llies and Germans suffered immense
losses. Much of the slaughter was due to the point-blank magazine fire
and the intermittent shrapnel explosions from both sides.

The most savage fighting was kept up all along the line, but no
advantage accrued to either side until Friday, October 28, 1914, when
the Germans succeeded in crossing the Yser at St. George and forcing
their way two miles to Ramscapelle, retaken on the 30th by General
Grossetti. This was accomplished by General von Beseler's troops,
opposing the mixed troops of the Belgian and French. On that night
fourteen separate attacks were made by the Germans on Dixmude and they
were repulsed each time.

On October 24, 1914, about 5,000 German troops crossed the canal at
Schoorbakke and next day there were more to come, so for the moment it
looked as though the allied line on the Yser had been broken. The
struggle at this point continued until October 28, during which time the
Allies contested every inch of ground. The kaiser was with the Duke of
Wuerttemberg on this day, expecting every moment that his great design to
break through the lines and drive his forces to Dunkirk and Calais would
be accomplished.

At the crisis the Belgians broke down the dykes and flooded the country
for miles around. Heavy rains during the last weeks had swelled the
Yser. The Belgians had dammed the lower reaches of the canal; the Yser
lipped over its brim and spread lagoons over the flat meadows. Soon the
German forces on the west bank were floundering in a foot of water,
while their guns were waterlogged and deep in mud. The Germans did not
abandon their efforts. The kaiser called for volunteers to carry
Ramscapelle--two Wuerttemberg brigades responded--and gained the place,
but at terrible loss.

On the 30th of October, 1914, again the Wuerttembergers advanced to the
attack. They waded through sloppy fields from the bridgeheads at St.
George and Schoorbakke, and by means of table tops, boards, planks and
other devices crossed the deeper dykes. So furious was the attack
pressed home that they won the railway line and held their ground. They
were to do some severe fighting, however, for next day French-Belgian
and African mixed troops fought fiercely to drive the Germans back but
failed.

Seeing their success in partially flooding the battle field, the
Belgians made more breaches in the dams, and, opening the sluices in the
canal, threw a flood of water greater still over the area