<– Part 165 – September 16, 1917  | Part 166 – September 23, 1917 |  Part 167 – September 30, 1917 –>

Map of British objective lines

On September 20, British forces launched their third attack at Passchendaele, this time at the Menin Road Ridge in the Ypres salient (Flanders). They are using a new method called “leapfrogging,” wherein waves of infantry stop when reaching their objective, secure it, and then prepare to act as reinforcements for the next wave as it passes them. Heavy artillery was brought into the region and used to devastate German lines – many of the German defenders were so dazed from the artillery that they surrendered en masse as the British arrived. Coupled with air superiority plotting out German reinforcement point and routes, anti-air guns keeping German planes away, and the repositioning of German forces away from the area due to a mistaken belief that British offensive operations had concluded, the Allies succeeded in reaching their objectives in nearly all areas within several hours. Additionally, the leapfrog tactic of securing gains quickly has resulted in German counter-attacks failing quickly.