More fortunate in the centre, they succeeded in taking the village of Locre, and advanced beyond it as far as the cross-ways on the Westoutre Road, half-a-mile north of Locre. Their success was but short-lived, however, as a vigorous counter-attack by French Dragoons drove them back, and at the end of the day all that remained of their gains was a slight salient near Brulooze Inn. Exhausted, they did not renew their attack. The Hill offensive was over. The Germans had destroyed Ypres, but could not enter the ruined city. [Illustration] =THE ALLIES' VICTORY OFFENSIVE OF AUGUST--OCTOBER, 1918= After the German setback of April 29, the initiative passed into the hands of the Allies. On April 30, the French 39th Infantry Division reduced the Brulooze Inn salient. During the following week numerous local engagements enabled the Allies to recapture several fortified farms and _points d'appui_, and generally to consolidate their positions. An attack by the British, on July 19, to the north of the Lys, advanced their lines two and a half miles, and gave them the village of Meteren. Then followed a lull, which lasted until the speeding-up of Foch's offensive rendered the German positions untenable and forced the conquered enemy back towards the Rhine. After the Allies' victorious counter-thrust had flattened out the "pocket" made by the German Spring offensive near Amiens, the battle quickly spread over the whole front, including Flanders. East of Nieppe Forest and Hazebrouck, the British, pressing forward towards Armentières, advanced beyond Vieux-Berquin in the direction of Merville. On August 18, they joined battle between Vieux-Berquin and Bailleul, on a front of four miles, and captured the village of Outtersteene. The next day they entered Merville. [Illustration: GERMAN POSITION NORTH OF YPRES, CAPTURED BY BELGIAN TROOPS ON SEPT. 8--9, 1918] On September 1, the British had reached the line: La Bassée, Laventie, Steenwerke, Neuve-Eglise and Wulverghem, on both sides of the Lys. On the following day, Estaires was outflanked south of Lens, and the famous Hindenburg line passed. Noreuil, Villers-au-Flos (south of Quéant), Le Transloy, Sailly-Saillisel and Allaines (south of the Bapaume-Cambrai Road) were next captured. Further south the storming of Quéant by the Canadians, who then advanced beyond, and approached Marquion, opened the road to Cambrai. On September 4, the British reached the Canal du Nord, and crossed it at several points. On the following day, they regained possession of their old lines on both sides of the Lys, from Neuve-Chapelle to Givenchy, and captured Ploegsteert Village. On September 10, south-west of Cambrai, Gouzeaucourt Wood and the old line of trenches dominating Gouzeaucourt Village, as well as the outskirts of Havrincourt Wood were occupied. The general offensive was to be launched a few days later, in co-operation with the Belgian Army and some French units.