“Every attempt to cross the canal was thwarted by artillery fire and in many places the enemy was more advantageously situated than our men.  His trenches were at least dry while ours were flooded with water.  I went into the front trenches by Dixmude and found them lined half a yard deep with faggots and wood, yet at every step our feet sank into the water and slush.

“On the other bank of the Yser lay the enemy and fired continuously.  Anyone who saw our soldiers under these conditions and heard their jokes will never forget the sight.  All the folk at home who grumbled at the slow progress ought to have been sent for a single day and night into that mud-swamp!

“In those fields and canals, in this endless morass—­made impassable by flooding—­many, many brave German soldiers have sacrificed their lives.  During the autumn and winter months of 1914 the whole Yser domain was transformed into a vast graveyard.

“The battle-front was determined by the nature of the land.  It stretched from the sea through Ramscapelle, Dixmude, Roulers, Paschendaal to Ypres and the rage of battle swayed like a tossing ship in ocean storm.  Even now Germany does not know the greatness and terror of the battles fought there.  Only names are known, such as Middelkerke, Zonnebeeke, Warneton, etc.

“The Belgians fought with the courage of despair.  Their battle-cry was ‘Louvain!’ and ‘Termonde!’ Highlanders, Indians, Sikhs, Ghurkas, Zouaves, Turkos, Canadians, Belgians, French and English were thrown into the line, and ever-new regiments landed at Calais.  Houses and villages were taken and re-taken at the point of the bayonet, as many as seven times.  Towns and bridges were conquered and lost often eight times in succession, accompanied by heavy artillery duels and incredible losses."[232]

[Footnote 232:  Heinrich Binder:  “Mit dem Hauptquartier nach Westen,” p. 123 et seq.]

“We[233] have just gone into billets.  Not far off are the positions of the enemy—­the English.  There will be a battle to-morrow and everybody is serious.  Mostly by the evening, we are too tired to think, but it is not so to-day.

[Footnote 233:  Extracts from the diary of a German soldier, published in “Der Weltkrieg” ("The World War").  Leipzig, 1915; p. 632 et seq.]

“Again and again I arrive at the same conclusion—­war is too great a thing to comprehend.  Now we are going into battle with the black-white-gold band on our breasts.  Greetings to you all at home, above all to you, father.  I have your blessing, haven’t I?

“October 24th.—­We are lying before the road from Ypres to Paschendaal.  The Lt.  Colonel has just told us that ’the losses cannot go on at this rate.’  By the side of the brook, on this side the road, English sharpshooters are in hiding.  They shoot damned straight.  Our artillery is not yet up; the reason for our heavy losses yesterday.