Thirty Second Day of the Third Battle of Ypres

Friday 31st August 1917

This latest offensive by the British Expeditionary Force began on 31st July and so is now one month old. It has seen steady progress, even though greatly hampered by the poor weather which has resulted in a glutinous mess difficult to walk through, impossible for tanks to operate in and requiring superhuman efforts by gunners and gun teams to bring their pieces up following an advance.

2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, are presently in support south-west of Kemmel. The adjutant tells me that today one officer and nineteen ranks from the Royal Navy were attached to the Battalion and shown round Wytschsaete Ridge by company commanders. This strongly suggests that 63rd (Royal Naval) Division, in whose ranks can be found 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, may shortly be entering the line. They are currently in the vicinity of Oppy Wood near Arras(1)

Source: X550/3/wd

(1) In fact it would be October before the division was deployed at Ypres and then significantly further north than the Wytschaete Ridge.