 This was considered a surprising promotion, as at the time he was junior to forty majors then in the AIF.Wilder-Neligan's first fight with his new battalion was the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge, which commenced on 20 September as part of the Battle of Passchendaele.In the initial planning for this offensive, the 10th Battalion was committed to the third phase of the attack by the 3rd Brigade.