Continue over the Layes Brook towards the buildings of Piètre, then turn right at the crossroads onto the D41a and stop where convenient. Piètre was the scene of one of the three diversionary attacks to the Battle of Loos on 25 September 1915, and, as described in the Official History, France and Belgium (1925), designed to ‘hold the enemy’s infantry and reserves, and prevent their withdrawal from the fronts attacked’. The attack by the Indian Corps began at 6am against the German salient immediately west of the Moulin du Piètre. Designed to gain a foothold on the Aubers Ridge, although some units drove through as far as the German support line, they were unable to hold their gains and the advance faltered before the Moulin du Piètre was captured. By 4pm German counter-attacks had pushed the last detachments back to the original British line. Lieutenant George Maling, RAMC, and Rifleman Kulbir Thapa, 2/3 Gurkha Rifles, were both awarded the Victoria Cross for repeatedly collecting and treating wounded men whilst under fire over a period of some 24 hours. Over 3,000 British and Indian casualties were sustained between 25 and 27 September 1915, the bulk of which occurred on the 25th. The Moulin du Piètre, which you saw from the site of the pillbox earlier, is a short detour of less than a kilometre to the northeast from these crossroads.

Just before the next T-junction you will see the recently placed memorial to Pilot Officer Jozef Bondar of 303 Squadron on the left. His Spitfire was shot down in June 1941, during the Circus 26 operation. Bondar (VI.G.2) is buried at Aubers Ridge British Cemetery. At the next junction – with the calvary on the right – pause. The road to your right – signposted D168 Neuve Chapelle – runs over the Layes Bridge where the German machine-gun position was sited. The action here is described briefly in Route 2.