my [sic] diary lately & have not written it up daily. Heavy fighting has taken place on the north & east of Ypres during the last few days – the Germans preceding their infantry attack with heavy artillery bombardments lasting four or five hours. Our line had to fall back a bit owing to the sharpness of the salient which had become more accentuated. The line runs through HOOGE & the Germans have failed to penetrate Ypres. The 5th Corps and the 4th Division have repulsed the attacks & in only one case were the Germans able to capture a trench. Ypres has been in flames since yesterday & there cannot be much left of the town – owing to the direction of the wind the Germans have been unable