Operation Hush - Prelude

Prelude

The attack depended on the Yser bridgehead, because the river was deep, tidal and 100–200 yards (91–180 m) wide. The Germans made a spoiling attack on 10–11 July (Operation Strandfest) after bombarding the area from 6 July. The 1st and 2nd Marine Regiments, 3rd Marine Division with 199th Division in support, attacked on a front of 2,000 yards (1,800 m) between Lombartzyde and the sea and quickly overran the bridgehead, destroying two battalions of 1st Division, the 1st battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment and the 2nd Kings Royal Rifle Corps.

Yellow Cross (mustard gas) and Blue Cross gas were used for the first time.

the enemy was using a new gas shell freely. Shell bursts like a small H.E. Gas makes you sneeze and run at the nose and eyes. Smell is like cayenne pepper. "This actually was the 'blue-cross' shell, a different type from the mustard('yellow-cross') shell. Both new shells were used in this action.

In the area of the Marine Corps, following a thorough and effective artillery bombardment, units of the battle-tested Marine Infantry assaulted the strongly constructed defence line between Lombartzijde and the sea.... The enemy was thrown back over the Yser. More than 1,250 prisoners, 37 of them officers, were captured. British casualties in the area between the coast and the river were very high....

Counter-attacks by 32nd Division were cancelled after the XV Corps commander, Lieut-General Du Cane wrote to General Rawlinson, GOC Fourth Army objecting to this, preferring to wait until the main offensive at Ypres had begun, to which Rawlinson agreed. Operation Hush was revised so that the attack on Lombartzyde would begin from the ground still held north of the Yser, with a flank attack shortly after from the Geleide brook to the coast. The attack up the coast and the landings were left unchanged. Haig accepted this on 18 July and gave 8 August as the proposed date for the operation. British casualties were 3,126 men.