The 14th Division, including 9th Bn Rifle Brigade had been holding a part of the Ypres salient ever since the middle of June. During most of that time there had been considerable bickering over the site of the village and chateau of Hooge. On July 17 a mine was successfully exploded under the enemy's front line, and the crater [Hooge Crater] occupied by the 4th Middlesex (8th Brigade, 3rd Division). Other attempts were made to capture a piece of the enemy's line on July 22, but without success. The area had become very 'unhealthy,' and was subjected to constant shelling. Rumours of German retaliation, by an attack along the Menin Road, were current on the 26th, but it did not take place until the morning of the 30th, and then against the Hooge sector, held by the 41st Brigade (Brigadier-General O.S.W. Nugent), of the 14th Division (Major-General V. Couper), which had taken over the sector a week before.

The 8th Rifle Brigade (Lieut-Colonel R. C. Maclachlan) held the front at the Hooge crater, with the 7th K.R.R.C. (Lieut.-Colonel G.A.P. Rennie) on its right. The crater itself was untenable, owing to constant trench-mortaring and "strafing," and the trenches, dry but dilapidated beyond measure, ran up to the lip on either side, with no definite connection round the crater. The sector had an evil reputation for being subject to incessant sniping and bombing, besides trench-mortaring and shell fire; but on the night of the 29th/30th, when two battalions took over from the very tired and worn 7th Rifle Brigade and 8th K.R.R.C., there was ominous silence. No notice was taken by the enemy of the noise inseparable from a relief, and even a few bombs thrown by the new-comers into the German trenches - in places only 15 feet away - provoked no reply. Half an hour before dawn the trench garrison stood to arms, and there was a still complete quiet.

Then at 3.15 a.m., with dramatic suddenness, came the carefully planned German stroke. The site of the stables of the chateau was blown up, whilst a sudden hissing sound was heard by the two companies of the 8th Rifle Brigade on either side of the crater, and a bright crimson glare over the crater turned the whole scene red. Jets of flame, as if from a line of powerful hoses, spraying fire instead of water, shot across the front trenches of the Rifle Brigade, and a thick black cloud formed. It was the first attack on the British with liquid fire. At the same time fire of every other kind was opened: trench-mortar bombs and hand-grenades deluged the front trenches, machine-gun and shrapnel bullets swept the two communication trenches and the 300 yards of open ground between the front and support lines in Sanctuary and Zouave Woods; high-explosive shell rained on these Woods, whilst the ramparts of Ypres and all exits from the town were bombarded anew. The surprise was complete, and would probably have led to an entry even at the strongest part of the line. Most of the 8th Rifle Brigade in the front trenches were overwhelmed, the rest fell back gradually over the fire-swept open ground to the support line. The enemy did not follow: he a once set about consolidating the trenches he had secured, and trying to increase his gain by attacking he 7th K.R.R.C. in front, flank and rear.

There was desperate trench fighting, in which parties again brought up Flammenwerfer, but rapid fire was turned on to hem a 20 yards range, and the attempt to use them broke down. In the end, however, after several counter-attacks, all but a small sector of the K.R.R.C. trenches were lost. The 42nd Brigade, on the left of the 41st, was not affected, and the 1/8th Sherwood Foresters (the left of the 46th Division) on the right, though attacked, managed to maintain its position. With the help of brigade reinforcements the new line on the edge of the woods was held and at 11.30 a.m., by order from the VI Corps, Major General V. Couper made arrangements for an assault at 2.45 p.m. to recover the lost ground. It was to be carried out by both 41st and 42nd Brigades (Brigadier-Generals O.S.W. Nugent and C.J. Markham) after three quarters of an hour's bombardment by the divisional artillery and No. 2 Group Heavy Artillery Reserve - feeble indeed after the German tornado, but still, serving to encourage the assault. - the 46th Division on the right and the 6th Division on the left co-operating by fire. The attack northwards of the 41st Brigade, with the 6th Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry of the 43rd Brigade (Brigadier-General G. Cockburn) attached, failed, not a man getting within 150 yards of the Germans; but the attack eastwards by the 9th K.R.R.C. of the 42nd Brigade succeeded in regaining part of the lost trenches.'