The 83rd and 84th engineer companies placed wooden bridges across the Steenbeek to allow the initial assaulting troops to form up on the east bank, and in spite of having to form up in some places within 80 yards of German posts in front of the Au Bon Gite strong point, the build up on the east bank was achieved without the Germans being aware of the movement even while it was conducted through the 'usual' harassing, but undirected, artillery and machine gun fire.