In seething brown waves the water rose
up to the high ground at the railway near Ramscapelle. The Germans
were caught in this tide and scores of them were drowned. Many
escaped, some struggled to land on the Allies front and were made
prisoners.
Sir John French summarized part of the fighting in Flanders, after
the capture of Antwerp, in the following official report: "The Second
Corps under General Smith-Dorrien was opposed by overpowering forces
of Germans, but nevertheless advanced until October 18, 1914, when
the German opposition compelled a reenforcement. Six days later
the Lahore Division of the Indian Army was sent to support the
Second Corps. On October 16, Sir Henry Rawlinson, who had covered
the retreat of the Belgian army from Antwerp, with two divisions of
English cavalry and two divisions of French infantry, was stationed
on the line east of Ypres under orders to operate over a wide front
and to keep possession of all the ground held by the Allies until
the First Army Corps could reach Ypres.
"General Rawlinson was opposed by superior forces and was unable
to prevent the Germans from getting large reenforcements. With
four divisions holding a much wider front than their size justified
he faced a rather awkward situation, as the enemy was massed from
the Lys.
"The shattered Belgian army and the weary French troops advanced
to check the Germans--but in vain.
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