The 9th Battalion The Royal Irish Fusiliers was ordered to seize a bridgehead across the River Lys near Courtrai on 16 October 1918. The Royal Engineers managed to build a pontoon bridge, but this was severely damaged almost immediately by heavy enemy fire. Before the bridge was destroyed a group of about thirty men from D Company had crossed, but were then cut off. Far from being discouraged, the small band waited until nightfall when, having captured six prisoners and two enemy machine guns, returned by boat.