 Passchendaele Ridge and the area surrounding the village was defended by organized under Guard Corps commander General der Kavallerie Alfred Graf zu Dohna-Schlobitten.Defending German units changed throughout the battle and at various times, consisted of the 4th, 7th, 11th, 11th Bavarian, 27th, 39th, 44th Reserve, 185th, 199th, 238th and 239th Divisions.Constant shelling had blocked the Ravebeek stream, creating an impassable swamp directly between the boundary of the 3rd Canadian and the 4th Canadian Divisions, necessitating a two-pronged attack.