The
French counter-attacked in the afternoon, captured fifty prisoners, and
made some further progress toward Pilkem. The Germans, however, were
still holding the west bank firmly, although the Belgian artillery had
broken the bridge behind them at Steenstraate.
On the morning of Sunday, the fourth day of the battle, we made a strong
counter-attack on St. Julien, which gained some ground but was checked
in front of the village. To the west of it we reached a point a few
hundred yards south of the wood which had been the objective on the 23d
and which we had had to relinquish subsequently. In the afternoon the
Germans made repeated assaults in great strength on our line near
Broodseinde. These were backed up by a tremendous artillery bombardment
and the throwing of asphyxiating bombs; but all were beaten off with
great slaughter to the enemy, and forty-five prisoners fell into our
hands. When night came the situation remained unchanged.
This determined offensive on the part of the enemy, although it has
menaced Ypres itself, has not so far the appearance of a great effort to
break through the line and capture the Channel ports, such as that made
in October.
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