Editing Battle of Passchendaele (section)

====Battle of the Menin Road Ridge====

{{Main|Battle of the Menin Road Ridge}}

[[File:Battle of Menin Road - wounded at side of the road.jpg|thumb|{{centre|Wounded men at the side of a road after the Battle of Menin Road}}]]
The British plan for the battle fought from {{nowrap|20 to 25 September,}} included more emphasis on the use of heavy and medium artillery to destroy German concrete pill-boxes and machine-gun nests, which were more numerous in the battle zones being attacked, than behind the original July front line and to engage in more counter-battery fire. The British had {{nowrap|575 heavy}} and medium and {{nowrap|720 field}} guns and howitzers, more than double the quantity of artillery available at the Battle of Pilckem Ridge.{{sfn|Edmonds|1991|pp=238–239}} Aircraft were to be used for systematic air observation of German troop movements, to avoid the failures of previous battles, where too few aircrews had been burdened with too many duties and had flown in bad weather, which made their difficulties worse.{{sfn|Jones|2002|p=181}}

On 20 September, the Allies attacked on a {{cvt|14500|yd|mi+km}} front and by mid-morning had captured most of their objectives, to a depth of about {{cvt|1500|yd}}.{{sfn|Terraine|1977|p=261}} The Germans made many hasty counter-attacks ({{lang|de|Gegenstoße}}), beginning around {{nowrap|3:00&nbsp;p.m.}} until early evening, all of which failed to gain ground or made only a temporary penetration of the new British positions. The German defence had failed to stop a well-prepared attack made in good weather.{{sfn|Harris|2008|p=366}} Minor attacks took place after 20 September, as both sides jockeyed for position and reorganised their defences. A mutually-costly attack by the Germans on 25 September, recaptured pillboxes at the south western end of Polygon Wood. Next day, the German positions near the wood were swept away in the Battle of Polygon Wood.{{sfn|Sheldon|2007|p=165}}