughout the period spent in this sector the 11th D.L.I. (Major G. Hayes) were constantly at work; they carried up material, dug and wired new lines of trenches, repaired tramways and constructed a duckboard track from Langemarck to the front line. On the 20th of September the Lewis gunners of the battalion were employed on anti-aircraft work and assisted the attack on Eagle Trench. That night two companies working with the R.E. constructed strong points in the captured area. For his work at this time Capt. W. G. L. Sear was awarded the M.C. The continual shelling, particularly on the line of the Steenbeek, made the journey to and from work always difficult.
In the last days of September the 20th Division was relieved by the 14th, and on the 1st of October entrained for Bapaume.
Before leaving, another congratulatory message was received from General Sir Hubert Gough:
“The Army Commander wishes to thank all ranks 20th Division for the part they have played in the third battle of Ypres. The Division may well be proud of the capture of Langemarck on August 16th and the taking of Eagle Trench on September the 23rd. While holding the line of the Steenbeek during a prolonged spell of bad weather the Division showed a good soldierly spirit under difficult conditions. The Army Commander is sorry to lose such a good fighting Division.”
Once more the Divisional Artillery was left in action, although all ranks were well-nigh exhausted after two and a half months’ continuous fighting in the battle.
The C.R.A. and headquarters moved out of the line on the 28th, when the artillery brigades came under the 4th Division, commanded by Major-General T. G. Matheson. The gunners of both brigades were immediately employed in preparing gun positions on the Steenbeek. The line of the Steenbeek was continually being shelled, especially at night, when all ammunition had to be carried down to the positions; and as the usual artillery programme had to be carried out in addition to this work, the strain was very great.
Since the capture of Langemarck the German possession of Poelcapelle had prevented the advance on this part of the battle front from being pushed to any great depth. A successful advance further to the south gained Polygon Wood and Zonnebeke on the 26th of September, thus establishing a footing on the main ridge at these places, and the line was advanced to within striking distance of the high ground as far north as a point east of St Julien.[9] In the XIVth Corps area there was no infantry action, though both the 91st and 92nd Field Artillery Brigades took part in an artillery bombardment. On the 4th of October an attack between the Menin road and the Ypres-Staden railway included Poelcapelle as an objective of the 11th Division, which was at this time on the right of the 4th. The 4th Division advanced at 6 A.M. parallel to the railway, with its left flank some 600 yards south-east of it, and by 10 o’clock, when the protective barrage was reported to be most effective, had gained the final objective, the right of which touched the northern outskirts of Poelcapelle. The town itself was entered by the 11th Division.
The fighting on the general battle front since the 20th of September had been remarkable for the many heavy counter attacks launched against our troops when the objectives had been taken. These attacks were repulsed with great loss to the enemy, and Sir Douglas Haig states in his despatch[10] that documents captured on the 4th of October showed that the Germans, recognising the failure of these methods, were endeavouring to return to their old practice of holding their forward position in strength.
After this attack the 92nd Field Artillery Brigade moved to positions on the eastern slope of Pilckem Ridge completely open to the enemy’s view. The 91st Brigade was transferred to the sector north of the railway, to cover the Guards Division, and was ordered to take up a position on the Steenbeek (Hannebeek) during the night of the 6/7th. Batteries worked all through the 6th, trying to make a track round the shell-holes towards the positions, which were in a swamp on both banks of the stream. They began to move forward at 7 P.M. along the road which follows the crest of the ridge as far as the cross-roads at Pilckem, then down the Langemarck road for a mile, after which they branched off to the north.
This was the only available road in the neighbourhood for all traffic. It was constantly shelled, and on the evening of the 6th it was crowded with infantry units, ration parties and troops of all kinds when the German guns opened fire. In the confusion that ensued the batteries were a good deal delayed, but in spite of the awful state of the ground they reached a road close to the position during the night and actually got four guns and two howitzers into action. All the next day they struggled to get ammunition down to the position by pack, skirting the northern edge of the Pilckem Ridge. It rained heavily, and the mud was so deep that it was found to be impossible to get the remaining guns into action that night.