 The 25th Division made its preparations on a front from the Wulverghem – Messines road to the Wulverghem – Wytschaete road , facing 1 @,@ 200 yards ( 1 @,@ 100 m ) of the German front line , which tapered to the final objective 700 yards ( 640 m ) wide at the near crest of the ridge , 3 @,@ 000 yards ( 2 @,@ 700 m ) distant , behind nine German defensive lines . The advance would begin up a short rise to the near edge of the Steenbeek Valley , then up the steep rise from the valley floor between Hell and Sloping Roof Farms to Four Huns , Chest and Middle Farms on the main ridge , with Lumm Farm on the left flank of the objective . Artillery emplacements for the 25th divisional artillery and 112th Army Field Brigade were built and the Guards Division field artillery was placed in concealed forward positions . Road making and the construction of dug @-@ outs and communication trenches took place between 12 – 30 April and between 11 May – 6 June . An assembly trench was dug 150 yards ( 140 m ) from the German front line , in three hours on the night of 30 / 31 May , complete with communication trenches and barbed wire . Bridges and ladders were delivered in the two days before the attack . 13 @,@ 000 yards ( 12 @,@ 000 m ) of telephone cable was dug in at least 7 feet ( 2 @.@ 1 m ) deep , which withstood fifty German artillery hits before the British attack . 
