 By the morning of 28 October, the French and Belgians had completed the capture of the Merckem peninsula, taken about and inflicted many casualties on the Germans, who had defended with great determination.The skill of the French artillery had obtained success with few infantry casualties; the Belgians had managed to hide their boats despite German vigilance and row to their objectives through the floods against German artillery and small-arms fire.The second stage on 30 October was intended to complete the capture of the positions the Canadian Corps had attacked on 26 October and gain a base for the final assault on Passchendaele.