The eyewitness goes on to say that after the fall
of Antwerp the German right was reinforced by a newly raised army of Ersatz, volunteers, and other material. With this help the Germans were able to take the offensive again on October 20th. Some of the severest fighting of the war followed, and was of a give-and-take character as regards positions, but the German losses were all the time enormous. Some British prisoners who were rescued stated that they had been very well treated by their Saxon captors, being placed in cellars for protection from the British guns. The 23rd was "a bad day for the Germans." In trying to re- capture some trenches they advanced five times in mass singing "Die Wacht am Rhein." The British simply held their fire till the enemy were at close quarters, and easily beat back each attempt, killing masses of men in the dense formations. These Germans who advanced so heroically to the slaughter belonged to the new army. "Their advance showed a lack of training and faults in leading which the almost superhuman bravery could not counterbalance. It was a holocaust. The spectacle was inspiring. . . . It was at the same time pitiable." Dismounted cavalry and armoured motor. cars are new features in the fighting.
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