Royal Irish Rifles assault Hill 41, Ypres

The 107th Brigade had reached the line of Becelaere by the morning, and had been ordered to push up a battalion on the right of the 108th Brigade in the afternoon. The 2 RIR had attempted to advance upon Klythoek, on the Menin-Roulers Road, but had been held up by heavy machine-gun fire. Pictured, above, are men of the 107th Brigade (Royal Irish Rifles) in support near Potijze.

On 29 September 1918, the 36th (Ulster) Division was concentrated in the area to the east of Ypres before continuing the offensive against the Germans during the Fifth Battle of Ypres.

109 Brigade captured Becelaere and Terhand. Divisional Headquarters then ordered 108 Brigade to pass through 109 Brigade and penetrate as far as the Menin-Roules road. This meant advancing one mile over open farmland dominated by a high feature known as Hill 41. Three farms occupied the general area of Hill 41 and each of these was a German stronghold with machine-gun posts.

The assault on Hill 41 took place on 30 September and was led by the 9th and 12th Battalion The Royal Irish Rifles with the 1st Battalion in reserve. The attack went well but all attempts to take Hill 41 failed and it was therefore bypassed, although on either side of it the 9th and the 12th Battalion reached their objectives. The 9th Battalion lost 6 officers and 130 men in the day's fighting; most were cut down by German machine guns located in the farms.