To prime the men for the battle to come the troops are given two things. First they are given chocolates. How sweet. What a treat. Second they were given Flanders Flaps. These were mudflaps to cover the barrels of their rifles. The fighting near Ypres, a low lying area, was notorious for being even muddier than what the men had experienced around Arras. For the first time the men don’t have to march to their next camp. No, this time they take a tactical train, a two hour ride to Ypres Station. Private Dixon is thankful for that. And now he is in Belgium for the first time. On the 4th and 5th of November the men move to the front lines. Everything is “Quiet,” but detailed plans have been made to take Passchendaele Ridge on the morning of the 6th. Each man is given specific directions as what to take with them. They are to carry their great coats under their haversacks , each is to have 120 rounds of ammo and one additional bandolier of small arms ammunitions, an iron ration, a sandbag with three days of rations including chocolate, matches, cigarettes and a water bottle. The Canadians begin their planned barrage the morning of the 6th. The battalion moves forward and is met by sniping and machine gun fire from the enemy. The stokes guns are put into action –this draws out the Germans. Enemy machine guns are taken – as well as their German crews . Very little resistance is met. Bodies of enemy disposed -others taken prisoner . First objective achieved by 6;30 AM. The second objective is reached by 7:40 am. The final objective is reached 5 minutes later. The Canadians have successfully taken the village of Passchendaele in West Flanders from the Germans – or at least what was left of it. The allies had been attempting to do this for months – I guess it just took the Canadians and Private Dixon’s Battalion to finally get them over the top. It all sounds so easy in the War Diaries. Until you get to the end. Then they finally tell you the price that was paid. For the 1st Canadian Infantry Battalion the losses are devastating. Of the 546 men who start the battle – only 257 are left standing at the end. For the period of the campaign between late October until November 10th the total Canadian casualties totaled 16,000 men, 4,000 fatalities and 12,000 wounded. The 1st Canadian Infantry Battalion does not stay around Ypres any longer than they are needed . They head back to France and are in Lievin by mid month – and are in Vancouver Camp at Chateau de La Haie near Carency by month end. Back in the Arras – Vimy area.