Item 01: Sir Charles Rosenthal diary, 25 September 1914-31 December 1918 - Page 357
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[Page 357]
Regarding the withdrawal of 9th Brigade Troops from Blue Line the evidence is conclusive that the fact of 10th Brigade failing to come up to the Blue Line had no direct bearing on our withdrawal, but our men were driven out by concentrated artillery and machine gun fire. The 10th Brigade not reaching the Blue Line naturally left the high ground at Crest Farm in the possession of the enemy, who from this position and also from Meetcheele heavily machine gunned our Blue Line in enfilade.
Further the enemy had Field guns, firing point blank, located in Echo Copse and along the roadway in E.7.a, from about 30-70 to 90-50. Gun flashes were also visible from vicinity of Enlist Farm and Encore Wood.
The attached strength of Battalions gives a definite idea of the heavy fighting involved, and I have formed the opinion that officers and men of all Battalions fought valiantly, and only concentrated machine gun and artillery fire accounted for the withdrawal from the Blue Line (which being on forward slopes could be readily located).
All officers agree that the Barrage brought down by the Bosche on our Blue Line was the heaviest they had ever witnessed.
The lessons learnt from the attack on 12th inst. appear to be as follows:-
(a) Enemy has evidently plenty of guns placed for the purpose of denying the high ground south of Passchendaele and the village itself to us. He also has innumerable machine guns.
(b) Silent guns placed well forward to be used only in case of attack.
(c) Special attention must be paid to high ground in vicinity of Meetcheele. Unless this is held by us any advance on our present right would appear to be precarious.
(d) The generally expressed opinion among my officers of all ranks is that our own barrage while accurate, was insufficient, and many enemy machine guns continued firing uninterruptedly through our barrage.
(e) Pace of barrage appeared to be suitable.
(f) The nature of the country is such that at the present time a total advance of approximately 2500 yds. is too much for Infantry to negotiate, especially if any severe