Thursday 30th August 1917

Bivouacs and dugouts at Chateau Segard, near the hamlet of Kruistraathoek.

Another windy and stormy day.

Pte. Ernest Wilson (11751) (see 22^nd August) was discharged from 4^th Stationary Hospital at Arques and posted to 7^th Convalescent Depot at Boulogne.

Pte. Herbert Kitley (see 14^th June), serving with 8DWR, departed for England on ten days leave.

Pte. Herbert Greenwood Audsley (see 10^th July) who had, seven weeks previously, been declared unfit for overseas service, was posted back to the Regimental Depot at Halifax.

Pte. Herbert Burgess (see 6^th August), serving with 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion at Gateshead, was reported as absent off his final pass before returning to France. He would report five days later and would be ordered to forfeit five days’ pay and undergo five days Field Punishment no.2.

Ptes. Harry Exley (see 7^th August) Sydney Exley (see 22^nd June), and Herbert Farrand Hogley (see 12^th August), all of whom had been in England since being wounded, and were currently serving with 3DWR at North Shields, were reported as absent off their final pass before returning to France. All three would report five days later and would be ordered to forfeit five days’ pay and undergo five days Field Punishment no.2.

Pte. Thomas Legg (see 26^th May) was posted from Northern Command Depot at Ripon to 3DWR at North Shields.

Lt.Col. Francis Washington Lethbridge (see 24^th August), along with the CO’s of the other Battalions of 69^th Brigade and other senior officers of the Brigade, attended a Brigade conference at which they were given details of the Brigade’s involvement in a forthcoming attack against the German positions The meeting included a description of the German positions opposite Xth Corps front, as follows:

Description of the enemy area opposite X^th Corps front

The left flank of the Corps rests upon the Stirling Castle – Clapham Junction plateau, whence the line runs southwards along the eastern slope of the main Passchandaele Ridge. The plans for the proposed offensive include the capture of the upper Basseville Beek Valley and then the northern portion of the Veldhoek – Zandvoorde Ridge, a southern offshoot of the main Passchandaele Ridge.

It will be seen that the country which lies within the proposed objectives is commanded by the ridge already in our hands, but the Basseville Beek Valley which lies between our lines and the Veldhoek – Zandvoorde Ridge, naturally presents a considerable obstacle as its eastern slope is steep, the bottom of the valley itself is rendered difficult by a stream and much marshy (though not impassable) ground, and its northern end is blocked by high ground from which dangerous enfilade fire could be brought to bear against troops attacking across it. It is also important to note that the western face of the Veldhoek – Zandvoorde Ridge is clothed with trees and undergrowth which, though very much damaged by our bombardments, are still capable of providing effective cover for machine guns.

Tower Hamlets, or rather the small house about 200 yards north of it, is the highest point on the ridge, but the slopes are very convex and it is doubtful whether a clear field of fire down the valley between this place and Gheluvelt will be obtainable from any position much to the west of the German trench line which runs along the rear slope of the hill.

The Basseville Beek which takes its source from the pond of the Chateau at J.20.b.8.9 flows underneath the Menin Road, which runs at this point on an embankment about seven feet high. Then in a SW direction into the pond at J.20.d.0.8. Banks are steep, from four to five feet high on the western side, but only about two or three feet on the eastern side. Average width, five feet; depth of water not exceeding one foot; bottom marshy.

Along the eastern edge of the stream and more especially around J.20.b.5.7 there is a slight wooded depression about ten to fiteen yards wide which was once thought to be very marshy and impassable to infantry, thus forming an exceedingly nasty obstacle for troops advancing to the attack of the German line immediately east of it. Recent enquiries, however, have disproved this. The ground will probably be found to be wet and perhaps ankle deep in mud, but the sub-soil is said, by reliable refugees, to be hard and firm and there is no question about any portion of this stream or its neighbourhood being impassable to infantry in squares J.20 or J.26.

Dumbarton Lakes

These lakes, which are artificial, are now reported to be dry, with the exception of the small circular one about J.20.d.0.8. All the ground in this low-lying area is said to be quite dry and hard in dry weather, but it is probable that certain portions would become very soft and ‘heavy’ after rain. The average depth of the lakes is about five feet; that at J.20.d.0.8, which still contains water, being about ten feet.

Chateau Herenthage (J.20.b.1.8)

Outside Cellar

Along the wall which encloses the vegetable garden on the side parallel to the Ypres – Menin road on the outside of the garden, ie at J.20.b.5.9, at the north-west corner of the wall is a vegetable store cellar. The size of this cellar is about four metres by ten metres. The long side of the cellar is at right angles to the road. The vault has one single span having a brick thickness of 23cm and then covered with 50 cm of earth and grass. The height of the vault of this cellar above the level of the surrounding ground is about one metre. No view is obtainable toward the north as the road at this point is one and a half metres above the level of the ground.

Chateau

The Chateau, situated at J.20.b.1.8, is fairly strongly built. The walls are two brick thick. Three floors with cellars beneath the whole building. The basement has a total height of two metres, ie one metre below and one metre above the level of the ground. The cellars etc. are all roofed with planks only – no vaulting at all. The windows of the cellars give a field of view on all four sides of the Chateau. The lawns, the ponds and the border of the wood are commanded from the cellar. From the third floor a very wide view in a south-easterly direction toward the valley of the Lys is obtained. The view from the other floors of the Chateau is masked by the woods.

Buildings

At J.20.b.3.8 a shed exists. This has two wings at right angles to one another. Two floors, used as sheds, stable and dwelling house for servants. Walls one and a half bricks thick. Strongly built and in good condition. No cellar and no vaulted roofing.

At J.20.b.1.2 Farm Vandenweohe. In bad condition.

Appendix I

The following information, which was obtained from refugees and other sources about a year ago, may still be of some value.

Commune of Gheluvelt – Square J.15

Veldhoek is composed of a number of small laboures’ cottages. The greater part of these cottages have mud walls strengthened with wood, and thatched roofs. There are a few rare exceptions consisting of houses with brick walls and tile roofs. All houses have ground floor only and none have cellars. There are no buildings which present any strength and none of any importance. Worthy of note are only a strongly-built farm at J.15.d.5.5 and a manure pit at J.21.b.4.5. There are some recently-built houses with brick walls and tiled roofs along the Ypres-Menin road in J.21.a and towards the ‘Kantenientje’.

Country

The soil is light, sandy and dry. The country is flat and the undulations are never irregular, ie there are neither cuttings nor embankments and no steep descents.

Ground

The country is very open. There are very pastures and, owing to this, very few hedges, little barbed wire or enclosures of any sort. Bushes are completely absent and there are very few trees. Owing to the flat and open nature of the coutry here a uniform view is obtained in all directions.

Woods

The wood situated at J.15.c.NE has been cleared absolutely.

Veldhoek crossroads at J.21.a.0.7

1-2. Two buildings of considerable strength on south side of Ypres-Menin road and some 165 yards north of bifurcation of road.

3. An estaminet on west side of road leading to Zandvoorde. Strongly constructed and strong cellar.

4. Further south but on same side of road, manure pit; strongly vaulted masonrycovered with earth giving mound about three to four feet high. If used as a machine gun emplacement would have a good field of fire. There are similar manure pits at J.22.b.1.9, J.21.b.4.5, J.23.b.5.1 and J.28.a.5.5. The first two were used as ammunition pits by the Belgian Army in 1914.