▁First ▁Battle ▁of ▁Fland ers ) ▁began ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁October , ▁with ▁attacks ▁by ▁the ▁German ▁ 6 th ▁and ▁ 4 th ▁arm ies , ▁as ▁the ▁BE F ▁attacked ▁towards ▁Men in ▁and ▁R oul ers . ▁On ▁ 2 1 ▁October , ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Army ▁was ▁rep uls ed ▁in ▁mut ually ▁cost ly ▁fighting ▁and ▁from ▁ ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁attacked ▁on ▁the ▁Y ser ▁with ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Army ▁and ▁with ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁Army ▁to ▁the ▁south . ▁French ▁attacks ▁by ▁a ▁new ▁E ighth ▁Army ▁were ▁made ▁towards ▁R oul ers ▁and ▁Th our out , ▁which ▁di vert ed ▁German ▁troops ▁from ▁British ▁and ▁Belg ian ▁positions . ▁A ▁new ▁German ▁attack ▁was ▁planned ▁where ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁and ▁ 6 th ▁arm ies ▁would ▁pin ▁down ▁Al lied ▁troops ▁and ▁ ▁with ▁six ▁new ▁divisions ▁and ▁more ▁than ▁ ▁guns , ▁attacked ▁north - west ▁between ▁Mess ines ▁and ▁G hel u vel t , ▁against ▁the ▁British ▁I ▁Corps . ▁The ▁Germ ans ▁took ▁ground ▁on ▁the ▁Men in ▁road ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁October ▁and ▁drove ▁back ▁the ▁British ▁caval ry ▁next ▁day , ▁to ▁a ▁line ▁ ▁from ▁Y pres . ▁Three ▁French ▁batt al ions ▁were ▁sent ▁south ▁and ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁October , ▁a ▁British ▁batt alion ▁counter - att ack ed ▁and ▁drove ▁back ▁the ▁German ▁troops ▁from ▁the ▁G hel u vel t ▁cross ro ads . ▁ ▁By