Actions of 30 September – 4 October 1917 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Actions of 30 September – 4 October 1917 |
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| Part of the Third Battle of Ypres in the First World War | |||||||
 Map of the Ypres–Menin Road–Polygon Wood area, 1917 |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 German Empire |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Crown Prince Rupprecht | Douglas Haig | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1 division, 1 attached regiment | 2 divisions | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 30 September: 80+ 1 October: 356 4 October: 5,669 (partial) |
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The Actions of 30 September – 4 October 1917 were a series of German counter-attacks during the Third Battle of Ypres in Flanders, Belgium, during the First World War. Earlier German quick counter-attacks, called Gegenstöße, on 20 and 26 September had failed and cost many lives.
Because of these failures, German military leaders decided to change their tactics. On 29 September, top German generals met to discuss new plans. They decided to use Gegenangriffe (methodical counter-attacks) instead of Gegenstöße. This meant waiting 24–48 hours after a British attack to gather more information, use air support, and get artillery ready. They hoped this new approach would stop the British from quickly digging in after their advances.
From 30 September to 4 October, the German 4th Army launched several Gegenangriffe. However, these attacks did not regain much ground. A major attack on 1 October failed, and another planned for 3 October was moved to 4 October. This attack also failed, as it happened at the same time as a large British attack on Broodseinde Ridge.
After these costly failures, the German 4th Army changed its defensive strategy again on 7 October. They decided to focus more on using artillery to stop British attacks. Front-line troops would be spread out in small posts. When the British attacked, these troops would fall back to the main defensive line, which would be protected by heavy artillery fire. The goal was to delay the British with artillery, allowing special counter-attack divisions (Eingreif divisions) to move forward and launch quick Gegenstöße. If the British had already dug in, the Gegenstoß would be cancelled, and a planned Gegenangriff would be launched later.
Contents
Background to the Battle
War Developments in 1917
In July 1917, the Russian army began to fall apart. This meant that Germany might soon be able to move many of its soldiers from the Eastern Front to the Western Front. To prevent this, the Allies launched new attacks.
- From 15 to 25 August, Canadian troops fought the Battle of Hill 70. This battle kept German divisions from moving to Flanders.
- On 20 August, French forces attacked German troops at Verdun. In just four days, they took back much of the land they had lost in 1916. The French captured many prisoners and weapons. Germany could not launch big counter-attacks because their special Eingreif divisions were already fighting in Flanders.
- The French also prepared for another attack on the Chemin des Dames.
- The British Third Army planned a surprise attack with artillery and tanks near Cambrai.
Changes in Battle Tactics
In early September, the weather in Flanders was dry and clear. This helped the British air force (Royal Flying Corps) and artillery greatly. German immediate counter-attacks (Gegenstöße) were failing. When German Eingreif divisions arrived, they found the British had already set up strong defenses. The British also used their artillery very effectively.
German counter-attacks often turned into difficult assaults on well-defended British positions. This was because the British advanced only short distances, used powerful artillery, and focused on defeating German counter-attacks. After losing battles on 20 and 26 September, the German 4th Army decided to change its counter-attack tactics once more.
Preparing for Battle
German Defense Plans
On 28 September, after the defeat at Polygon Wood, a German officer wrote in his diary that he didn't know how to stop the British. On 29 September, top German generals met to discuss their next steps. They included Erich Ludendorff, a very important German general.
Ludendorff noted that their defensive tactics needed to change. Another German report said that many counter-attacks failed and caused heavy losses. The German commanders decided they would fight for every piece of ground. They believed that even if counter-attacks failed to regain land, they would force the British to keep more troops on the front line.
On 30 September, the German 4th Army issued new orders:
- They would fire more artillery between British attacks.
- At least half of their heavy artillery shells would be used to target British strong points, command posts, and machine-gun nests.
- They would use more gas attacks on British front lines and artillery positions, if the wind allowed.
- They would try to recapture captured bunkers and improve their defenses.
- German patrols and small attacks would bother the British.
- The Germans wanted to force the British to send more troops forward and counter-attack, so German artillery could hit them.
Front-line troops were reinforced. All machine guns were moved to the forward zone, creating a strong line of fire. Special storm regiments from the Eingreif divisions were moved closer to the front. Their job was to counter-attack while the British were still digging in. The rest of the Eingreif division would be held back for a bigger, planned counter-attack (Gegenangriff) 24–48 hours later.
British Preparations
The British had also improved their tactics. They attacked objectives just behind the German front line. Then, they prepared to fight the main battle against the German Eingreif divisions when they counter-attacked. The British also made sure their attacking divisions had enough support to hold their ground against German counter-attacks.
British divisions attacked on narrower fronts and advanced no more than about 1,370 meters (1,500 yards) into the German defense zone before digging in. This meant that German counter-attackers faced strong British defenses with a lot of artillery. The speed of British attacks also made it hard for the Germans to replace their tired divisions.
The British did not plan a big artillery preparation before 4 October. Instead, they fired normal heavy artillery at German strong points. To trick the Germans about the attack date, they started practice bombardments on 27 September. These increased to two a day from 1 October.
On 1 October, British intelligence predicted that the Germans would change their defenses and launch a big counter-attack near Zonnebeke. Heavy rain fell on 2 October, turning parts of the ground into mud. The British considered cancelling their attack but decided to go ahead.
German Plans for 1 October
The area between Polygon Wood and the Menin road was very muddy due to streams. The German 45th Reserve Division and the 8th Division prepared for an attack. They also had special forces with flamethrowers and trench mortars.
German Plans for 4 October
After the defeat on 26 September, the German 4th Guard Division was sent to Zonnebeke. To hold the ridge, the Guards needed to gather further west. The Germans planned "Operation Height Storm" (Unternehmen Hohensturm) for 3 October. The goal was to recapture Tokio Spur from Zonnebeke south to Molenaarelsthoek. This attack would involve the 45th Reserve Division, reinforced by storm troops and many trench mortars.
The attack was postponed by 24 hours to dawn on 4 October. From 2 to 3 October, the German commanders watched rehearsals. On the night of 3/4 October, German commanders had doubts but decided to continue with the attack.
The Battle Unfolds
30 September: German Attack
At 4:00 a.m. on 30 September, a thick mist covered the ground. German artillery began firing at 4:30 a.m. on the British 23rd Division's front. German mortars also fired smoke and hand grenades. At 5:15 a.m., German troops from the 8th Division and 45th Reserve Division attacked on a wide front.
The attack used flamethrowers. British soldiers fought back with small arms and bombs, forcing the Germans to retreat. A British post was lost south of the Menin road but was quickly retaken. Because of the mist, British artillery did not fire right away. Another German attack at 6:00 a.m. was also pushed back. The British found about 80 dead German soldiers and had few losses themselves.
1 October: German Counter-Attack
At 5:00 a.m., a strong German artillery bombardment began on a wide front, from the Reutelbeek north to Polygon Wood. British communication lines were cut. At 5:30 a.m., German troops attacked in three waves.
On the British 23rd Division's front, two strong German attacks were pushed back. The bombardment continued and spread. The British defeated the German attack with small-arms fire and quick artillery responses. However, parts of the British line were pushed back, especially around Cameron Covert.
The Germans attacked all day. Communication with the British rear was lost, but British SOS rockets were visible, calling for artillery support. After dark, three more German attacks were stopped by British artillery. The German troops managed to advance only a short distance.
4 October: The Big Clash
German Attack: Unternehmen Hohensturm
The German battalions gathered at midnight on the eastern slope of Broodseinde Ridge. They were ready to move forward with their artillery barrage. At 5:25 a.m., the German bombardment for "Operation Height Storm" began. Ten minutes later, German trench mortars and artillery focused on the attack front.
Some of the first German shells hit their own troops, causing many casualties. At 6:00 a.m., the German bombardment lifted. However, ten minutes later, the British artillery opened fire. The German gunners were unsure if it was a counter-attack or just retaliation.
Soon after, the first waves of German troops appeared, shouting, "The English are coming!" At about 5:20 a.m., yellow flares rose over Broodseinde Ridge, signaling a German attack. A German artillery barrage began, hitting the Australian troops of the I Anzac Corps. Many Australian soldiers became casualties, but the most advanced troops escaped the worst. It was too late for the Australians to fire SOS rockets, as their guns were not allowed to respond in the last ten minutes before an attack.
British Advance and German Counter-Attacks
On the X Corps front, the British 5th Division attacked Polderhoek Spur and gained some ground. They captured Polderhoek Château but were forced out as darkness fell. The British 21st Division and four tanks crossed a swamp and defeated the German defenders. The British 7th Division reached its objectives, capturing many German prisoners.
As the Australian divisions began their advance, German troops were seen rising from shell-holes. Most Germans were overrun or retreated. The Australians then attacked German bunkers one by one and captured the village of Zonnebeke. When the British barrage began, some German headquarters only realized they were under attack when British and Australian troops appeared among them.
As the Australians continued their attack, German troops tried to counter-attack but were pushed back further. Other German units tried to advance but faced heavy machine-gun fire and retreated. Reinforcements were called for.
German troops from the 45th Reserve Division, still recovering from the 1 October attack, were sent to reinforce the 4th Guard Reserve Division. However, they were exhausted and sent back. Other German divisions were ordered to counter-attack but were caught by heavy machine-gun fire and artillery. Many German units ended up taking cover in Daisy Wood, still under severe British bombardment. When the advance resumed, a German barrage fell short on their own troops, ending the counter-attack.
Aftermath
Casualties
On 1 October, the British 7th Division had 235 casualties. On 4 October, German losses in the area west of Broodseinde Ridge were very high. The 45th Reserve Division lost 2,883 men, and the 4th Guard Reserve Division lost 2,786 men. Some German companies suffered 95 percent casualties.
Images for kids
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German defensive lines east of Ypres in mid-1917
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Battle of Broodseinde - rough attack planning map for 4 October
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Situation map showing German positions from Cameron Covert to Broodseinde, 4 October
See Also
