[Illustration: Broembeek Oct. 10. 1917. _Emery Walker Ltd._] General Feilding decided to hold the line with Seymour’s Brigade until the 9th, and to carry out the attack with De Crespigny’s Brigade on the right and Sergison-Brooke’s Brigade on the left. De Crespigny’s Brigade was to cross the Broembeek from Panther and Leopard trenches, and continue on either side of the Koekuit Road through Vee Bend to its final objective, on the edge of the forest, from Egypt House to about 800 yards east of Les Cinq Chemins. Sergison-Brooke’s Brigade, starting from Craonne Farm and Panther trench, was to advance across the stream through Ney Wood and Gruyterszaale Farm to Louvois Farm, and a strong point beyond on its left, while on the right the group of houses from Obtuse Bend to Suez Farm was to be taken, so that the line up to the road to Les Cinq Chemins on the edge of the wood would be secured. Brigadier-General Lord Henry Seymour, who had to hold the original line for the two days before the attack, placed the 4th Battalion Grenadiers and 2nd Battalion Scots Guards in the front trenches, and these two Battalions had a strenuous time preparing accommodation for the other two Brigades, and placing mats in readiness for the crossing of the stream. The 1st Battalion Grenadiers and 1st Battalion Welsh Guards had also to work hard forming forward dumps, and dragging guns into their new position. On the evening of the 7th the relief was successfully accomplished, and De Crespigny’s and Sergison-Brooke’s Brigades moved up into their assembly positions. [Sidenote: Oct. 9.] At 5.20 A.M. on the 9th the attack began. In De Crespigny’s Brigade, the 2nd Battalion Grenadiers and 2nd Battalion Coldstream advanced after an intense bombardment, which lasted four minutes, and having crossed the stream with comparatively little difficulty secured the first objective. In Sergison-Brooke’s Brigade, the 1st Battalion Scots Guards and the 2nd Battalion Irish Guards succeeded in crossing the stream, and reaching the first objective by the appointed time. They, however, experienced some difficulty at Ney Wood, where the enemy had posted a strong machine-gun nest. At 7 A.M. the advance to the second objective commenced, and was equally successful, although in De Crespigny’s Brigade the 2nd Battalion Coldstream met with some resistance from a group of block-houses at Vee Bend.