9 October 1917
Third battle of Ypres: Battle of Poelcappelle
The fourth of General Plumer's 'bite and hold' battles goes very differently to the first three. In the earlier battles the British capture and hold small parts of the German front line at comparatively low cost. This time the ground has been turned to mud by two days of heavy rain. As a result the heavy artillery bombardment had less impact and much of the German wire survives. The British make very little progress before the attack is cancelled. Poelcappelle is followed by the two costly attacks on Passchendaele that often give their name to the entire battle.
How to cite this article: Rickard, J (28 December 2007), 9 October 1917, http://www.historyofwar.org/firstworldwar/daybyday/1917_10_09.html