 At 3 : 00 a.m. on 8 June , the British attack to regain the Oosttaverne line from the river Douve to the Warneton road found few German garrisons as it was occupied . German artillery south of the Lys , heavily bombarded the southern slopes of the ridge and caused considerable losses among Anzac troops pinned there . Ignorance of the situation north of the Warneton road continued ; a reserve battalion was sent to reinforce the 49th Australian Battalion near the Blauwepoortbeek for the 3 : 00 a.m. attack , which did not take place . The 4th Australian Division commander , Major @-@ General William Holmes , went forward at 4 : 00 a.m. and finally clarified the situation . New orders instructed the 33rd Brigade ( 11th Division ) to side @-@ step to the right and relieve the 52nd Australian Battalion , which at dusk would move to the south and join the 49th Australian Battalion for the attack into the gap at the Blauwepoortbeek . All went well until observers on the ridge saw the 52nd Australian Battalion withdrawing , mistook it for a German counter @-@ attack and called for an SOS bombardment . German observers in the valley saw troops from the 33rd Brigade moving into the area to relieve the Australian battalion , mistook them for an attacking force and also called for an SOS bombardment . The area was deluged with artillery fire from both sides for two hours , causing many casualties and the attack was postponed until 9 June . 
