July 31, 1917 Attack of July 31--Advance of the Guards--Of the Welsh--Capture of Pilkem--Capture of St. Julien by Thirty-ninth Division--Advance of Fifty-fifth Division--Advance of Jacob's Second Corps--General results CHAPTER VII THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES August 1 to September 6 Dreadful weather--German reaction--Attack of August 16--Advance of Cavan's Corps--Capture of Langemarck--Dreadful losses of the two Irish Divisions--Failure in the south--Splendid field-gunners--The Forty-second Division upon September 6 CHAPTER VIII THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES September 6 to October 3, 1917 Engagement of Plumer's Second Army--Attack of September 20--Fine advance of Fifty-fifth Division--Advance of the Ninth {ix} Division--Of the Australians--Strong counter-attack upon the Thirty-third Division--Renewed advance on September 20--Continued rain--Desperate fighting CHAPTER IX THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES October 4 to November 10, 1917 Attack of October 4--Further advance of the British line--Splendid advance of second-line Territorials--Good work of H.A.C. at Reutel--Abortive action of October 12--Action of October 26--Heavy losses at the south end of the line--Fine fighting by the Canadian Corps--Capture of Paschendaale--General results of third battle of Ypres CHAPTER X THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI First phase, November 20--Tanks _en masse_--Attack on the Tunnel Trench--Byng's great advance--Fine work of the Sixty-second Division--Hard fighting of Pulteney's Third Corps--Exploit of Fort Garry Horse--Second day of battle--Rally of Germans--Capture of Bourlon Wood by Fortieth Division--Attack by the Guards on La Fontaine CHAPTER XI THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI. Second phase of battle on November 30--Great German attack--Disaster to three divisions--Desperate fight of Twenty-ninth Division--Fine advance by the Guards--Capture and recapture of Gouzeaucourt--Hard battle in the Bourlon Sector--Heavy losses of the Germans--Retraction of the British line INDEX {xi} MAPS AND PLANS Fighting Line, February 24, 1917, and Fighting Line, March 1, 1917 The Arras Front Chart of Order of Battle, Arras, April 9, 1917 Order of Battle, Messines, June 7, 1917 Line of Battle, August 16, 1917 The Ypres Front Third Ypres Battle, September 26 Order of Battle, October 4, 1917 Fighting Line, November 20, 1917 Battle Line of Third Army, November 20, 1917 Fighting Line, November 30, 1917 Battle Order of Third Army, November 30, 1917 Map to illustrate the British Campaign in France and Flanders [Transcriber's note: this map was omitted from the etext because its size and fragility made it impractical to scan.] {1} CHAPTER I THE GERMAN RETREAT UPON THE ARRAS-SOISSONS FRONT Hindenburg's retreat--The advance of the Fifth and Fourth Armies--Capture of Bapaume and Peronne--Atrocious devastation by the Germans--Capture of guns at Selency--Definition of the Hindenburg Line--General survey.