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diff --git a/36213.txt b/36213.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c8ea264 --- /dev/null +++ b/36213.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4639 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Ypres and the Battles of Ypres, by Unknown + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Ypres and the Battles of Ypres + +Author: Unknown + +Release Date: May 25, 2011 [EBook #36213] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YPRES AND THE BATTLES OF YPRES *** + + + + +Produced by Moti Ben-Ari and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + MICHELIN ILLUSTRATED GUIDES TO THE BATTLEFIELDS (1914--1918) + + + YPRES AND THE BATTLES OF YPRES. + + + MICHELIN & Cie., CLERMONT-FERRAND + MICHELIN TYRE Co. Ltd., 81 Fulham Road, LONDON, S. W. + MICHELIN TIRE Co., MILLTOWN, N. J., U. S. A. + + + + + _The Best & Cheapest + Detachable Wheel is + The Michelin Wheel_ + + [Illustration: _The Ideal of the Tourist_] + + _The Michelin Wheel is_ + _ELEGANT_ _SIMPLE_ + _STRONG_ _PRACTICAL_ + + _May we send you our illustrated descriptive brochure?_ + + + MICHELIN TYRE CO., Ltd. + _81, Fulham Road, London,_ S.W. 3. + + + + + IN MEMORY + OF THE MICHELIN WORKMEN + AND EMPLOYEES WHO DIED GLORIOUSLY + FOR THEIR COUNTRY. + + + YPRES AND THE BATTLES OF YPRES + + + _ITINERARY:_ + LILLE--ARMENTIERES--MESSINES--POELCAPPELLE + --YPRES--POPERINGHE-- + LES MONTS--BAILLEUL--BETHUNE--LILLE. + + + Published by + MICHELIN & CIE. + Clermont-Ferrand, France. + + Copyright 1919 by Michelin & Cie. + + _All rights of translation, adaptation, or reproduction (in part or + whole) reserved in all countries._ + +[Illustration] + + + + +YPRES +AND THE BATTLES FOR ITS POSSESSION + + +FOREWORD + +The town of Ypres lies in a sort of natural basin formed by a maritime +plain intersected by canals, and dominated on the north, north-east and +south by low wooded hills. + +These canals, of which the Yser Canal is the most important, follow a +general direction south-east--north-west. A number of streams flowing in +the same direction also water the plain. In addition, there are the +Dickebusch, Zillebeke and Bellewaarde ponds. + +The hills forming the sides of this basin are very low and partly +wooded. The line of their crests runs approximately from north to south, +through Houthulst Forest (road from Poelcappelle to Clercken), +Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Broodseinde, Becelaere, Gheluvelt, the +strategic Hill 60 (south of Zillebeke) and St. Eloi. Further south is +the Messines-Wytschaete ridge, and to the south-west the Hills of +Flanders. + +Houthulst Forest is the largest of the woods. Next come the islets of +Westroosebeke and Passchendaele, then, south of Zonnebeke, Polygone +Wood, Nonne-Bosschen (or Nonnes) Wood, and the Woods of Glencorse, +Inverness and Herenthage. + +In this region, with its essentially maritime climate, the war assumed a +character entirely different from that of the rest of the front. The +marshy ground, almost at sea-level, is further sodden by constant rain +and mists, and forms a spongy mass, in which it was impossible to dig +trenches or underground shelters. Water is found immediately below the +surface, so that the only possible defence-works were parapets. The +bursting shells made huge craters which, promptly filling with water, +became so many death-traps for wounded and unwounded alike. + +The defence on both sides consequently centred around the woods, +villages, and numerous farms, which were converted into redoubts with +concrete blockhouses and deep wire entanglements. The slightest bits of +rising ground here played an important part, and were fiercely disputed. +The crests which dominate the basin of Ypres were used as +observation-posts--the lowering sky being usually unfavourable for +aerial observation--while their counter-slopes masked the concentrations +of troops for the attacks. + +It was therefore along the line of crests and around the fortified farms +that the fighting reached its maximum of intensity. + +The principal military operations which took place in the vicinity of +the town between October, 1914, and November, 1917, may be divided as +follows:--First, a powerful German offensive--a counter-stroke to the +battles of the Yser--then a very definite effort to take the town. The +role of the Allied armies was at that time purely defensive. + +The second stage was marked by a British and Franco-British offensive, +begun in the second half of 1916 and considerably developed during the +summer and autumn of the following year. The object of these operations, +which ended in November, 1917, was the clearing of Ypres. All the +objectives were attained and the plains of Flanders were opened to the +Allies. + +A final effort by the Germans in great strength to the south of the town +was checked by the resistance of the Allies in April, 1918. In September +and October, 1918, the enemy troops finally evacuated the country under +pressure of the victorious Allied offensive. + +[Illustration: BRITISH SENTINEL ON NIGHT-DUTY IN FRONT OF THE RUINED +CLOTH HALL] + + + + +=THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE OF 1914= +(October 29--November 15, 1914.) + + +=Preliminary Operations= + +After the victory of the Marne, which drove the Germans north of the +Aisne, began the operations known as "the Race to the Sea." Each side +endeavoured to outpace the other, with the object of surrounding the +enemy's marching wing. + +This remarkable "Race to the Sea"--a widely extended movement splendidly +carried out by General Foch, and in which the Allied forces in their +march towards the north constantly outstripped the enemy--might have +been used as the starting-point for a grand Allied offensive against the +German right, but the exhaustion of the Belgian army, after the terrible +trials which it had just gone through in its retreat on the +Yser--following on the fall of Antwerp--and the delays in the transport +of the British troops from the Aisne front to the north, prevented the +development of this offensive. + +It was therefore only possible for the Allied armies to fix their front +and make it impregnable. + +The stages of this race to the sea and the fixation of the front took +place between September 20 and October 23, 1914. + + +=The Forces Engaged= (Oct. 1914) + +When the First Battle of Ypres opened, the front described a wide +semi-circle passing through Zonnebeke, Gheluvelt and Zandvoorde, +running thence south of Messines, and finally linking up with the line +to the east of Armentieres. + +[Illustration] + +At the beginning of the battle all this part of the front was held by +the British army, as follows: from Zonnebeke to Zandvoorde, the 1st +Corps (Haig) and 4th Corps (Rawlinson); from Zandvoorde to Messines, the +Calvary Corps (Allenby), two infantry divisions, and the Lahore +Division, which had just landed at Marseilles; lastly, from Messines to +Armentieres, the 3rd Corps (Pulteney). + +Facing these forces were the German IVth army, consisting of the XIIIth, +XVth and XVIth active corps, and the IInd Bavarian Corps, reinforced +during the battle by a Division of the Guards. The British Cavalry Corps +had to face four German Cavalry Corps. + +[Illustration: THE GERMAN THRUST OF OCT. 29--30, 1914 (29--30/10)] + +To make up for their setback in the race to the sea, the German High +Command decided on a strenuous effort to break through the Allies' front +at Ypres. The "Battle for Calais" was about to begin. The enemy +confidently expected to reach the coast, from which they hoped to expose +England to such peril as would break down the pride of that troublesome +enemy. + +The German attack began on October 29 under the eye of the Kaiser, who, +for the following five days, took up his quarters at Thielt, whence he +arranged to make a triumphal entry into Ypres. + +For seventeen days (October 29--November 15) the German regiments, +elated by the presence of their Emperor, fought with unheard-of frenzy +and an utter disregard of losses in their frantic attacks against the +Ypres salient. + +[Illustration: ON OCT. 31, THE GERMANS MADE PROGRESS, SOUTH OF YPRES, +BUT WERE DRIVEN BACK, EASTWARDS, TO GHELUVELT] + +To the east of Ypres the action fought between Poelcappelle and +Gheluvelt failed. The fierce German attacks, in spite of the masses of +men engaged, broke down before the stubborn resistance of the Allies. + +In a counter-offensive the British, supported on their left by French +divisions, reached the village of Becelaere, between Zonnebeke and +Gheluvelt, but were unable to hold it. + +Further south, the British were forced to abandon Zandvoorde and +Hollebeke. Gheluvelt, first lost on October 30, was recaptured on the +31st in a counter-attack by the 1st Corps. Supported by three French +battalions, the British subsequently repulsed all attacks and +successfully barred the road from Menin to Ypres. On the evening of the +31st, the line in the eastern sector ran as follows: east of Frezenberg, +Gheluvelt, east of Klein Zillebeke and the bend in the canal to the +north-east of Hollebeke. + +[Illustration: ON NOV. 1, THE SITUATION WAS CRITICAL IN THE EXTREME. THE +GERMANS CAPTURED THE MESSINES-WYTSCHAETE RIDGE, AND THE BRITISH FELL +BACK ON WULVERGHEM] + +The Germans were more successful to the south-east. After an intense +bombardment they attacked, on October 30, from Saint-Yves to Wytschaete, +capturing Saint-Yves and obtaining a footing in Messines, from which, +however, they were immediately driven by a counter-attack. + +On October 31, the Germans, after concentrating enormous masses of +troops between Oosttaverne and Roozebeek Canal, made a fresh attack. In +the morning they gained a footing in the eastern outskirts of Messines, +but could get no further, thanks to a counter-attack by three French +battalions with twelve guns from St. Eloi. + +The Germans, however, redoubled their efforts, and towards noon, after a +fierce struggle in the streets of Messines, the British cavalry were +gradually forced back, but clung desperately to the western outskirts of +the village. At about 3 p.m. a fierce struggle began for the recapture +of the convent to the south of Messines, then in the enemy's hands. By +night the British were in possession of the last houses west of +Messines, the Germans holding the eastern crest. + +[Illustration: ON NOV. 2, THE FRENCH COUNTER-ATTACKED AND RETOOK THE +MESSINES-WYTSCHAETE RIDGE. THE GERMANS LAUNCHED A MASS ATTACK AGAINST +GHELUVELT] + +During the night of October 31, the Messines-Wytschaete crest was again +fiercely attacked. The Germans gained a footing in Wytschaete and broke +the British line to the north of Messines. A withdrawal became +necessary, and at dawn the line was set back as far as the western +outskirts of Wulverghem. + +During the day of November 1, Wytschaete was retaken and lost again. + +French Zouaves, acting as reinforcements, held their ground doggedly in +front of St. Eloi. The enemy offensive redoubled in intensity, and the +situation became desperate. As a result of the flooding of the Yser, the +German IIIrd Corps in the northern sector became available and joined in +the assault. + +The French 14th Corps, hurriedly called up, counter-attacked furiously +and succeeded in driving back the Germans and gaining a fresh footing in +the western outskirts of Wytschaete. On November 2, the French were once +more in possession of the western crest of Messines-Wytschaete. + +This check did not daunt the Germans, who, having just been reinforced +from their Belgian garrisons, directed their efforts further to the +north. The attack was made by compact masses of troops on the St. +Eloi-Zwarteleen front, the movement coinciding with a thrust against +Gheluvelt on the Menin-Ypres Road. At the latter point the front was +momentarily broken, but furious counter-attacks re-established the +original positions. The French troops which held the bend of the canal +north-east of Hollebeke were overpowered and thrown back on +Verbranden-Molen. A counter-attack by the 1st British Corps checked the +enemy onrush, and after a magnificent defence the original line was +almost entirely maintained. + +[Illustration: THE GERMANS CONTINUED THEIR FURIOUS ATTACKS UNTIL NOV. +11, BUT FAILED TO REACH THEIR OBJECTIVE: YPRES] + +The battle continued to rage with increasing violence, the culminating +point being reached on November 11. At dawn the Germans, after a +terrific artillery preparation lasting several hours, attacked with the +infantry of the Ist and IVth Brigades of the Prussian Guards. They +succeeded in piercing the line in three places, and forced their way +into the woods behind the trenches to a depth of rather more than two +miles through the principal breach. + +They did not, however, reach their objective. Enfiladed by machine-gun +fire, they were partly driven back into their trenches, after a bloody +hand-to-hand struggle amid great confusion. The losses on both sides +were very heavy, without any decisive result being attained. + +The weather, previously bad, now became a violent storm. During the +night, under cover of the hurricane, the Prussian Guard broke through +the Allies' front. Ypres--the prize on which the Kaiser had set his +heart--seemed at last within the enemy's grasp. + +But the British, momentarily demoralized, quickly rallied and drove back +the Prussians in a heroic charge. + +The struggle continued fiercely during the following days, the Germans +launching numerous attacks with compact masses of troops. The deep lines +of infantry, led by young officers, whose undeniable courage did not +compensate for their lack of experience, were mown down. + +Exasperated by this check, the enemy set about to destroy the town which +they were unable to take. On November 10, German aeroplanes dropped +incendiary bombs, and thenceforth the bombardment was conducted +methodically both by aeroplanes and by guns firing from ten to twenty +shells per minute. + +Up to the 13th, the town had suffered comparatively little. The Cloth +Hall had only been hit by two shells (on the 5th) and by a few bombs. +But in the disastrous days of October 22, 23 and afterwards, the +bombardment became more intense and better regulated. The Germans +brought up an armoured train to Houthem, which, directed by observation +balloons, rained incendiary and explosive shells on the town. On the +evening of the 23rd, all that remained of the Place des Halles was a +heap of ruins. + +[Illustration: THE CLOTH HALL IN FLAMES (NOV. 22, 1914) +_The Germans, unable to capture Ypres, destroyed it methodically by +shell-fire (photo, Antony, Ypres)_.] + +[Illustration: DURING THE WINTER MONTHS LOG-ROADS WERE NECESSARY FOR THE +LORRIES AND ARTILLERY, AND EVEN THESE SANK IN THE BOTTOMLESS MUD] + + +=Period of Comparative Calm= +(December, 1914--April, 1915.) + +Having failed to pierce the front in the neighbourhood of Ypres, the +Germans abandoned their attacks in close formation, and operations in +this sector were soon limited to incessant artillery actions, +occasionally followed by fierce surprise attacks at isolated points. + +Some of the attacks during this period of comparative calm are worthy of +note. + +On December 10, the Germans launched three attacks against the British +troops in front of St. Eloi, only one of which gave any result. The +enemy captured the first trenches of the Allies' line, but were driven +out on the following night by a counter-attack. + +Other attempts were made during the following week, with the same +negative result. + +On December 17, the Germans attacked in force to the north-west of +Ypres. Zonnebeke, Langemarck and Bixschoote were bitterly disputed, and +the two last-named villages remained in the hands of the enemy. + +These battles were fought in a sea of mud formed by the rain and the +flooding of the land by the Belgians. + +One Colonel wrote: "The ground on which we are fighting is awful. There +is a crust about a foot thick which is comparatively good, but +underneath there is bottomless mud. Men standing in trenches four or +five feet deep are almost unable to get out, and gradually sink until it +takes several men to extricate them." + +The first fortnight of January was comparatively quiet. During the +second fortnight a strong German attack broke down before the front-line +trenches near Bixschoote. + +The continual rains in this previously flooded district rendered all +activity impossible, save that of the artillery, which continued to +bombard unceasingly during February. + +[Illustration: THE FRONT-LINE DURING THE WINTER CAMPAIGN OF 1914--1915] + +It was only in the first half of March that the opposing armies became +really active. From the 5th to 11th, powerful German attacks were +repulsed between Dixmude and the Lys. + +The British, on their part, were not inactive during this period. They +fought a vigorous action between the Lys and La Bassee, captured +Neuve-Chapelle after prolonged strenuous fighting, and took a thousand +prisoners, including several officers. + +As the weather conditions improved, the number of local engagements +increased. In an enemy attack on St. Eloi, between March 12 and 18, the +British first lost and then recaptured that village. Further south, +during the first half of April, fierce engagements were fought without +decisive result in front of the villages of Kemmel and Wulverghem. + +The Germans continued to bombard Ypres with large calibre shells, +heaping ruins upon ruins. + + + + +=THE SECOND BATTLE OF YPRES= +(April--May--June, 1915.) + + +The long period of enforced inaction during the winter months, and the +depressing waiting in the icy mud, were now succeeded first by local +enemy attacks, then by a fresh powerfully organised attempt by the +Germans to capture Ypres. + +The battle began on April 14 with a strong unsuccessful thrust to the +north of Ypres. The British replied by attacking Hill 60. + +On April 17, after the firing of a powerful mine, the hill was +brilliantly captured, and in spite of bitter counter-attacks on the 18th +by the Germans, who fully realised the importance of this _point +d'appui_, the position remained in the hands of the British. + +Meanwhile, a new German offensive was being prepared, which their High +Command believed would prove irresistible, thanks to the use of a new +weapon, as murderous as it was unexpected. + +Although Germany had signed the clause of the Hague Convention (July 29, +1899), which prohibits the use of =asphyxiating gas=, the unscrupulous +leaders now made use for the first time of this treacherous weapon. + +In accordance with their usual practice, they claimed that the British +used the gas first, and that they used it only in reprisal. Needless to +say, this assertion was pure fiction. + +On April 22 the front ran as follows: Belgian troops held the canal; the +French 45th Colonial Infantry Division, resting on the canal, and +passing through Bixschoote, linked up with the troops of the Canadian +3rd Brigade. + +Throughout the morning of April 22, the Germans bombarded the first +lines, while the roads behind were swept by the fire of the heavy +artillery, including 161/2-in. guns. The bombardment continued into the +afternoon. + +Suddenly, at about 4 p.m., there rose from the German trenches, opposite +the lines occupied by the French Colonial troops, a strange opaque cloud +of greenish-yellow fumes. A light breeze from the north-east wafted this +cloud towards the French, who, a few moments later, fell gasping for +breath in terrible agony. Terror spread through the ranks, especially +among the African troops. A panic inevitably followed, which quickly +spread from the front to the rear lines. + +Behind that cloud of gas the German troops advanced, protected by a +heavy barrage and intense machine-gun fire. + +The French Colonial troops fell back several miles towards Ypres, and +the Germans took Steenstraat, Het Sas and Pilkem, together with many +prisoners. + +The withdrawal of the French uncovered the left flank of the Canadians, +who were on their right, and they in turn were obliged to fall back, +leaving four guns in the hands of the Germans. + +In the afternoon the Canadians, rallying, took the offensive, recovered +part of the lost ground between Steenstraat and Langemarck, together +with their guns, and inflicted a sanguinary defeat on the Germans. + +[Illustration: THE FIRST GERMAN POISON-GAS ATTACK _(April 24, 1915.)_] + +Further north, on the Yser Canal, the enemy took advantage of the +disorder caused by the gas to cross at Steenstraat Bridge, and reached +the village of Lizerne near Zuydschoote, where they strongly entrenched +themselves. But Zouaves, aided by Belgians, counter-attacked in force, +retook Lizerne, and advanced along the canal. + +The greatest German effort was made on April 25 against the British +lines. + +The attacking troops had been grouped on both sides of the railway from +Ypres to Roulers, near Broodseinde, but in spite of fierce attacks they +could not break the British lines, and once more their dastardly methods +failed them. + +At the end of April the front was fixed as follows: from Steenstraat the +line followed the canal as far as Het Sas Bridgehead and then passed +along the right bank to Pilkem (on the opposite bank). Here it turned at +right-angles eastwards, as far as Soetart Farm (on the Ypres-Langemarck +Road), turned south-east through Wieltje, then west of Hooge, finally +linking up with Hill 60 and St. Eloi. + +The Germans revenged themselves for their failure by again bombarding +Ypres. + +The shelling, which had ceased for a time prior to the offensive, began +again with renewed intensity. An enormous quantity of heavy artillery +had been brought up, and large calibre shells were continuously rained +on the unhappy city, causing a panic. The few remaining inhabitants fled +terror-stricken along the Poperinghe Road. + +During the last week of April the battle continued with great +bitterness, but in spite of the enemy's use of gas, the Allies gradually +retook the lost ground. Then followed a fresh period of calm, broken +from time to time by fierce attacks, of which that of May 5 on Hill 60 +was the most important. + +On May 8 the battle broke out afresh in the region lying between +Poelcappelle and the Ypres-Menin Road. The Germans pierced the British +line at several points, notably between St. Julien and Frezenberg, and +reached Wieltje, but after bitter hand-to-hand fighting, they were +driven back to their trenches at the point of the bayonet. + +The next day the attack was renewed in close formation, under the +protection of an intense bombardment of gas shells, but the British, now +provided with masks, stood firm. The German columns, mown down by +shrapnel and machine-gun fire, were unable to reach the British +trenches. + +The fighting died down during the next few days, on account of rain and +wind storms, which made all movement impossible, but began again on the +24th without, however, any appreciable advantage for the Germans, who +once more took the offensive. + +Another period of calm set in, and this Second Battle of Ypres--the +second serious check of the Germans before the town--ended in a +successful operation by the British, who, on June 2, captured the +Chateau of Hooge on the Menin Road, two miles from Ypres. + + +=Long period of comparative calm. Isolated actions. Artillery activity +on both sides= +(June, 1915--June, 1917.) + +These weeks of fierce, bloody fighting were followed by a long period of +comparative calm, the operations having been transferred to other parts +of the front (Argonne, Artois, Champagne). Nevertheless, local actions +took place from time to time without any appreciable result. From July +22 to 26 the British, after successful mining operations, advanced their +line along the Ypres-Menin Road, in the neighbourhood of Hooge Chateau. + +After being driven from the outskirts of the chateau by a gas attack on +August 7, they retook the lost ground on the 8th and advanced beyond it. + +Towards the middle of September there was a rather severe bombardment +near Steenstraat and Ramscappelle, while Ypres received 300 more shells. + +During the latter half of August an Order of the Day to the German +Armies in Flanders stated: "_Our work is practically finished in the +East, and we are on the point of beginning in the West; peace in October +is certain._" + +[Illustration: THE FRONT LINE FROM JUNE 1915 TO JUNE 1917] + +In December, a new offensive by the Germans failed, despite the use of +gas. There was unusual artillery activity, all the heavy guns, both +German and British, being brought into action. + +On December 30, Field-Marshal French received the title of "Viscount of +Ypres," in commemoration of the vigorous British defence of that city. + +On February 12, 1916, the Germans launched fresh attacks in the west, +near Steenstraat and Het Sas, and attempted to cross the Yser. After +being smartly checked, they furiously attacked the British trenches +between the Ypres-Comines Canal and the railway, and succeeded in +capturing one of them for a length of 600 yards. This trench, on +account of its frequently changing hands, came to be known as the +"International Trench." A few days later (March 2) the British retook +it. + +The struggle now became limited to a continuous artillery duel, with +occasional surprise infantry attacks. The hamlet of St. Eloi to the +south was the scene of constant fighting for the possession of the +shell-craters. + +On April 19, the fighting assumed a more serious character. An +unimportant German attack near St. Eloi and along the Ypres-Langemarck +Road was the prelude to operations by considerable enemy forces, having +for their objective the great undulating slopes between Hill 60 and +Armentieres. + +[Illustration: BRITISH DEFENCE WORKS IN FRONT OF YPRES] + +The first of these attacks took place on April 25, 1916, but failed. Two +days later a night attack with gas was repulsed with hand grenades. + +A third attempt was made in May, 1916, more to the south towards +Armentieres, on the sides of the road connecting that town with Ypres. +The British, entrenched in a wood near Ploegsteert Village, were +assailed by three German columns, and were only able to repulse two of +them. The third took the position, but Scottish troops counter-attacked +and drove the Germans back. + +The most important of the enemy attacks during this period took place on +June 1. The preparations included a concentration of troops between +Tournai and Baisieux, from May 21 to 27, supported by guns of all +calibres. The attack was carried out in considerable strength between +Hooge and the Ypres-Comines Railway. + +The artillery preparation began at 9.15 a.m. on June 1, and at noon the +first assaulting wave entered the front-line trenches. The battle died +down for a few minutes in the evening, only to break out again during +the night. The Germans succeeded in crushing in the front to a depth of +some 700 yards in the direction of Zillebeke, but the next day a portion +of the lost ground was retaken by the Canadians. + +[Illustration: THE FLANDERS BATTLEFIELD IN WINTER] + +On June 6, a fresh assault began, preceded by the usual bombardment, and +further assisted by mine explosions. The front line trenches to the +north of Hooge were lost; but on the 13th the valiant Canadians, who had +previously recaptured the original positions abandoned on June 1, +resumed the offensive, and re-established the lines from the southern +part of Sanctuary Wood to a point 1,000 yards north of Hill 60. + +Throughout the days of June 26 and 28 there was an extremely violent +bombardment, to which the British guns replied effectively. The Germans, +whose losses from the attacks and this artillery fire were very heavy, +declared: "_Belgium will be our grave._" + +These were the last operations in which the enemy took the offensive. +All their efforts had failed, whether their object had been to turn the +left flank of the Allies, to break the lines around Ypres, or merely to +take the town. + + + + +=THE ALLIED OFFENSIVE OF 1917= + + +_Series of powerful attacks with limited objectives. From June to +October, the stages of the offensive were punctuated by breathing +spaces, during which the conquered ground was consolidated, in view of +counter-attacks, and the artillery brought up, to prepare the following +attack._ + + +=Preliminary Operations= +=The Capture of Messines Ridge by the British= +(June 7, 1917.) + +From July, 1916, to May, 1917, the Ypres sector remained comparatively +quiet. There were few attacks on either side, but the guns thundered day +and night. It may be said that the British were "trying their hand." + +In June, 1917, certain at last of their strength, they made their first +big effort, and step by step, in accordance with a carefully worked-out +plan, they completely liberated Ypres by a series of offensives lasting +four months, and broke the iron circle which, for two years, had been +strangling the town. + +For several months before the battle, the attack on Messines Ridge had +been carefully planned by means of a model in relief, situated in the +open air and covering an area about equal to that of a tennis court. +Here were reproduced in relief all the contours and peculiarities of the +ground. Everything, down to an isolated tree trunk, was reproduced. + +British effort took definite shape for the first time on June 7. The +attack, planned by Sir Douglas Haig, had for its objective the capture +of the crests between Wytschaete and Messines, which the Germans had +seized on November 1, 1914. + +For seven days an artillery preparation of incredible intensity hammered +the villages of Messines and Wytschaete, until they had completely +disappeared. + +On June 7, about an hour before dawn, at 3.10 a.m., the sky was lit up +by an intense light, while a series of terrific explosions were heard; +nineteen mines, some of whose galleries had taken more than a year to +bore, exploded along the enemy positions. + +The Germans were taken completely by surprise, and gave way before the +impetuous onrush. In a few minutes their first line was carried along +the whole of the attacked front. Then, almost without a pause, the +British troops attacked the western slopes of the Messines-Wytschaete +Ridge, and by about 6.30 a.m. held the crests along the whole line. + +The village of Messines offered resistance, but was captured by the New +Zealanders in a vigorous attack, as was also the village of Wytschaete. +By noon the second stage of the offensive was about to begin. + +Descending the eastern slopes of the ridge the British carried a second +strong position, then attacked a fresh line--chiefly in Rayon Wood--in +which were large shelters of reinforced concrete, each capable of +holding a company. At about 4 p.m. Oosttaverne Village, lying west of +the centre of the position, fell. At sun-down the day's objectives had +been completely attained, and the advance at certain points exceeded two +miles in depth. + +This fine success was due to the carefully detailed preparation carried +out under the orders of General Herbert Plumer, to the destructive +effect of the mines, to the violence and precision of the bombardment, +to the excellent co-operation of the Air Forces, and to the harmonious +working together of all arms. The tanks rendered excellent service. + +[Illustration: THE BRITISH OFFENSIVE OF JUNE 7, 1917, AGAINST MESSINES +RIDGE, PRECEDED BY THE FIRING OF NINETEEN ENORMOUS MINES] + +The Germans made an effort to rally, but their first counter-attacks, +near Oosttaverne and to the east of Messines, failed. + +At about 7 p.m., on June 8, a fresh German counter-attack was launched +along the whole of the new front between St. Yvon and the Ypres-Comines +Canal. Other engagements were fought to the east of Messines and near +Klein Zillebeke. Although reinforced by fresh divisions, the German +attack was broken by midnight. + +Resuming their offensive, the British, on the morning of June 11, +captured the whole system of German trenches, nearly a mile in length, +situated near Poterie Farm, to the south-east of Messines. The next day +fresh progress was made along nearly two miles of the front to the +north-east of Messines, and the hamlet of Gapaard occupied. + +[Illustration: THE FRONT LINE BEFORE THE ALLIES' OFFENSIVE OF JULY 31, +1917] + +After the offensive--limited in scope--of June 7, which reduced the +salient, south of Ypres, the British continued to press the enemy. +Frequent raids kept the Germans on the alert and secured important +_points d'appui_. + +On June 14, the Germans were forced to abandon an important part of +their first-line trenches between the Lys and St. Yvon. On the same day +a considerable advance was made east of Ploegsteert Wood, and in the +immediate neighbourhood of Gapaard Village. + +During the night of the 14th a double attack was made: one to the east +of Messines; the other along both banks of the Ypres-Comines Canal, to +the north-west of Hollebeke. These attacks gave the British a large +number of trenches, which they held in spite of fierce counter-attacks. + +To sum up, during the latter half of June an advance of 500 to 1,000 +yards in depth was made along the whole front line between Klein +Zillebeke and the Lys. + +The month of July passed in raids, patrols, and reconnoitring, +preparatory to the new offensive of July 31. + +This far-reaching offensive, which lasted from July 31 to the end of +October, may be divided into six successive phases, and ended with the +liberation of Ypres. + + +=First Phase= +(July 31--August 15.) + + +=Capture of the First and Second German Lines= + +When the battle began, the firing line extended from Dixmude, along the +Yser Canal, then followed the Yperlee River, on the left bank of the +Yser Canal. It next passed through Lizerne to Het Sas, whence it +followed the canal to Boesinghe. Opposite this village the line crossed +the canal and the Ypres-Bruges railway, then passed the Quatre-Chemins +cross-roads, descending thence to Essenfarm and Kruppfarm, which lie on +either side of the Pilkem Road. Continuing west of Wieltje Village, it +passed south of Verlorenhoek Chateau, skirted Verlorenhoek Village, and +descended west of Hooge, after crossing the Ypres-Roulers railway. It +next skirted the northern part of Sanctuaire Wood, then entered the +latter, coming out to the south of Zwateleen. From there, the line +extended southwards, passing west of Hollebeke, east of Gapaard, and +skirting the eastern fringe of Ploegsteert Wood. + +During the fortnight preceding the offensive, changes were made in the +order of the forces holding the line. + +British troops relieved the Belgians and French who had been operating +near the coast, in the direction of Lombaertzyde. Moreover, the French +forces, placed at the disposal of General Anthoine, had taken up +positions between the Belgians and the British from Reninghe to +Elverdinghe. + +[Illustration: FIRST STAGE OF THE ALLIES' ADVANCE FROM JULY 31 TO AUGUST +11, 1917 (31/7--11/8)] + +At 4 a.m. on July 31, in spite of unfavourable weather, the British +troops, under the command of Generals Plumer and Gough, co-operating +with the Franco-Belgian troops led by General Anthoine, attacked in +force along a front of fourteen miles from Dixmude to the Lys. + +In the French sector, the greater part of the troops had crossed the +Yser during the night. The artillery then pounded the first and second +German lines, and as soon as the range had been lengthened, the infantry +dashed forward. At the scheduled hour the first and second enemy lines +from Dixmude to Bixschoote, to a depth in places of almost two miles, +were occupied, while Bixschoote, Steenstraat, and Kortekeer Inn fell. + +The British were on the right of the French. The Ypres-Roulers Road +formed the axis on which their attack turned. On the left of this road +they pierced the German lines to a depth of nearly two miles, and +occupied the bridges over the Steenbeek Canal. Several villages were +captured: Verlorenhoek, Frezenberg, St. Julien, Pilkem, in addition to a +large number of fortified farms and woods. + +On the right of the Ypres-Roulers Road, the British encountered a very +strong resistance. The ground, more broken than that on the other part +of the battle-front, and also intersected with woods, enabled the +Germans to keep several _points d'appui_. Despite the fiercest fighting, +it was impossible to drive them out of part of the second position on +the right wing. Nevertheless, an advance of about a mile in depth was +made in this sector, and the village of Hooge and Sanctuary Wood were +captured. + +On their extreme right the British had captured Hollebeke Village early +that morning. + +The next day (August 1), the Germans replied but feebly in the French +sector, while in the British sector, in spite of the rain, they +counter-attacked with the greatest fury. + +Near St. Julien the line fell back slightly, but along the rest of the +front the positions were fully maintained. + +The first phase in the liberation of Ypres was over. + +In forty-eight hours, the offensive, methodically prepared and carried +out, had attained the objectives, given the Allies more than 6,000 +prisoners and an immense quantity of stores. + +During the following days, in spite of torrential rain, the Germans +attempted unsuccessfully to retake the lost ground, some of the attacks +being particularly fierce. + +In the sector held by the French troops there was little more than a +heavy bombardment on either side. French raids on fortified farms held +by the Germans resulted in slight progress being made to the north of +Bixschoote and Kortekeer Inn. + +The British, on the other hand, had to face strong counter-attacks. On +August 1, the Germans succeeded in regaining a footing in their old +advanced positions along the Ypres-Roulers Road. On the 2nd, the British +lines between St. Julien and the Ypres-Bruges railway were attacked in +force. The village of St. Julien was lost, but was finally retaken on +the 3rd. On the 4th, the British line was advanced beyond St. Julien. + +On August 5, during a fresh attack on both banks of the Ypres-Comines +Canal, the Germans retook Hollebeke, but were driven out almost +immediately. + +On the night of the 5th they again attacked Hollebeke, but without +success. + +On the 10th, an interesting operation was carried out by the British. +The front attacked was shorter than in the offensive of July 31, and +extended about a mile and a half to the south of the Ypres-Roulers Road. + +Early in the morning the British were in complete possession of Westhoek +Village, after which a violent struggle took place for the high ground +round the village. By evening all the objectives had been attained, +including the capture of Westhoek Crest and Glencorse Wood. + +August 12 was marked by six enemy counter-attacks, which caused a slight +withdrawal of the line to the south of Glencorse Wood. Everywhere else +the Allies' positions were fully maintained. + + +=Second Phase= +(_August 15--September 19, 1917._) + +The Allies resumed their offensive on August 15 along a front of some +nine miles, from the Yser Canal to the Ypres-Menin Road. + +The attack began at 4.45 a.m. The French attacked on both sides of the +Steenstraat-Dixmude Road, crossing the Steenbeek stream in the morning. +Driegrachten Bridgehead was taken after hand-to-hand fighting, while in +the evening the whole of the strip of ground between the Yser and the +Martjet-Vaart Canal was in the hands of the French. + +The British operating on the right of the French rapidly attained their +first objectives, then vigorously following up this first success, they +took by assault the village of Langemarck and its strong defences, +advanced 800 yards beyond the village and captured the whole system of +trenches. + +To the south, along the Ypres-Menin Road, the struggle was more +stubborn, the Germans resisting desperately. A series of furious +counter-attacks enabled them finally to preserve their line practically +intact in this district. + +The day's captures included more than 2,000 prisoners, of whom thirty +were officers, and twenty-four guns, including several of large calibre. + +Desperate fighting continued until September 19 without, however, +altering the positions established on August 15. + +On August 19, the British, by small local attacks, advanced about 500 +yards on the Ypres-Poelcappelle Road and captured several fortified +farms. + +The Germans made desperate efforts to hold the high wooded ground +comprising Polygone and Inverness Woods, near the Ypres-Roulers Road. + +On the 22nd the fighting increased in fierceness. The British advanced +only with great difficulty, and the eastern edges of Inverness Wood were +hotly contested. + +In these combats, from which neither side gained any decisive advantage, +the Germans made use for the first time of liquid fire, thanks to which +innovation they succeeded temporarily in retaking the north-western +corner of Inverness Wood, but were soon driven out. + +[Illustration: SECOND STAGE: THE ATTACK OF AUGUST 15 (15/8)] + +Further north, the British, on August 24 and 25, advanced their lines to +the north of St. Julien and Langemarck. + +During the following days, persistent rains prevented any further +operations. Infantry actions were now succeeded by continuous +bombardments on both sides, and by isolated raids. + + +=Third Phase= +(_September 20--October 3, 1917._) + +On September 20 a fresh offensive was begun along the whole front from +Langemarck to the Ypres-Menin Road, a distance of eight miles. + +The part assigned for the French troops under General Anthoine was +merely to protect the left wing of the British Army which, pivoting on +Hollebeke, was to wheel and advance its marching wing in a direction at +right-angles to the Zonnebeke-Gheluvelt line. + +All the objectives were attained at an early hour. + +Inverness Wood, which had been hotly disputed for the six previous +weeks, was taken by the London troops. + +The Australians retook by assault Glencorse Wood--lost a few days +before--and Nonnes Wood. The Scottish and South African Brigades +captured the fortified farms of Vampire and Borry, and the Potsdam and +Anzac Redoubts. Lancashire Territorials carried Iberian Farm and next +day (the 21st) Gallipoli Farm. + +The British then attacked the second German lines. On the right the +Territorials[1] fought violent engagements to the north of the bend in +the Ypres-Comines Canal, near Klein Zillebeke, and in the vicinity of +the position known as Tower Hamlet. + +In the centre, progress was more important. The ground hereabouts rises +in a small plateau about 220 feet in height, which dominates the whole +battlefield and extends in two long spurs: one running north-east +towards Zonnebeke, the other southwards towards Menin. The Germans had +fortified these positions very strongly and withdrawn their main line of +defence to the eastern edge of the plateau, _i.e._ opposite the side by +which the enemy must attack. This line protected the village of +Zevenkote and the western edge of Polygone Wood, leaving in front the +woods of Nonnes, Glencorse and Inverness, and Herenthage Park, the +eastern edge of which latter it followed. The woods were strongly +fortified, and the British had twice previously (July 31 and August 16) +vainly endeavoured to capture them. + +It was the Northern troops and the Australians who carried these +positions, advancing to a depth of 1,700 yards and taking Veldhoek and +the western part of Polygone Wood--the principal centre of the German +resistance. Further north, Zevenkote was captured and the London +Territorials, supported by the Highlanders, seized a second line of +farms. + +In the evening of September 20, the front ran approximately as follows: +from Rose Farm (700 yards west of Poelcappelle) to Fokker Farm (on the +eastern edges of Zevenkote); across the western part of Polygone +Wood--including Veldhoek--then to the east of Herenthage Chateau, and +ending at Hollebeke. + +The Germans, in their costly and unsuccessful efforts to retake the lost +positions, suffered exceedingly heavy losses, without gaining any +advantage. + +On the morning of the 26th the British continued their attack along a +five-mile front, from the east of St. Julien to Tower Hamlet near the +Ypres-Menin Road. + +The rest of Tower Hamlet Spur was captured, in addition to the whole of +Polygone Wood. + +Further north, a fresh advance of 1,700 yards was made, and the strongly +fortified village of Zonnebeke remained in the hands of the British. + +Besides the gain in ground, more than 4,000 prisoners were taken. + +The Germans, by a series of powerful counter-attacks, sought to win back +the lost positions. On the evening of the 26th, four attacks were made +in the neighbourhood of Tower Hamlet. + +[Illustration: THIRD STAGE: BRITISH ADVANCE FROM SEPT. 20 TO SEPT. 26 +(20/9--26/9)] + +On the 27th they attacked the village of Zonnebeke, while on the morning +of the 30th three attacks were made, without result, on both sides of +the Ypres-Menin Road. + +On October 1 the Germans attacked three times on a front of 1,700 yards +to the south of the Ypres-Menin Road, while the same night two fresh +assaults gave no appreciable result. + +[Illustration: BATTERY OF BRITISH HEAVY HOWITZERS IN ACTION] + + +=Fourth Phase= +(_October 4--8, 1917._) + +The increasing activity of the Germans did not in any way prevent the +British from preparing a fresh offensive. On the morning of October 4, +English divisions, supported by Welsh, Scottish and Irish battalions, +attacked along a front of ten miles, between Tower Hamlet and the north +of Langemarck. The Germans, disconcerted and surprised by this +unexpected attack--they were themselves preparing to attack with five +divisions--fell back from the beginning of the action. + +[Illustration: PART OF THE GROUND COVERED BY THE OFFENSIVE, SEEN FROM AN +AEROPLANE] + +A rapid advance of one-half to nearly two miles was made. + +South of the Menin Road the objectives were attained almost at the +outset. + +To the north of the same road the enemy resistance was more stubborn. +Nevertheless, the villages of Reutel and Polderhoek, together with the +chateau of that name, were captured, freeing at the same time the top of +the crest, whose eastern slopes run down to the village of Bacelaere. +Further north, the Australians captured Noordhemhoek and +Molenaarelsthoek, reached Broodseinde Crest, and thus advanced beyond +the Bacelaere-Broodseinde Road. + +On the other side of the Ypres-Roulers railway, the British drew +appreciably nearer Passchendaele, captured Gravenstafel and a certain +number of fortified farms, and approached the western outskirts of +Poelcappelle. + +[Illustration: FOURTH STAGE: THE 4TH OCTOBER, 1917 (4/10)] + +In spite of the violent storm which was then raging, all the objectives +were attained and the line of crests conquered. + +Owing to the very large numbers of troops massed on the front at the +time of the attack, the German losses, which included 4,500 prisoners, +were particularly heavy. + +[Illustration: A DIFFICULT CROSSING. BRITISH AND BELGIAN SOLDIERS] + + +=Fifth Phase= +(_October 9--12, 1917._) + +To completely clear Ypres, a few strongly fortified villages beyond the +line of crests captured on October 4 had still to be taken. These formed +the objective of the attacks of October 9 and 12. + +On October 9, in spite of the appalling weather, the British attacked +again on a front stretching from St. Janshoek (a mile north of +Bixschoote) to the south-east of Broodseinde. The French were holding a +front rather less than two miles in length to the north of Bixschoote, +and had for objective the southern edge of Houthulst Forest. + +The signal to attack was given at 5.30 a.m. Despite the rain, which had +been falling incessantly for several days, the infantry crossed first +the canal in flood, then a veritable sea of mud, and captured Mangelaere +and Veldhoek. They advanced rather more than a mile and reached the +south-western edge of Houthulst Forest, after having captured numerous +strongly fortified farms and blockhouses. + +The British sector extended from the north-west of Poelcappelle to +Broodseinde, and formed a front of some seven miles. + +On the right, the Manchester Regiment and the Lancashire Fusiliers +advanced from 1,600 to 2,000 yards in the direction of Passchendaele, +and carried the line beyond the crests occupied on October 4. + +In the centre, many farms, redoubts and blockhouses were captured. + +[Illustration: FIFTH STAGE: THE BRITISH ATTACK HOUTHULST FOREST AND +APPROACH PASSCHENDAELE] + +To the north, the capture of Poelcappelle was completed, the British +joining hands with the French on the outskirts of Houthulst Forest. + +More than 2,000 prisoners were taken. + +[Illustration: SIXTH STAGE: BY NOV. 6, YPRES WAS COMPLETELY CLEARED] + + +=Sixth Phase= +(_October 22--November 6, 1917._) + +After a short rest, during which the new positions were consolidated--in +view of enemy counter-attacks--the battle broke out afresh on October +22. + +The attack of the 22nd was, in reality, only of secondary importance, +but thanks to the progress made, it was possible to carry out the +operations of the 26th on a larger scale than originally intended. + +In order definitely to consolidate the captured positions, it was still +necessary to take the village of Passchendaele, which stands on the high +ground dominating the plain of Flanders to the east of Ypres and from +which Roulers is visible. + +A fresh offensive was accordingly begun at dawn on October 26. + +In the French sector, the troops, after wading through the St. Janshoek +and the Corverbeek streams with the water up to their shoulders, stormed +the village of Draeibank, Papegoed Wood, and many fortified farms. + +The next day fresh progress, to a depth of more than a mile, was made on +both sides of the Ypres-Dixmude Road, along a front of two and a half +miles. The villages of Hoekske, Aschhoop, Merckem, and Kippe were +captured, and the western edges of Houthulst Forest reached. + +On the 28th, the advance continued on the left, in co-operation with the +Belgians. The French took the village of Luyghem, and the Belgians +Vyfhuyzen. + +The British, on their part, advanced in the direction of Passchendaele, +as far as the southern slopes of the village, capturing a whole series +of positions east of Poelcappelle. + +On October 30, British and Canadians continued their attacks, and in +spite of the enemy's desperate resistance, reached the first houses of +Passchendaele. + +[Illustration: FRENCH TROOPS PASSING IN FRONT OF THE RUINS OF YPRES +CLOTH HALL] + +On the following days they improved their positions. The struggle at +this juncture was very bitter, Hindenburg having shortly before issued +an order stating: "_Passchendaele must be held at all costs, and retaken +if lost._" + +On the morning of November 6, the British resumed the offensive. The +Canadians, after bloody engagements to the north and north-west of +Passchendaele, captured the hamlets of Mosselmarkt and Goudberg, and +finally carried Passchendaele. + +On the evening of November 6, Ypres was completely cleared; and from the +top of the Passchendaele Hills the valiant British troops could see, +stretching away to the horizon, the Plain of Flanders, which had been +hidden from the Allies since October, 1914. + +[Illustration: PREPARATION OF THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE OF APRIL 9, 1918. THE +OBJECTIVE] + +[Illustration: SCHERPENBERG HILL] + + +=The German Offensive of 1918= + +The front was quiet during the winter of 1917--1918, but 1918 opened +darkly for the Allies. + +The Treaty of Brest-Litowsk had sealed the defection of Russia, while +Roumania, reduced to her own resources, was forced to sign the Treaty of +Bukarest. Lastly, invaded Italy was only just recovering from the +disaster at Caporetto. Already, in spite of the terms of the +Brest-Litowsk Treaty, huge masses of troops, guns and stores were being +despatched to the Western Front. The blow fell on March 21, 1918. + +The objectives, three in number, were the smashing of the British right +wing at its junction with the French; the separation of the two Allied +army groups; the driving back to the Channel coast of the two British +armies, after they had been surrounded on the south. The long-coveted +road "_Nach Paris_" would then at last be open. + +But in spite of their colossal efforts the Germans were held. + +By March 31, the German Imperial forces were exhausted, and General Foch +was able to say: "_The wave has spent itself on the beach._" The peril +seemed to be averted. + +But the respite was only a short one. The German attack before Amiens +was scarcely stayed (April 6) when the battle suddenly broke out again. +From the Arras sector to La Bassee the whole line was ablaze as far as +the Lys. While, in the first German offensive the British right had +suffered severely, it was against the left wing of the same army that +the new blow was struck. + +The new offensive, although quickly prepared, was even more violent than +the first. + +On April 9, when the attack began, the German battle-front between the +Lys and La Bassee was held by twenty-one divisions in line and six in +reserve, under the command of Von Quast (VIth Army). + +Of these twenty-seven divisions only seven were in line on March 28. + +Ten divisions were hurriedly brought up from the Belgian front (IVth +Army--Von Arnim), which was holding the sector from the Lys to the +Channel. Five others were despatched from the Artois front, and, lastly, +five divisions were taken from General Ludendorff's general reserve. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[Footnote 1: French: troupes des comtes = county regiments.] + +[Illustration: ON APRIL 9--20, 1918, THE GERMANS BROKE THROUGH THE +ALLIES' FRONT, SOUTH OF YPRES, AND ADVANCED TO NIEPPE FOREST AND THE +CHAIN OF THE FLANDERS HILLS] + + + + +=THE BATTLE OF THE FLANDERS HILLS= + + +=The Break-Through= +(_April 9, 1918._) + +The Germans began the attack on the morning of April 9, after an intense +bombardment with gas shells, and under cover of a dense fog reached the +first machine-guns. The sector was held by Portuguese troops, wedged in +between the British, from Bois-Grenier to Neuve-Chapelle. + +On the whole length of front attacked, between La Bassee and +Armentieres, in the Plain of Flanders, the only natural obstacles are +the rivers and canals. From the beginning of the battle the Portuguese +were thrown into disorder by the extreme violence of the attack. + +The twenty-one German shock divisions attacked in five columns: to the +south, the first column in the direction of Givenchy; the second +(General Kraevel), in front of Festubert; the third (Von Bernhardi) +marched against La Couture and Richebourg-St.-Waast; the Carlowitz +Corps, forming the fourth column, advanced against Estaires in the +direction of Laventie; further north, the fifth column attacked in the +direction of Fleurbaix, outflanking Bois Grenier and Armentieres on the +west. + +Under the pressure of the attack, a depression was formed in the line. +Fleurbaix, Laventie, Richebourg-St.-Waast and Neuve-Chapelle were lost, +and the Germans reached the Lys between Estaires and the St. Maur Ferry. +To the north of the pocket the Allies resisted successfully at +Fleurbaix; to the south, Givenchy, after a desperate struggle, remained +in the hands of the British. + +On the following day the German troops, continuing the push towards the +centre, succeeded in crossing the Lys between Estaires and the St. Maur +Ferry. + +The battle extended northwards and the IVth Army (Von Arnim) attacked +between Armentieres and Ploegsteert with the Eberhardt, Marschall and +Sieger Corps. + +The push continued on the 11th, and Armentieres, outflanked on the north +and south, smashed by the shells and drenched with gas, had to be +evacuated. + +On their left, the Germans, after crossing the Lawe, north of Locon, two +miles from Bethune, captured Neuf-Berquin and Merville. + +Givenchy, held by the British 55th Division, resisted all attacks and +remained in their hands. + +On the right, Nieppe and Steenwerk had to be evacuated. The German +advance to the south of Armentieres becoming more pronounced, the +British straightened their front, to avoid too sharp a salient, and fell +back to the Messines-Wytschaete Crest. + +On the 12th the fighting continued furiously. Advancing along the +Lille-Hazebrouck railway, the Germans reached the outskirts of Nieppe +Forest. South-west of Merville they captured Calonne, and, further +north, approached Bailleul. + +North of the Lys, under pressure of Von Arnim's army, the +Messines-Wytschaete Crest, with the wood and village of Ploegsteert, had +to be abandoned. The British line was withdrawn to Neuve-Eglise and +Wulverghem. In these few days the gains of the Allied offensive of the +last five months of 1917 were lost. + +The 13th marked the culminating point of the battle in the central +sector. Foch made his dispositions promptly, and French reinforcements +were despatched to the critical points. + +Von Bernhardi crossed the Clarence at Robecq on the 13th. On the same +day Von Gallwitz made a strong push northwards between Hazebrouck and +Bailleul, with the object of outflanking the line of the Flanders Hills, +already attacked on the east and north-east by the IVth Army (Von +Arnim). + +Battles were fought south of Meteren, at Merris, Vieux-Berquin and on +the eastern outskirts of Nieppe Forest. To the east of Bailleul, +Neuve-Eglise (an important cross-road) was fiercely disputed. After +changing hands many times on the 14th, it was finally abandoned the same +night. + +The loss of Neuve-Eglise led to that of Wulverghem, and the British were +forced to fall back to the eastern slopes of Kemmel Hill, the first high +point in the chain of hills called the Heights or Hills of Flanders. +From east to west this chain consists of Rouge Hill (flanked on the +north-east by Scherpenberg), Vidaigne Hill, Noir Hill, Cats Hill, and +lastly by the western bastion of Cassel. + +After taking Neuve-Eglise on the night of the 14th, the Germans decided +on a fresh and still more powerful effort. + +Three picked divisions were hurled against the hills of Lille and +Ravetsberg, to the east of Bailleul, which fell. The Germans entered +Bailleul, pushing on thence to Meteren, which they also captured. The +next day they tried to develop this success, but instead of the +exhausted British, the Germans now found themselves faced by fresh +French troops. In three days (April 12--14) Petain had brought up +without a hitch five French divisions and one cavalry corps, which +stayed the German rush at the foot of the hills. + +[Illustration: ROUGE HILL, SEEN FROM SCHERPENBERG HILL] + +On April 16 the Germans made their first attempt to turn the Flanders +Hills from the south-west in the direction of Hazebrouck. + +The French 133rd Infantry Division (Valentin), supported by the British +34th Division, vigorously repulsed the attack. + +On the 17th a fresh and more powerful attack was made simultaneously +from the north-east, towards Poperinghe, and from the south, on the +Bailleul-Neuve-Eglise front. + +At the same time an independent operation--which failed completely--was +undertaken to the north of Ypres on the Belgian front. The Belgians +repulsed the Germans and took 800 prisoners. + +To the south three British divisions (34th, 49th, 19th) stayed the +German advance. + +A last effort, starting from Wytschaete, also broke down before the +French 28th Infantry Division (Madelin). + +[Illustration: THE GERMANS ATTACK THE CHAIN OF HILLS WHICH PROTECT +YPRES] + + +=The Capture of Kemmel Hill= +(_April 22--28, 1918._) + +A period of comparative calm followed, during which the Germans prepared +a fresh mass attack, in view of the capture of the Hills. + +For this new offensive five fresh divisions from Alsace-Lorraine were +brought up, of which two--the IVth Bavarians and the Alpine Corps--were +picked troops. These troops joined the four divisions already in the +sector. The artillery was also considerably reinforced. + +During this concentration small local attacks occurred on both sides. + +On April 22 and 23 the Germans endeavoured to improve their positions +north of Bailleul, but without appreciable result. + +The French, on their part, sought by attacks and raids to impede the +preparations for the coming assault. + +At that time the firing line, from west to east, ran as follows: from +Meteren (held by the Germans) it passed north of Bailleul, then crossed +the crest of Lindenhoek at Dranoutre, east of Kemmel, and skirted Groote +Vierstraat and St. Eloi on the east. + +The five French divisions which defended the Hills occupied the +following positions: + +The 133rd before Cats Hill; the 34th Infantry (Sabatier) before Locre; +the 154th Infantry (Breton) from Dranoutre to the Petit-Kemmel; the 28th +Infantry (Madelin) before Kemmel Hill, its left linking up at Lindenhoek +with the British 9th Infantry Division. The Cavalry Corps was held in +reserve on the Hills. + +At 2.30 a.m. on April 25 the attack began with a heavy bombardment, in +which the proportion of gas shells was far greater than previously. + +At about 6 a.m. the infantry assault began in a dense fog north and +south of Kemmel Hill. + +North of the Hills the "Sieger" divisions, marching west to east, had +orders to capture Kemmel Village, and then, _via_ the Valley of the +Kemmelbeek, join up at Locre with the Eberhardt Divisions, which were +attacking from north to south in the direction of Dranoutre. + +On the left of the attacking front, the village of Kemmel was taken by +the Germans, in spite of a heroic defence. Step by step the British 9th +Division was driven back into Kemmelbeek valley and on Dickebusch Pond. + +In the centre the enemy storm-troop waves, after several repulses, +finally reached the summit of Kemmel Hill, where a fierce hand-to-hand +encounter took place. In spite of their great heroism, the 30th Infantry +Regiment, outnumbered and almost surrounded, was forced to abandon the +position, but only after a dashing counter-attack by a battalion of the +99th Infantry had failed to extricate them. On the right, the German +Alpine Corps, by a daring manoeuvre, made possible by the fog and the +broken nature of the ground, succeeded in reaching the artillery +positions, which were at once attacked by machine-gun fire. The French +and British batteries, under a storm of bullets, were obliged to +retreat, saving what material they could and blowing up the rest. + +The Germans thus reached the village of Locre, which changed hands +several times during the day. + +Finally, after a counter-attack, the 154th Infantry Division remained +masters of the village, although the Germans succeeded in holding the +"hospice" at the southern end. + +The situation was now critical and the enemy advance had to be checked +at all costs. On the night of the 25th the Allies were reinforced by the +39th Infantry Division (Massenet) at the very moment a fresh German +offensive was being launched. The timely arrival of these troops +effectually stayed the German thrust. + +On the evening of the 26th, after much sanguinary fighting, the enemy +paused, exhausted. The French took advantage of the respite to +consolidate new positions. + +The 27th was marked only by a violent attack on the extreme left at +Voormezele, where the Germans succeeded in obtaining a footing, only to +be driven out by a vigorous British counter-attack. + +As a result of these various battles the new line was as follows: from +Locre Chateau it ran south of Locre Village, followed Kemmelbeek Valley, +passed in front of La Clytte Village, then south of Dickebusch Pond and +Voormezele Village, joining up with Zillebeke on the south-east. + +It was against this new front that the Germans were now preparing a new +offensive. + +[Illustration: ON APRIL 29, THE GERMANS LAUNCHED A LAST FURIOUS ATTACK +AGAINST THE HILLS, AND FAILED. EXHAUSTED, THEY THEN ABANDONED THEIR +PLANS FOR TAKING YPRES] + + + + +=THE LAST GERMAN ATTACK= +(_April 29, 1918._) + + +After an artillery preparation lasting all night, the attack began at 7 +a.m. on April 29, along a front about eight and a half miles in length, +extending from the Chateau and Park of Locre to Dickebusch Pond. This +attack, by no less than 120,000 enemy troops, resulted in a crushing +defeat for the Germans. + +Both ends of the front stood firm: the British on the left, between La +Clytte and Zillebeke, and the French on the right, in the Chateau and +Park of Locre. All attacks were vigorously repulsed, and the Germans did +not even reach the Allied lines. + +More fortunate in the centre, they succeeded in taking the village of +Locre, and advanced beyond it as far as the cross-ways on the Westoutre +Road, half-a-mile north of Locre. Their success was but short-lived, +however, as a vigorous counter-attack by French Dragoons drove them +back, and at the end of the day all that remained of their gains was a +slight salient near Brulooze Inn. Exhausted, they did not renew their +attack. + +The Hill offensive was over. The Germans had destroyed Ypres, but could +not enter the ruined city. + +[Illustration] + + + + +=THE ALLIES' VICTORY OFFENSIVE OF AUGUST--OCTOBER, 1918= + + +After the German setback of April 29, the initiative passed into the +hands of the Allies. + +On April 30, the French 39th Infantry Division reduced the Brulooze Inn +salient. During the following week numerous local engagements enabled +the Allies to recapture several fortified farms and _points d'appui_, +and generally to consolidate their positions. An attack by the British, +on July 19, to the north of the Lys, advanced their lines two and a half +miles, and gave them the village of Meteren. Then followed a lull, which +lasted until the speeding-up of Foch's offensive rendered the German +positions untenable and forced the conquered enemy back towards the +Rhine. + +After the Allies' victorious counter-thrust had flattened out the +"pocket" made by the German Spring offensive near Amiens, the battle +quickly spread over the whole front, including Flanders. + +East of Nieppe Forest and Hazebrouck, the British, pressing forward +towards Armentieres, advanced beyond Vieux-Berquin in the direction of +Merville. On August 18, they joined battle between Vieux-Berquin and +Bailleul, on a front of four miles, and captured the village of +Outtersteene. The next day they entered Merville. + +[Illustration: GERMAN POSITION NORTH OF YPRES, CAPTURED BY BELGIAN +TROOPS ON SEPT. 8--9, 1918] + +On September 1, the British had reached the line: La Bassee, Laventie, +Steenwerke, Neuve-Eglise and Wulverghem, on both sides of the Lys. On +the following day, Estaires was outflanked south of Lens, and the famous +Hindenburg line passed. Noreuil, Villers-au-Flos (south of Queant), Le +Transloy, Sailly-Saillisel and Allaines (south of the Bapaume-Cambrai +Road) were next captured. Further south the storming of Queant by the +Canadians, who then advanced beyond, and approached Marquion, opened the +road to Cambrai. + +On September 4, the British reached the Canal du Nord, and crossed it at +several points. On the following day, they regained possession of their +old lines on both sides of the Lys, from Neuve-Chapelle to Givenchy, and +captured Ploegsteert Village. On September 10, south-west of Cambrai, +Gouzeaucourt Wood and the old line of trenches dominating Gouzeaucourt +Village, as well as the outskirts of Havrincourt Wood were occupied. + +The general offensive was to be launched a few days later, in +co-operation with the Belgian Army and some French units. + +On September 28, the Belgian Army and the British Second Army (General +Plumer), commanded by King Albert, marched against the army of Von +Arnim. The British, covered on the north by the Belgians, began a +turning movement in the region of Lille, Roubaix and Tourcoing. +Houthulst Forest, the crests of Passchendaele and Gheluvelt, and Dixmude +were carried with fine dash. Crossing the Lys on the following days +between Wervicq and Comines, the British now drew near to Menin. On +October 1, the Germans were in full retreat on a wide front north and +south of the Bassee Canal, all their positions between Armentieres and +the south of Lens being now abandoned. + +[Illustration: DESTROYED BRITISH TANK SUNK IN THE MUD AT THE ENTRANCE TO +POELCAPPELLE] + +On October 9, the Canadians of the First Army occupied Cambrai. On the +13th, the British reached the gates of Douai and occupied the banks of +the Haute-Deule Canal from Douai to Vendin-le-Vieil. + +Elsewhere, the British Second Army, after capturing Menin and Wervicq, +obtained a footing on the right bank of the Lys, then crossed the river +between Menin and Armentieres, thus forcing the Germans to abandon the +line of the Haute-Deule, and taking the Lille-Tourcoing in the rear. + +The British army and some French units occupied Lille--capital of the +north--on October 17, and the same days the Germans evacuated Douai. +Roubaix and Tourcoing were liberated the next day, and Denain, +Marchiennes and Orchies on the 21st and 22nd. + +The Western suburbs of Valenciennes were fiercely disputed, being +finally retaken on November 2 by the Canadian troops under General +Currie. + +A few days later the Armistice was signed, and the victory of the Allied +armies sealed. + +[Illustration: FIRST ITINERARY FOR VISITING THE BATTLEFIELD] + +[Illustration: GERMAN OCCUPATION OF LILLE. TROOPS PARADING IN THE GREAT +SQUARE +_From the Michelin Guide: "Lille, before and during the War."_] + + + + +VISIT TO THE BATTLEFIELD + + +A visit to Ypres Town and Salient requires two days, and may be made +most conveniently by taking Lille as the starting-point. + +_First Day_: Visit Messines, Wytschaete, Houthem, Zondvoorde, Gheluvelt, +Becelaere, Zonnebeke, Passchendaele, Langemarck, Ypres, Zollebeke and +Hooge, spending the night at Poperinghe. + +_Second Day_: Visit the Hills: Scherpenberg, Vidaigne, Rouge and Kemmel; +then, after re-crossing the French frontier, those of Cats and Noir, +returning to Lille for the night, via Armentieres, Estaires, Bethune and +La Bassee. + + + + +=FIRST DAY: LILLE--YPRES= +(_See Itinerary, p. 47._) + + +Starting-point: The Grande Place, Lille. + +_Take Rue Nationale to the end, go round Place Tourcoing, take Rue de La +Bassee on the left, then the first turning on the right (Rue de +Turenne), Canteleu Gate, and Rue Lequeux. Cross the bridge over the +Haute-Deule Canal, and turn to the left into N. 42._ + +_At Canteleu follow the tram-lines leading to Lomme. At the end of the +village, cross the railway (l. c.). Go through Lomme by Rue Thiers, +leaving the church on the right_ (transept greatly damaged). + +On the left are the burnt ruins of a large spinning mill. In the fields: +numerous small forts of reinforced concrete, which commanded all the +roads into Lille. The road passes through a small wood, in the +right-hand part of which are the ruins of Premesques Chateau, of which +only the facade remains. Further on, to the left, is Wez Macquart, whose +church was badly damaged. Trenches lead to the road, while in the +fields, traces of the violent shelling are still visible. + +_Pass through Chapelle d'Armentieres (completely destroyed). After +crossing the railway (l. c.), a British cemetery is seen on the right._ +=Armentieres= _lies on the other side of the next level crossing._ + +_After entering_ =Armentieres=, _and immediately beyond the railway, +take Rue du Faubourg de Lille, leaving the Church of St. Roch on the +right. After passing a public washing-place, turn to the right into the +Rue de Lille, then cross the Grande Place._ Here will be seen the +Hotel-de-Ville, completely ruined. _Take a few steps along Rue de +Dunkerque, then turn into the first street on the right, which leads to +the Place de l'Eglise St. Waast._ + + +=Armentieres= + +Armentieres suffered in many wars, being taken by the English in 1339, +by the French in 1382, by the Calvinists in 1566, by Marshals de Gassion +and De Rantzau in 1645, and by the Archduke Leopold in 1647. + +[Illustration: ARMENTIERES (_ancient engraving_)] + +Occupied by the Germans in August, 1914, it was retaken in September. +Nearly four years later (April, 1918) it again fell into the hands of +the enemy. On October 2, it was finally liberated by General Plumer's +army. + +Until the later war, Armentieres had preserved its 17th century belfry +of chimes, its church of Notre-Dame, and another church dedicated to St. +Waast--patron saint of the town. + +This personage, to whom many of the churches in this district have been +dedicated, was Bishop of Arras in the 6th century. While still a priest, +he is said to have cured a blind beggar in the presence of Clovis. This +miracle was one of the causes which led to the conversion of the king, +to whom St. Waast acted instructor in the Faith. + +The town also possessed a national technical school, dating from the +previous century. + +[Illustration: VIEW OF ARMENTIERES (_before the War_) +THE RIVER LYS AND ST. WAAST CHURCH (_Cliche LL._)] + +Belfry, churches, schools and houses are all in ruins. + +In everything connected with the spinning and weaving of linen +Armentieres, like Lille, Roubaix, Tourcoing, and the whole of Northern +France in general, was considerably in advance of Germany. Consequently, +the Germans destroyed all the mills, factories and metallurgical works, +and what machinery could not be taken to pieces and sent to Germany they +ruthlessly smashed. + +[Illustration: ARMENTIERES. ST. WAAST CHURCH AS THE GERMANS LEFT IT +(_Compare with photo, p. 50._)] + +[Illustration: ARMENTIERES AND THE RIVER LYS] + +[Illustration: ARMENTIERES. THE HOTEL-DE-VILLE AFTER THE FIRST +BOMBARDMENT] + +[Illustration: ARMENTIERES. BEFORE RETREATING, THE GERMANS MINED THE +TOWN] + +[Illustration: ARMENTIERES. NOTRE DAME CHURCH WAS NOT GREATLY DAMAGED BY +THE BOMBARDMENTS (_see below_)] + +_Visit the ruins of_ =St. Waast Church=, _then return to Rue de +Dunkerque. There take the first street on the right and cross the Lys._ +From the Bridge there is a general view of the church. + +[Illustration: ARMENTIERES. NOTRE-DAME CHURCH, WHICH THE GERMANS BLEW UP +BEFORE BEING DRIVEN OUT OF THE TOWN (_see above_)] + +[Illustration: ARMENTIERES. RUE NATIONALE, AS THE SHELLS LEFT IT] + +[Illustration: ARMENTIERES. RUE DE LILLE IN RUINS] + +[Illustration: BIZET. POST ON THE FRONTIER +_On the left of motor-car_: TEMPORARY CUSTOM HOUSE] + +_Cross the Cloth Market, then follow the tram-lines along Rue de Flandre +and Rue Bizet. Follow the Lys Canal, then cross the new bridge. Go +through Bizet Village_ (badly damaged houses). _Leaving the ruins of the +church on the right, turn first to the right, then to the left_ (the +photograph shows an army hut on the left, now temporarily used as the +office of the Receiver of French Customs). _Cross the frontier a few +yards further on, then at the fork just outside the village, take the +road on the right opposite the Villa des Roses (photo below). Leaving on +the right the road to the gasworks_ (of which nothing is left but a +wrecked gasometer) _the first houses of_ =Ploegsteert= _are reached._ +This village lay west of the first lines in May, 1918, and was captured +by the Germans on April 12 (see p. 39). + +[Illustration: BIZET. END OF VILLAGE, GOING TOWARDS PLOEGSTEERT +_Take the right-hand road._] + +[Illustration: BRITISH CEMETERY AT THE ENTRANCE TO PLOEGSTEERT] + +[Illustration: MESSINES ROAD (_seen from the Chateau de la Hutte_) +_In the background_: MESSINES RIDGE] + +[Illustration: BRITISH CEMETERY ON THE PLOEGSTEERT ROAD AT MESSINES] + +British cemetery No. 53 (photo, p. 56) lies at the entrance to the +village. _Go straight through the village_ (in ruins). _On leaving it_, +Cemetery No. 54 is seen on the right, then beyond a large concrete +shelter, Cemetery No. 55. Cemetery No. 56 is on the left, beyond the +level-crossing. + +[Illustration: CROSS-ROADS AT NOTRE-DAME-DE-GRACE +_The Messines Road (bordered with tree stumps) was not practicable for +motors in June, 1919. Take the Neuve-Eglise Road on the left (see +Itinerary, p. 47)._] + +_Cross Ploegsteert Wood, leaving the road to Petit-Pont Farm on the +left. Here the road rises._ To the left, on the slopes of Hill 63, are +seen the ruins of La Hutte Chateau. On the crest opposite stand the +ruins of Messines (photo above). In June, 1919, it was not possible to +go direct to Messines, the road being cut at the Petite Douve stream. + +[Illustration: AMONG THE RUINS OF MESSINES +_The motor takes the left-hand road to Wytschaete (see p. 47)._] + +_Follow the road as far as the fork to the place called +Notre-Dame-de-Grace_ (the ruins of the chapel are barely +distinguishable), _then take the Neuve-Eglise road on the left._ Stop +the car at Rossignol terre-plein and walk a few yards into the little +wood on the right; numerous concrete shelters, from the top of which +there is a very fine view over the Hills Kemmel, Rouge, Noir and Cats. +The last-named can be recognised by its abbey, which stands out against +the sky. + +_Return to the car. The road now descends. Passing by a few ruined +houses--all that remain of the hamlet of Haubourdin--a fork is reached, +where take the Neuve-Eglise-Messines road on the right._ British +cemetery on the right. _Cross the Douve river, then the railway (l. c.). +Turn to the right at the first ruins of Wulverghem, then go through the +village, passing in front of the cemetery. Next cross the Steenbeck, by +the St. Quentin Bridge. The road now rises sharply to the crest on which +Messines used to stand._ Numerous small forts are seen to the right and +left. These machine-gun nests are all that now mark the site of the +village. + +At the entrance to the village leave the car at the junction of the +Ypres-Armentieres and Neuve-Eglise-Warneton roads, and visit these +pathetic ruins on foot. + +=Messines= maybe regarded as one of the hinges of the "Ypres Salient." +An important strategic point, it was hotly disputed throughout the war. + +[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO WYTSCHAETE +_The motor takes the right-hand road to Oosttaverne (see p. 47)._] + +On November 3, 1914, during the First Battle of Ypres, it fell into the +hands of the enemy. At four o'clock on the following day, the ground +between this village and Hollebeke (some four miles to the north) was +the scene of several furious attacks (see p. 8). + +Messines was destroyed by the British bombardment during the offensive +of June, 1917. The New Zealanders captured it on June 7, in spite of a +stubborn defence. They also took the neighbouring village of Wytschaete +(see p. 20). Messines again fell into German hands in April, 1918 (see +p. 39), and was finally retaken on September 30 during the last battle +(see p. 46). + +_Return to the car and take the Ypres road on the left_ (photo, p. 58). +Along this road are numerous little bridges thrown across the +shell-holes. + +=Wytschaete=, which is soon reached, was captured, like Messines, in the +first battle of 1914, and retaken by the New Zealanders on June 7, 1917. +After being entirely destroyed by bombardment (see p. 20), it was lost +again on April 15, 1918, then retaken on September 30, 1918. + +_At the fork, just before entering the village_--protected by a series +of powerful blockhouses--_take the road on the right leading to +Oosttaverne_ (now totally destroyed). _Follow the main road_ +(Ypres-Warneton) _on the right as far as the place called Gapaard_ +(photo below), _then turn to the left along the road to Houthem._ A +series of little bridges over shell-craters full of water--once the +River Wanbecke--are crossed. + +[Illustration: GAPAARD. END OF VILLAGE, GOING TOWARDS HOUTHEM] + +[Illustration: HOLLEBEKE CHATEAU, BEFORE THE WAR. IT HAS BEEN RAZED TO +THE GROUND (_photo, Antony, Ypres_)] + +_Go through Houthem_, which was razed to the ground. Beyond an armoured +shelter built against the brick wall of a house, _the road turns to the +left. Cross the canal by the temporary bridge._ + +The old bed of the canal is marked by some crumbling blocks of concrete. +_A few yards further on, take the level-crossing over the Ypres-Lille +Railway._ It was on this line that on October 22 and 23, 1914, the +Germans brought up an armoured train which bombarded Ypres with +incendiary shells, causing the first serious damage to the town. + +_A few hundred yards beyond the railway turn to the right at the village +of Kortewilde_, where a few wooden houses are being erected among the +ruins. _After crossing a number of little bridges over the Gaverbeck +canal, the road, rising slightly, turns to the right._ At this turning +the Chateau (photo above) and village of =Hollebeke= ought to be visible +on the left, but this part of the battlefield is in so chaotic a +condition that neither road, canal, nor village can be distinguished. + +[Illustration: WHERE GHELUVELT USED TO STAND, ON THE ROAD TO MENIN] + +During the first battle (November, 1914) the Germans launched attacks in +great force between Hollebeke and Messines, and captured both these +places. Hollebeke was retaken on July 13, 1917, during the first phase +of the great British offensive for the clearing of the town. After being +lost again in April, 1918, Hollebeke was finally recaptured by the +Allies in October. + +_The road first rises, then descends._ On the hillside are the ruins of +Zandvoorde. _At the entrance to the village take the Zillebeke-Wervicq +road on the left, then first to the right, then to the left, between two +wooden houses. The road descends, then, undulating slightly, joins the +main road from Ypres to Menin, opposite Gheluvelt,_ the site of which is +marked by a sign-post. + +This was one of the important strategic points in the first German +offensive of 1914 (see p. 7), when the village was captured by the +enemy. During the battle for the clearing of Ypres, fierce fighting took +place to the west of =Gheluvelt=, especially at Tower Hamlet. From +November, 1917, to April, 1918, the firing-line ran through the village. +Gheluvelt was retaken by the British in October, 1918. + +_Take the main road from Ypres to Menin on the right. Only at Gheluvelt +will a passable road to Becelaere be found_. + +In Gheluvelt, where there are still a few broken walls standing, turn to +the left at the fork in the road, leaving the ruined church on the +right. At the next fork take the right-hand road to the ruined hamlet of +Terhand. + +Fifty yards before the crossing with the Dadizelle Road, there is a +German cemetery on the right, containing a remarkable concrete monument, +thirty feet in height, which dominates the whole plain. This monument +(photo, p. 62) was in reality a German observation post. Inside there +were two floors. An outside staircase led to a platform. Traces of the +balustrade are visible in the photo. + +[Illustration: ROAD FROM GHELUVELT TO BECELAERE +(_Impracticable for motors in June_, 1919.)] + +[Illustration: GERMAN CEMETERY AT TERHAND. DUMMY FUNERAL MONUMENT WHICH +WAS REALLY A GERMAN OBSERVATION-POST] + +_Leave the Dadizelle road on the right._ The road hereabouts is +camouflaged. Numerous small forts may be seen on both sides of the +plateau, especially on the right. The largest of them was used as a +telephone exchange. + +After passing the place called Molenhoek the tourist comes to the +Passchendaele-Wervicq road, now impassable. + +_Leave the car at the fork, and go on foot through the ruins of +Becelaere, as far as the church on the right._ + +[Illustration: RUINED VILLAGE OF BECELAERE] + +_Return to the fork and take the right-hand uphill road._ On the plateau +there are many shelters. + +To the west of the road from Becelaere to Zonnebeke lay Polygone Wood, +which was entirely destroyed. The British made two unsuccessful attempts +(July 31 and August 16, 1917) to take this strongly fortified wood, +succeeding eventually on September 20 (see p. 28). Evacuated by the +British in April, 1918, the wood was finally recaptured by the Allies in +October, 1918. + +Beyond the place called Noordenhoek there is a bend in the road. On the +left, Zonnebeke Pond, the ruined chateau, and the remains of a gasometer +come into sight (photo below). + +_At the place called Broodseinde take the Ypres-Roulers road on the +left, to visit the ruins of Zonnebeke._ + +=Zonnebeke= was taken in 1914 by the Germans, who made an outpost of it +in front of their lines. The village was recaptured on September 26, +then lost in April, 1918, and finally retaken in the following October. + +_Return to the fork_ (which was commanded by numerous small forts), _and +turn to the left:_ military cemetery at the side of the road. In the +fields on the right, 200 yards beyond the level crossing, there is a +monument to the memory of 148 officers and men of the Canadian 85th +Battalion (photo, p. 64). + +Passing through shell-torn country, =Passchendaele=--now razed to the +ground--is reached. All that remains of the church is the mound seen in +the background of the photograph (p. 64). + +[Illustration: RUINS OF ZONNEBEKE VILLAGE] + +Passchendaele was captured by the Germans in November, 1914, and later +by the British (October 26, 1917). The village had already been wiped +out by the bombardment, but the position, which dominated Ypres and +Roulers, was an important one. The fighting there was of the fiercest, +Hindenburg having ordered it to be held at all costs. However, the +British broke down the enemy's stubborn resistance. + +[Illustration: BETWEEN BROODSEINDE AND PASSCHENDAELE. MONUMENT TO 148 +FALLEN OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS OF THE 85TH CANADIAN BATTALION] + +[Illustration: WHAT WAS ONCE PASSCHENDAELE. THE CHURCH WAS ON THE +HILLOCK IN THE BACKGROUND] + +[Illustration: WESTROOSEBEKE, SEEN FROM THE RUINED CHURCH] + + +=From Passchendaele to Ypres= + +_Beyond the church turn to the left._ The undulating road goes straight +to =Westroosebeke=. + +Westroosebeke was taken at the same time as Passchendaele, during the +British offensive of October 29, 1917. These two positions, lost in +April, 1918, were retaken on September 30 by the Belgian army under King +Albert. + +[Illustration: POELCAPPELLE. THE ROAD FROM LANGEMARCK TO DIXMUDE] + +The village was completely destroyed. _On entering, turn to the right +and pass the church._ A few broken tombstones mark the site of the +churchyard. + +_Retracing his steps, the tourist turns to the right into the +Ypres-Roulers Road_, which describes a bend to reach =Poelcappelle=. +This village was the scene of fierce fighting in December, 1914, and +May, 1915, and is now in ruins. There are numerous redoubts to right and +left. _Just beyond the village, leave the Dixmude Road on the right, and +take the one leading to Langemarck._ + +Beyond the cross-roads there is a confused heap of rails and broken +trucks in the middle of a piece of shell-torn ground. + +_At the fork, take the road to the right and enter the ruined village +of_ =Langemarck=. + +The photograph below shows: in the background, a mound formed by the +ruins of the church; in the foreground, a tank. + +Langemarck, defended by the French in 1914, was evacuated on December 17 +of that year. Recaptured, the town was lost again on April 21, 1915, +during the German gas attack. + +_Keep along the road, leaving on the left the ruins of the church, and a +little further on the remains of the chateau_ (_photo, p. 67_). + +_Cross the railway (l. c.) and then go on to_ =Houthulst Forest=, +captured by the Germans in 1914, and retaken in 1918 (see p. 46). In +June, 1919, the roads through the forest were impracticable for +motor-cars. + +_Return to the fork at the entrance to Langemarck, turn to the right, +and take the road to Boesinghe, crossing the Hanebeek. The road follows +the Ypres-Thourout railway_, on both sides of which are numerous +redoubts. _Cross the ruins of Pilkem_, 300 yards beyond, which is a +rather large British cemetery. + +_At the next fork in the road turn to the right and cross the railway +(l. c.)._ On the left is another cemetery. _Turn again to the left_. +Notice in passing a third cemetery, then a few yards further on the +ruins of a mill. _Cross the canal at the Pont de Boesinghe_. + +_On reaching the crossing of the main road from Dixmude to Ypres, turn +to the right._ On the left, the remains of Boesinghe Chateau stand in +the middle of a park, the trees of which are cut to pieces. + +[Illustration: LANGEMARCK, WITH DESTROYED TANK. THE MOUND IN THE MIDDLE +DISTANCE IS ALL THAT REMAINS OF THE CHURCH] + +[Illustration: LANGEMARCK CHATEAU BEFORE THE WAR +_Now razed to the ground_ (_photo, Antony, Ypres_).] + +_Follow the road running along the canal._ The latter, owing to the +upheaval of the ground by shell-fire, is often lost to view. 1,500 yards +from Boesinghe, the site of Het Sas village, where the lock used to +stand, may still be located. The fighting was very severe there, +especially in 1914. + +[Illustration: BOESINGHE. RUINED CHATEAU AND DEVASTATED PARK] + +[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO YPRES. YPRES CANAL AT BOESINGHE, SEEN FROM +RUE DE DIXMUDE, YPRES +(_Compare with view below, taken before the War_.)] + +_Return to Boesinghe, leave the road just taken on the left, and cross +the railway (l. c.)._ + +The road runs alongside the Yperlee river and canal for some distance. +Numerous traces of footbridges are to be seen over both river and canal, +the course of which can no longer be distinguished with certainty. + +_The road next turns sharply to the left, crosses the Lys-Yperlee Canal, +then passes the dock of the Yser-Ypres Canal_ (photo above), _and +enters_ =Ypres= _by the Dixmude Gate_. + +[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO YPRES BEFORE THE WAR +(_See above--photo, Antony, Ypres_.)] + +[Illustration: GENERAL VIEW OF YPRES, BEFORE THE WAR (_photo, Antony, +Ypres_)] + + + + +=YPRES= + + +Few names awaken more memories than that of Ypres--a city of +incomparable splendour in the Middle Ages, and of which nothing now +remains but a heap of ruins. Of the last precious traces of this ancient +prosperity, the rich and splendid buildings which filled the mind with +wonder--the immense Cloth Hall, the beautiful cathedral, the churches, +the sumptuous mansions, the sculptured houses--the German guns have +spared nothing. History furnishes few examples of such grandeur followed +by destruction so swift and so complete. Ypres is now but a memory. + + +=Chief Historical Events= + +The Town of Ypres (Latin Ypra, Flemish Ieperen) grew up in the 10th +century around a fortified castle, rebuilt about 958 by Baudoin, Count +of Flanders. This castle had been in existence since the 8th century, +but only the ruins had survived Norman invasions. + +The town, favourably situated in the centre of the maritime plain with +its rich grassy meadows intersected by canals, prospered exceedingly. A +numerous population sprang up of merchants and artisans, whose chief +sources of wealth were the manufacture and sale of cloth. + +As early as the 12th, but especially in the 13th and 14th centuries, +Ypres, thanks to important privileges granted by the Counts of Flanders, +became a considerable town, and possessed 4,000 looms. + +Flanders, the meeting-point of the three great European states--England, +France and Germany--was then the industrial centre _par excellence_ of +the west and the rendezvous of all the merchants of the old world. This +explains the splendour of the towns of Flanders in the Middle Ages, not +only Ypres, but Bruges, Ghent, etc. + +This prosperity was often a temptation to the Kings of France, who led +many an expedition into Flanders. Ypres was taken by Louis VI. in 1128, +by Philippe-Auguste in 1213, by Philippe-le-Bel in 1297, but the town +was little damaged in these wars. + +It suffered more in the 14th century. Riots, and the siege and +destruction of the town by the people of Ghent in 1383, caused many of +the weavers to emigrate, and left as its only industry the manufacture +of Valenciennes lace. At that time the Counts of Flanders were French +princes. Robert de Bethune was succeeded in 1322 by the Count of Nevers, +whose family reigned until 1384. This dynasty ended with Louis-le-Male, +and Philippe-le-Hardi, Duke of Burgundy, became Count of Flanders. Under +the rule of these Dukes, who were fairly wise and moderate +statesmen--Flanders being a source of considerable revenue, and the +Flemish people quick to revolt against any violation of their +privileges--Ypres prospered greatly. + +[Illustration: YPRES IN THE 16TH CENTURY] + +In 1481 Flanders passed under the rule of Austria (Marie, heiress of +Burgundy, had married the Archduke Maximilian), then in 1558 under that +of Spain. In 1559 it replaced Therouanne as the centre of the diocese. + +At that time it had lost much of its splendour. Towards the end of the +15th century it was depopulated by a dreadful pestilence, and about the +middle of the following century, a second outbreak completed the ruin of +the town. It was just beginning to recover when it was captured by the +_Gueux_ and the troops of the Duc d'Albe and Alexandre Farnese, who +massacred most of the inhabitants. + +In the 17th century Ypres was taken by the French on four +occasions--1648, 1649, 1658 and 1678--finally reverting to France under +the Treaty of Nimegue at about the latter date. Vauban fortified it. +Retaken by the Imperial Troops in 1715, Ypres was restored to France in +1792, and under the Empire became the capital of the Departement of Lys. +The treaties of 1815 gave it back to the Netherlands, and since 1830 it +has formed part of the Kingdom of Belgium. + +[Illustration: GERMAN BOMBARDMENT OF THE ASYLUM] + +In 1914 the population numbered 18,000. Its principal industries were +the manufacture of woollen goods, printed cottons, linens, ribbons, and +Valenciennes lace. Its tanneries and dye works were also of considerable +importance. It was a clean, well-built town, watered by the river +Yperlee. The many arms of the latter ran through the streets of the +town, enabling the boats loaded with merchandise to come right up to the +warehouses. + +These waterways are now covered in. Formerly there was a path on each +side of them, which explains the exceptional width of the streets and +squares of Ypres. + +[Illustration] + + + + +=YPRES= + + +=A Visit to the Ruins= + +_The tourist enters Ypres by the Dixmude Gate._ + +At No. 54 Rue de Dixmude is the facade of the Maison Biebuygk, on the +right. Built in 1544, this house was one of the most remarkable in +Ypres. Immediately below the gable were two carved medallions +representing the sun and the moon. The great pointed arch which framed +the gable windows gave exceptional grace to the facade (photos, p. 73). + +At No. 66 of the same street, on the left, the 18th century facade shown +in the photographs (p. 74), was still standing in July, 1919. It was +decorated with statues of the Virgin Mary and St. Francois, under fluted +niches with carved borders. + +[Illustration: BIEBUYGK HOUSE (_No_. 54, _Rue de Dixmude_), BEFORE THE +WAR. IT WAS ONE OF THE HANDSOMEST HOUSES IN YPRES (_photo, Antony, +Ypres_)] + +[Illustration: BIEBUYGK HOUSE, AS THE WAR LEFT IT] + +[Illustration: ST. FRANCOIS SCHOOL, RUE DE DIXMUDE, BEFORE THE WAR +(_Photo, Antony, Ypres_.)] + +[Illustration: ST. FRANCOIS SCHOOL, AFTER THE GERMAN BOMBARDMENTS] + +[Illustration: YPRES. THE GRANDE PLACE ON MARKET-DAY, BEFORE THE WAR +(_See below. Photo, Antony, Ypres_.)] + +Arriving at the Grande Place, the imposing ruins of the =Nieuwerk= and +the =Cloth Hall= are seen on the right. + +[Illustration: WHAT THE GERMAN SHELLS LEFT OF IT (_see above_)] + +[Illustration: YPRES. RUINS OF THE CLOTH HALL, SEEN FROM ST. MARTIN'S +CATHEDRAL. FRAGMENTS OF THE LATTER ARE VISIBLE IN THE FOREGROUND] + + + + +=THE CLOTH HALL AND THE NIEUWERK= + + +The Cloth Hall, containing extensive warehouses, in which the sale of +cloth was carried on, was built in the 13th and 14th centuries. It +consisted of a series of buildings grouped around a rectangular court. +The Hall proper was distinguished from a building called the Nieuwerk, +added in the 17th century. The southern building of the hall had a +magnificent facade, flanked on the east by the gable of the Nieuwerk and +surmounted by a large belfry in the centre. Bold turrets stood at both +ends of this facade. Rather spare in ornament, the long succession of +glazed and blind windows constituted the grandeur of the facade. On the +ground-floor, which was lighted by a row of quatrefoil windows in +pointed arches, there were forty-eight rectangular doors. + +Above these doors were the high windows of the upper storey, the Hall +having two floors. These windows were alternately glazed and blind--a +method frequently adopted in the Middle Ages, to avoid weakness in the +walls, without detracting from the symmetry of the exterior. This storey +was reached by staircases, access to which was gained through doors at +each end of the facade. + +The glazed windows were decorated with three trefoils supported on two +arches. The blind windows were similar to the windows of the +ground-floor, except that the latter were less lofty. The two arches +formed niches, each of which contained a statue: that of a Count of +Flanders (the Counts and Countesses from Baudoin Bras-de-Fer to Charles +Quint were represented) or of a notable citizen of Ypres, such as +Melchior Broederlam, the painter. These statues, some of which were +restored in the 19th century, rested on a corbel apparently supported by +a small figure bearing the coat-of-arms of the sovereign represented. + +[Illustration: YPRES. THE CLOTH HALL, NIEUWERK AND CATHEDRAL (in the +background) +_The 13th--14th Hall had a magnificent facade, surmounted by a high +bell-tower_ (_photo, Antony, Ypres_).] + +The upper portion of the walls was decorated with an ornamental frieze +and a battlement bordered with fine moulding. The frieze was composed of +a tricusped arcade with small columns carried on corbels with carved +heads. + +Behind the battlements ran a sentry-way, while at the ends of the facade +turrets decorated with arcades and surmounted by octagonal spires, +served as watch-towers. + +[Illustration: THE WINDOWS OF THE FIRST STORY OF THE CLOTH HALL +_Every alternate window was blind, and was ornamented with statues of +the Counts of Flanders or other notable persons of the city_ (_photo, +Antony, Ypres_).] + +The Belfry rose from the centre of the buildings, of which it was the +oldest part, the foundation-stone having been laid by Baudoin =IX=., +Count of Flanders, in 1201. Square in plan, it consisted of three +stories. Its exterior, like that of the facade, was decorated with +arches, and was lighted with windows ornamented with trefoils. It had +two rows of battlements, four corner-turrets, and a timber-work roof +surmounted by a campanile, above which rose a small spire. At the base +of this campanile there were four copper eagles, dating from 1330. At +the foot of the belfry a door, flanked by two pilasters, led to the +inner court of the Hall. Over this door was a modern statue of +Notre-Dame-de-Tuine, with the Lion of Flanders above. + +The belfry served all the purposes of a Hotel-de-Ville (previous to the +14th century there were no Hotels-de-Ville properly so-called). It was +there that the representatives of the guilds held their meetings, and +that the charters of the guilds were kept in great coffers with manifold +locks. There, also, the archives of the town were stored. The bottom +storey was used as a prison. From the summit, unceasing watch was kept, +to warn the citizens of danger, especially that of fire. + +[Illustration: YPRES. ALL THAT REMAINS OF THE FACADE OF THE CLOTH HALL] + +The roof of the Hall was pitched very high, in order the more easily to +get rid of snow and rain water. It was gilded and emblazoned with the +arms of the city and those of the County of Flanders. This roof, with +its dormer windows, did not cover a stone vaulting, but a panelled +ceiling. Inside the upper storey were large wainscotted galleries, +which, in the 19th century, were divided by partitions and adorned with +mural decorations. + +[Illustration: PORTAL OF THE BELL-TOWER +_The collapse of the facade which framed the tower (photo below) left +the latter standing alone. The lower portion still exists, thanks to its +massive construction (photo, Antony, Ypres)._] + +[Illustration: THE PORTAL BEFORE THE WAR] + +[Illustration: THE PAUWELS ROOM BEFORE THE WAR (_photo, Antony, Ypres_)] + + +=The Pauwels Room= + +During the last century, the Hall was frequently restored and +embellished. In 1876 the walls of the eastern half of the southern +building were decorated with twelve mural paintings by Ferdinand +Pauwels, representing the principal events in the history of Ypres, in +the days of its prosperity (1187 to the siege by the people of Ghent in +1383). The artist displayed exquisite taste, especially in the fresco +depicting the "Wedding of Mahaut de Bethune with Mathias de Lorraine." +The western half of the gallery was decorated by the artist Delbecke, +with paintings depicting the life of a cloth merchant. Owing to the +death of the artist, the last picture was never finished. This gallery +was used as a banqueting hall. A number of statues by Puyenbroeck of +Brussels, along the southern facade, had replaced the originals, badly +damaged during the Revolution (1793). + +The River Yperlee formerly flowed past the western facade and, until +1848, there was a flight of steps with a double balustrade (17th +century) to facilitate the transfer of merchandise from the boats to the +warehouses. + +[Illustration: THE PAUWELS ROOM IN DEC., 1914 (_photo, Antony, Ypres_)] + +[Illustration: THE JUNCTION OF THE CLOTH HALL WITH THE NIEUWERK (_photo, +Antony, Ypres_)] + + +=The Nieuwerk= + +The Nieuwerk did not detract from the imposing appearance of the +southern facade, of which it formed the continuation. Renaissance in +style, the plans are said to have been the work of J. Sporeman (about +1575). Building was begun early in the 17th century and finished in +1624. + +The ground-floor formed an open hall, 20 feet in width, the vaulting of +which was carried on slender cylindrical columns, joined by irregular +arcades. The building comprises two stories, the first of which +communicated with that of the Cloth Hall. The large high windows of the +facades were very close together. The roof was pierced with high and +very ornamental dormer-windows. + +The Nieuwerk was restored about 1862. In the Chapelle Echevinale, +frescoes by Guffens and J. Swerts, and stained-glass was renovated, and +at the same time a fine fireplace was built by Malfait of Brussels. Old +mural paintings, representing St. Mark and St. John, and a frieze, +depicting the Counts of Flanders from 1322 to 1476, were discovered and +restored. In the middle of the hall stood a small equestrian statue of +John of Brabant (1252--1294) by A. Fiers. + +This slightly-built Nieuwerk could not long withstand the bombardment. +The south gable, struck on November 21, 1914, collapsed, while on the +following day the Cloth Hall burst into flames. A few weeks' later the +Nieuwerk was completely destroyed. + +[Illustration: THE SHERIFF'S ROOM IN THE NIEUWERK, DECEMBER, 1914 +_The collapse of the first floor left visible the remains of the +decoration seen in the photo below (photo, Antony, Ypres)._] + +[Illustration: THE SHERIFF'S ROOM IN THE NIEUWERK, BEFORE THE WAR +(_photo, Antony, Ypres_)] + +[Illustration: OLD HOUSES WHICH, BEFORE THE WAR, WERE THE PRIDE OF THE +VANDENPEEREBOOM SQUARE (_photo, Antony, Ypres_)] + +_Turn to the right in the Place Vandenpeereboom_, formerly an ornamental +pond, now filled in. + +Here used to stand a row of old houses with double facade, now +completely destroyed. Here also, to the north of the Cloth Hall, stood +the Cathedral of St. Martin. + +[Illustration: ST. MARTIN'S CATHEDRAL] + +[Illustration: ST. MARTIN'S CATHEDRAL AS IT WAS +_In the background: the Cloth Hall. Compare with photo below (photo, +Antony, Ypres)._] + + +=The Cathedral of St. Martin= + +The Church of St. Martin (which became a cathedral in 1559) replaced an +older church of the 11th century. Built in the 13th century, its choir +dated from 1221, and its nave from the second half of that century. The +foundation-stone was laid by Marguerite of Constantinople. The western +tower dated only from the 15th century, and replaced a tower which had +collapsed in 1433. The new tower was 175 feet in height, and was to have +been twice as high. Built from the plans of Martin Untenhove of Malines, +it was severe in style. + +The plan of the Cathedral was a Latin cross, and terminated in a +semicircular choir. It underwent important restorations during the last +century. + +The facade of the south arm of the transept was of unusually great +width. + +[Illustration: ST. MARTIN'S CATHEDRAL, AS THE GERMAN SHELLS LEFT IT +_In the background: The Cloth Hall._] + +[Illustration: SOUTH TRANSEPT OF THE CATHEDRAL, BEFORE THE WAR (_photo, +Antony, Ypres_)] + +The central portal was surrounded by a polygonal rose-window and crowned +with a high gable flanked by turrets. Above the side portals, the +surface of which was decorated with arcading, were gables lighted by +rose-windows. This part of the building was probably not earlier than +the 14th century. + +There were no radial chapels in this great church. A circulating gallery +running through the buttresses formed an uninterrupted passage around +the building. + +At the base of the roof ran an open balustrade, broken at intervals by +the pinnacles which crowned the buttresses. + +Above the centre of the transept rose a campanile, surmounted by a very +pointed timber-work spire. + +The nave, and more especially the choir, were remarkable. High pillars +with crocketed and foliate capitals supported the springing of the large +irregular arches. Above ran a circulating gallery or triforium. The +pointed arches of the latter were carried by small columns which +originally rested on the wide _abaci_ of the capitals, but several of +them had been cut away and replaced by statues of apostles, evangelists, +or persons of note. + +[Illustration: THE CATHEDRAL DOOR +_Seen from the interior_ (_photo, Andre Schelker_).] + +[Illustration: THE NAVE OF THE CATHEDRAL +(_Photo, Antony, Ypres._) _Compare with photo below._] + +This arrangement is common in Burgundy and, like others to be found in +the Cathedral--the exterior circulating gallery, the interior gallery, +the form of the latter, and various decorative features--show how +strongly French, and especially Burgundian influence preponderated in +Flanders during the 14th century. + +The choir was disfigured by an ungraceful 16th century altar. The +stalls, carved about 1598 by C. Van Hoveke and Urbain Taillebert, were +noteworthy, as was also the pulpit--a richly decorated monumental work, +at the base of which stood a life-size statue of St. Dominic. + +[Illustration: NAVE OF THE CATHEDRAL RUINED BY GERMAN SHELLS +_Seen from the Choir, near the Porch._] + +Urbain Taillebert was also the sculptor of the magnificent "Christ +Triumphant," suspended between the columns of the main entrance; and of +the tomb of Antoine de Hennin, Bishop of Ypres, who died in 1626. The +centre of the tomb represented the bishop in his pontifical robes; _on +the left_, he was seen kneeling in prayer, with his mitre close by; _on +the right_, his patron, St. Anthony, was represented in a hermit's gown, +accompanied by his traditional pig. + +[Illustration: CHOIR OF THE CATHEDRAL +(_Photo, Antony, Ypres._) _Compare with photo below._] + +[Illustration: CHOIR OF THE CATHEDRAL AFTER THE GERMAN BOMBARDMENT +_Seen from the Porch. Compare with photo above._] + +[Illustration: THE CHOIR STALLS OF THE CATHEDRAL, BEFORE THE WAR +(_Photo, Antony, Ypres._) _See below._] + +[Illustration: THE CHOIR STALLS OF THE CATHEDRAL IN JANUARY, 1915 +(_Photo, Antony, Ypres._) _See above._] + +A "Virgin and Child" was fortunately rescued from the ruins of the +Cathedral. It is a Flemish work of the 16th century. A surrounding fence +(_Hortus conclusus_ of the Litanies) is represented on the pedestal +(photo opposite). + +Beside the tomb described above was that of Jean Visscherius, Bishop of +Ypres, who died in 1613. The bishop, clothed in his pontifical robes and +wearing his mitre, was represented in a recumbent position, his head +raised on a cushion and supported by his hand (photo below). + +There were other tombs in the church, notably that of Louise Delage, +Lady of Saillort, widow of the Chancellor of Burgundy, Hugonnet +(beheaded in 1477). + +[Illustration: THE VIRGIN OF ST. MARTIN +(_Photo, Antony, Ypres._)] + +In the pavement before the altar was the third tombstone of the famous +_Cornelius Jansenius_. It was a simple slab of stone, on which was +carved a cross, and in the four corners the figures 1, 6, 3, 8. +Jansenius, Bishop of Ypres, who died of plague on May 6, 1638, was the +founder of the sect of the Jansenists, which still exists in Holland, +and whose headquarters are at Utrecht. When and how this tombstone was +placed there is not known. It replaced two others removed by +ecclesiastical authority in 1655 and 1673 respectively. + +[Illustration: MAUSOLEUM OF JEAN VISSCHERIUS +(_Photo, Antony, Ypres._)] + +Round the chapel, known as the Dean's Chapel, there was a fine copper +railing decorated with small alabaster figures. + +The inner doors of the church were magnificently carved; those of the +south portal, with superimposed figures of saints, were considered to be +marvels of Belgian art. + +In the Place Vandenpeerboom, take the Rue de Boesinghe. Leaving the Rue +d'Elverdinighe (see plan, p. 72) _on the left_, the Cattle Market is +next reached, formerly a pond, since filled in. Here were three +guild-houses, Nos. 15, 19 and 21. No. 15 was the Maison des Bateliers, +on whose facade two symbolic boats were depicted. The canal which passed +before the house has disappeared. The date of construction was shown by +anchors fixed in the wall of the second storey: 1-6-2-9. At the top of +the gable there was an involuted niche which probably sheltered the +statue of the patron-saint of sailors (photo opposite). The next house, +part of which may be seen on the right of the photo, was 17th century. + +[Illustration: THE MAISON DES BATELIERS (1629) +_Completely destroyed. Note the two emblematical ships on the facade._ +(_Photo, Antony, Ypres._)] + +_Take the road on the left which rejoins the Promenade, and turning +again to the left, skirt "La Plaine d'Amour"_ (photos below and p. 91). +Behind the prison walls there is a British cemetery in the gardens +(photo, p. 91). + +[Illustration: THE "PLAINE D'AMOUR," WITH YPRES IN THE DISTANCE, +DEVASTATED BY THE WAR +_Compare with photo opposite._] + +[Illustration: BRITISH CEMETERY, BEHIND THE PRISON] + +_Turn to the left into the Chaussee de Furnes_, leaving on the left the +reservoir of the ruined waterworks. _Take Boulevard Malou and return to +the Grande Place_, via _the Rue de Stuers and the Rue au Beurre_ +(photos, p. 92). + +[Illustration: THE "PLAINE D'AMOUR," BEFORE THE WAR +_See photo opposite._ (_Photo, Antony, Ypres._)] + +[Illustration: RUE AU BEURRE, BEFORE THE WAR (_photo, Antony, Ypres_)] + +_Pass the ruins of St. Nicolas Church._ + +Before reaching the Grande Place the site of the Meat Market (photo, p. +93) is passed. + +[Illustration: RUE AU BEURRE, DESTROYED BY GERMAN SHELLS] + +[Illustration: THE MEAT MARKET, BEFORE THE WAR +(_Photo, Antony, Ypres._)] + +[Illustration: THE MEAT MARKET, RUINED BY ENEMY BOMBARDMENTS] + +This was an important, two-gabled building of symmetrical proportions. +The lower part of the facade resembled that of the Cloth Hall, but the +upper story and roof of the building were of a later date. The gables, +with stair-like copings, were decorated with blind windows. The lower +storey was of stone, while the gables and the upper part of the facade +were brick. + +[Illustration: THE "HOSPICE BELLE" (WOMEN'S ASYLUM), RUE DE LILLE] + +The first storey was formerly occupied by the Brotherhood of St. +Michael. The Museum, which was housed there, contained a number of +pictures, interesting drawings of the old wooden fronts of the houses of +Ypres (by L. Boehm), old chests containing the Charters of the Drapers, +pieces of sculpture and wrought ironwork. + +Almost directly opposite the Cloth Hall is the Rue de Lille, in which, +on the right, is the =Hospice Belle= (photos, p. 94). + +[Illustration: HOSPICE BELLE, BEFORE THE WAR +(_Photo, Antony, Ypres._)] + +This asylum for aged women was founded about 1279 by Christine de +Guines, widow of Solomon Belle, Lord of Boesinghe, and rebuilt in the +17th century. The facade of the chapel, which faced the Rue de Lille, +contained twin doors, surmounted by a large stained-glass window set in +a radiating flamboyant framework. In addition to the statue of St. +Nicholas (against the central mullion of the stained-glass window), the +lower part of this facade was embellished with statues, in Renaissance +niches, of the foundress and her husband. Above the window was an +_oculus_, the decoration of which was mingled with that of an escutcheon +immediately beneath it, on which the date "1616" could still be +deciphered. + +[Illustration: VAULTING OF THE OLD FRENCH BARRACKS] + +Inside the chapel were a 17th century portable confessional (a very +curious specimen of carved woodwork), 15th century copper candelabra, +and a line picture attributed to Melchior Broederlam. This artist, whose +works are very rare, was a native of Ypres. He preceded J. van Eyek as +official painter to the Dukes of Burgundy. This picture was saved. + +On the right of the street, in the midst of the ruins, can be seen the +broken-in vaulting of the old French Barrack (photo above), and on the +left, the =Hotel Merghelynck=. + +[Illustration: HOTEL MERGHELYNCK, BEFORE THE WAR +(_Photo, Antony, Ypres._)] + +The latter charming 18th century house stood at the corner of the Rue +des Fripiers. It was built (1774--1776) from the plans of Thomas Gombert +of Lille, and its last proprietors had converted it into an interesting +museum. + +It was decorated with woodwork, panelling, and Louis XVI. medallions by +Ant. Jos. de la Dicque. + +[Illustration: THE TEMPLARS' HOUSE IN THE RUE DE LILLE] + +The stucco ornamentation was the work of Gregoire Joseph Adam of +Valenciennes. The staircase balustrading was by Jacques Beernaert. + +[Illustration: WOODEN HOUSES IN THE RUE DE LILLE +(_Photo, Antony, Ypres._)] + +[Illustration: ST. PETER'S CHURCH (_photo, Antony, Ypres_)] + +A white stone vase, carved from designs by Rubens, stood in the fine +court of the house. + +Almost opposite, at No. 68, was the old 14th century =Templars' House=, +since turned into a post-office (photo, p. 96). The Church of St. Pierre +is next reached. + +[Illustration: RUINS OF ST. PETER'S CHURCH (_see above_)] + +[Illustration: ST. PETER'S CHURCH. THE CHOIR (_See below._)] + +[Illustration: ST. PETER'S CHURCH, THE CHOIR BEFORE THE WAR (_photo, +Antony, Ypres_)] + +[Illustration: THE RAMPARTS, LILLE GATE AND ST. PETER'S CHURCH +(_Photo, Antony, Ypres._) _See below._] + +This 11th century church had been largely rebuilt. The facade was +surmounted by a substantial square tower, flanked by four corner turrets +and crowned by an octagonal spire rebuilt in 1868. + +[Illustration: AFTER FOUR YEARS' BOMBARDMENTS (_see above_).] + +Inside, lofty columns supported the springing of the large irregular +arches. There was no vaulting, the church having a timber-work roof in +shape of an inverted keel. In it were a 16th century altar, large carved +pulpit and a fine choir-screen. + +[Illustration: PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE RUIN OF YPRES TAKEN FROM THE LILLE +GATE +(_The point from where this photograph was taken is shown on the plan on +p. 72_ (_at the bottom, on the right_).) + +St. Nicolas Old French Barracks School Belltower St. Peters Church St. +James' Church] + +[Illustration: RUINS OF THE HOTEL DE GAND, RUE DES CHIENS] + +Rue de Lille ends at Lille Gate. Before passing through, climb up the +ramparts, from which there is a magnificent panorama. + +Pass through the Gate, the towers of which date from 1395. There is an +interesting view over the wide moats, and of the ancient ramparts +(rebuilt by Vauban), which were ruined by shells. + +_Turn back and re-enter the town by the same way. Beyond the Church of +St. Pierre, take the first street on the right as far as the Rue des +Chiens, where, on turning to the left_, the ruins of the Church St. +Jacques, and the shattered facade of the Hotel de Gand will be seen. + +[Illustration: THE HOTEL DE GAND +(_Photo, Antony, Ypres._)] + +The latter fine house, with double gables dated from the 16th century. +The transition from 15th to 16th century style is very marked: on the +ground-floor is the irregular arch of the 15th century, while on the +first floor the arches are full semi-circles, framing the rectangular +bays, whose tympana are decorated with flamboyant figures. These +tympana were added some years later, thus giving the wide 17th century +windows, of which the (French) architect of the Hotel Merghelynck made +such happy use (photo, p. 101). + +[Illustration: BRITISH CEMETERY AT THE HOSPICE NOTRE-DAME] + +_Having reached the Grande-Place, take the Rue de Menin on the right_, +leaving on the left the ruins of the Hospice Notre-Dame. _Next take the +Menin Road, to visit the Chateau de Hooge and_ =Zillebeke=. + +[Illustration: MENIN GATE +_On leaving Ypres in the direction of Hooge and Zillebeke._] + +[Illustration: BRITISH CEMETERY JUST OUTSIDE YPRES, ON THE ROAD TO +MENIN] + + +=Visit to Zillebeke and Hooge= +(_See Itinerary, p. 47._) + +_At the Menin Gate leave the Westroosebeke Road on the left, and take +the main road to Menin on the right._ + +[Illustration: BRITISH CEMETERY AT ZILLEBEKE] + +On the right, near the last houses, a British cemetery (photo above). +_Before the level-crossing over the Ypres-Routers railway, take the road +to the right. After passing two further level-crossings, the road +descends slightly._ On the left is a large British cemetery: on the high +ground to the right are the remains of the Chateau, whilst in the +distance lies =Zillebeke Pond=. On the left is another cemetery. _Pass, +on the left, the beginning of an impassable road, which formerly led to +the main road from Menin. Go past the ruins of Zillebeke Church_, shown +in the photographs, p. 104 (before and after the War). + +[Illustration: ZILLEBEKE IN 1919 +_The mound is all that remains of the Church Tower seen in the photo +below_] + +[Illustration: ZILLEBEKE, BEFORE THE WAR (_photo, Antony, Ypres_)] + +[Illustration: BRITISH CEMETERY AT HOOGE] + +_Return by the same road as far as the railway, and turn to the right._ +A large British cemetery, containing 1,500 to 2,000 graves, will be seen +on the western slopes of the Hooge Crest. The site of the village of +=Hooge=--marked only by a notice board--is next reached. There is no +trace whatever left of the chateau or of Bellewaarde Lake. It was here +that the battles of July 31, 1917, were fought. On June 2, 1917, the +first objectives of the British, in their offensive for the clearing of +Ypres, were the Wood and Village of Hooge. They were only taken on July +31, although the chateau itself was captured in June. + +[Illustration: ALL THAT IS LEFT OF HOOGE--THE SIGNBOARD!] + +[Illustration: HOOGE CHATEAU (_photo, Antony, Ypres_) + +_To-day the site of the castle is barely discernable._] + +Again lost by the British in April, 1918, these positions were evacuated +by the Germans in October. + +_Follow the road to the top of the crest_, where the "tank cemetery," +containing fourteen broke-down tanks, lies (photo below). + +_Now skirt on the right the beginning of_ =Sanctuary Wood=, beyond which +is the strategic Hill 60. + +Hill 60 was captured by the Germans in 1914, and retaken by the British +in 1915. It was the object of frequent attacks, chiefly the German +attack of April 27--28, 1916. + +_At the place called Veldhoek, opposite Herenthage Wood_ (full of +concrete shelters and tanks), _return to Ypres, entering the town by the +Menin Gate_. + +[Illustration: TANK CEMETERY +_To the right and left of the road from Ypres to Menin, beyond Hooge, +fourteen tanks lie sunk in the mud._] + + +=From Ypres to Poperinghe= + +_Cross the town by the Grande Place, Rue du Beurre, Rue des Stuers, +Boulevard Malou, on the right, and Rue Capron, on the left, coming out +at the Chaussee de Poperinghe. On leaving the town pass over the +level-crossing._ + +From Ypres to Vlamertinghe, the road runs through devastated country; +here numerous trenches and machine-gun shelters can still be seen. + +_Take the level-crossing over the Hazebrouck-Ypres railway, then cross +the Kemmelbeek by a bridge, still in good condition, and go through_ +=Vlamertinghe=. This village suffered greatly from bombardments. In +front of the partly demolished church the road turns to the left. + +From Vlamertinghe to Poperinghe the aspect of the country changes +completely. The road is shaded by large trees, and there are hop-fields +on both sides. + +_Enter_ =Poperinghe= _by the Chaussee d'Ypres, continue by the Rue +d'Ypres. Passing the Hotel-des-Postes and the Hotel-de-Ville, the +tourist comes to the Grande Place_. + +[Illustration: POPERINGHE: BERTIN PLACE AND CHURCH OF ST. BERTIN] + + +=Poperinghe= + +Poperinghe, a small town of 12,000 inhabitants, is the centre of an +agricultural district, where hop-growing is the chief industry. + +Of its three churches, two only are interesting from an artistic point +of view. + +The Church of St. Jean is Romanesque in style, whilst that of St. Bertin +contains some remarkable woodwork: the Verite pulpit, the Dean's +confessional, and the roof-loft are masterpieces of the Renaissance +period. + +In the court of the Hotel Skindles there is a tombstone dating from +1171. + +Old houses are rare in Poperinghe, the town having several times been +destroyed during its history. + +[Illustration] + + + + +=SECOND DAY: POPERINGHE--LILLE= + + +=Via The Hills of Flanders, Armentieres, Nieppe Forest, +Merville and Bethune= + +_Visit to the Hills_: Scherpenberg, Vidaigne, Rouge and Kemmel in +Belgium; and the Mont des Cats and Mont Noir in France. + +_At the Grande Place of Poperinghe take Rue Flamande, then Chaussee de +Reninghelst, turn to the left along the Rue des Pretres, and then turn +to the right into the Rue Boescheppe, opposite the church of St. +Bertin._ + +_Pass in front of the_ =Diocesan College=, the roof of which was badly +damaged by shell-fire. _In the Place Bertel turn to the right._ + +_Cross the river by a recently restored bridge, then skirt, on the left, +the communal cemetery_, where the graves have been destroyed by the +shells, and _cross the Hazebrouck-Ypres railway_ (_l. c._). + +[Illustration: LA CLYTTE ROAD AND THE MONT ROUGE] + +On the left is an Allied cemetery containing 500 to 600 graves. On the +right against the sky is =Cats Hill=. Numerous machine-guns shelters can +still be seen along the road. _Cross a narrow-gauge railway_, which +serves a military station on the right. + +_The road is first undulating, then descends to_ =Reninghelst=. _Here +leave on the left the church_, which has not greatly suffered. In the +churchyard near by, there are a few French soldiers' graves. _At the +cross-roads, turn to the left, then 200 yards further on, at_ +=Zevecoten=, take the road on the right to =La Clytte=. + +The further we advance the greater the devastation of the ground +becomes. + +_At the first houses of Clytte Hamlet, turn to the right._ The German +rush of 1918 was broken before this village. + +After the capture of Kemmel Hill, a violent enemy attack on April 27 +broke down before the desperate resistance of the French 28th Infantry +Division (Madelin) and the British 9th Infantry Division. + +=Kemmel= is seen on the left, and =Scherpenberg= in front. + +_Pass the church_ (photo, p. 111). _The road turns to the right beyond +the last houses, and gradually climbs the slopes of_ =Scherpenberg= +(altitude, 340 feet). The side of this hill is almost perpendicular, and +in it are numerous remains of shelters. + +[Illustration] + +The narrow road which led to the top was completely destroyed. The +ascent can, however, be made on foot. + +In spite of all their efforts, the Germans failed to reach Scherpenberg +in their offensive of 1918. Their efforts to outflank the Flanders Hills +on the north broke down before the resistance of the French 39th +Infantry Division (Massenet) on April 26, 27 and 28, 1918. + +_At the next fork turn to the right into the village of_ =Westoutre=. +Here the road winds through the valley. The river on the left has, owing +to shell-fire, become a small lake. Westoutre suffered greatly in the +bombardments. + +_Pass the Town Hall, then turn to the left in front of the church. The +road rises sharply, and winds round_ =Vidaigne Hill=. The many shelters +in the sides of the hill can plainly be seen. + +_Behind the hill, leave the road leading to the French frontier, and +take on the left the road which first descends and then climbs the +slopes of_ =Rouge Hill=. From the plateau there is a splendid view +across the plains. + +_Leave on the left the ruins of the Chapel of Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes._ + +_The road, rising rather stiffly, runs into the Bailleul Road. On +turning to the right, the first houses of_ =Locre= _village are +reached_. + +[Illustration: RUINS OF LA CLYTTE CHURCH] + +[Illustration: THE SLOPES OF SCHERPENBERG HILL] + +[Illustration: VIDAIGNE HILL] + +[Illustration: RUINS OF LOCRE AND ROUGE HILL] + +Locre was the scene of terrific fighting during the German offensive +against the Flanders Hills in 1918. On April 19, 1918, it was taken by +the enemy after a daring advance by their Alpine Corps, which had +succeeded in reaching Kemmelbeek Valley. On the same day, the soldiers +of this picked corps continued their advance as far as the crossing with +the Westoutre road, 1 kilometre to the north of Locre; but here the +French dragoons, in an irresistible counter-attack, drove the Germans +back and recaptured Locre, leaving only the _Hospice_, to the south-east +of the village, in enemy hands. + +[Illustration: LOCRE ROAD AT KEMMEL AND KEMMEL HILL] + +[Illustration: KEMMEL CHURCH AND VILLAGE IN RUINS +_Photographed from the eastern slopes of Kemmel Hill_] + +[Illustration: RUINS OF KEMMEL CHATEAU AND HILL] + +[Illustration: KEMMEL HILL +_Photographed from the road to Kemmel at La Clytte, 500 yards from the +latter._] + +_Beyond the ruins of the church, in the middle of a devastated cemetery, +turn to the left; then at the next fork, leaving some French graves on +the left, take the road on the right leading to_ =Kemmel Hill=. + +This hill, the first of the Hills of Flanders, is famous for the battles +fought there in 1918. On April 17, 1918, the Germans had reached the +foot. On the 25th, they rushed to the attack, encircling and capturing +the hill, which was held by the French 30th Infantry Regiment. During +the next and following days French counter-attacks failed to dislodge +the enemy. It was only on August 30 that the Germans evacuated the hill; +on the 31st it was occupied by the British. + +_Pass Burgrave Farm. At the foot of the hill (inaccessible to vehicles) +the road turns to the left._ Here the ground is completely churned up, +the bits of road being connected up by little bridges thrown across the +shell-holes. In the distance is seen the ruined church of Kemmel (photo, +p. 113). _On reaching the village, turn to the right, to visit the ruins +of the chateau_ (photo, p. 114), _then return to the fork and take the +road on the right_. + +The road is hilly, as the photograph, taken 500 yards this side of the +crossing with the La Clytte road, shows. _Keeping straight along the +road by which he came, as far as Zevecoten, the tourist then returns +first to the left and then to the right._ + +_In the centre of_ =Reninghelst= _village, take the Neuve-Eglise road on +the left. At the fork in the road at_ =Heksken=, _turn to the right +towards_ =Poperinghe=. _Cross the river. At the crossing of the road +from Poperinghe to Boeschepe, turn to the left to visit the largest +cemetery in this region_ (shown on the Itinerary, p. 108), which +contains 20,000 to 22,000 graves The photograph gives but a slight idea +of the size of it. + +[Illustration: FRAGMENT OF CEMETERY CONTAINING 20,000 GRAVES AT +BOESCHEPE, ON THE ROAD TO POPERINGHE] + +[Illustration: GENERAL VIEW OF CATS HILL] + +_Retracing his steps the tourist takes the road which first skirts the +railway, and then crosses it (l. c.) to rejoin the +Poperinghe-Steenwoorde road. Take the latter on the left._ (See +Itinerary, p. 108.) + +At the hamlet of Abeele there is a Belgian custom-house (visa of +"triptyque" or motor-car permit). The French custom-house is at +=Steenwoorde= (the third house to the right on entering). Usual +formalities. + +_Opposite the custom office take I.C. 128 on the left, which, after +several turnings, leads to_ =Godewaerstelde=. _Leave the village on the +left._ + +[Illustration: THE CRUCIFIX AND ABBEY OF CATS HILL] + +[Illustration: CATS HILL ABBEY] + +[Illustration: DESTRUCTION OF THE CHAPEL CHOIR] + +[Illustration: THE COURTYARD OF CATS HILL ABBEY AFTER THE BOMBARDMENTS] + +_On the far side of the level-crossing the road rises, and the Abbey on +the top of_ =Cats Hill= _soon comes into view_. + +There is a magnificent view from the wayside-cross on the plateau. Visit +the monastery, whose buildings suffered greatly from the bombardments. + +_Pass in front of the cross and take the second road on the right, which +slopes down fairly quickly to the village of_ =Berthem=, _through which +the tourist passes_. + +[Illustration: VIDAIGNE HILL AND NOIR HILL] + +_In the hamlet of_ =Schaexnen=, _opposite the inn with the sign "Au +Vieux Schaexnen," turn to the left, passing in front of a small chateau +in the middle of a wood on the right. A plateau_--=Noir Hill=--_ploughed +up by countless shells, is reached shortly afterwards_. + +_At the fork in the road turn to the right_ (the road on the left leads +back into Belgium). + +_Go through the hamlet of_ =La Croix-de-Poperinghe=, _then at the next +fork take the road to_ =Bailleul= _on the right_. _At Bailleul leave the +lunatic asylum on the left._ The French custom-house is in the Rue +d'Ypres. (In June, 1919, there was as yet no corresponding office at +Locre in Belgium.) + +Bailleul suffered terribly from the bombardments, most of the houses +being destroyed. + +Bailleul was taken by three German divisions on April 15, 1918, as well +as Little Hill and the Ravelsberg, to the west of the town. But the next +day the German forces, who had orders to consolidate their success and +turn the chain of hills from the south, were rudely checked by French +divisions, rushed up to relieve their British comrades, and in three +days, thanks to the prompt and vigorous action of General Petain, they +were driven back. + +_Have a look round the Grande Place before taking the Rue de Lille_ (N. +42) _on the left_. _At the Noveau-Monde cross-roads_, where there is an +important munitions depot with railway-station, _turn sharply to the +left, leaving Lille Hill on the left_. + +_After twice crossing the railway_ (_l. c._) the Customs Barracks are +passed. The road passes over three more level-crossings, skirts the +frontier, crosses the railway, and then the Stilbecque stream. _Next +pass through_ =Nieppe= village--almost entirely demolished; _then over +the railway_ (_l. c._). _Cross the Lys by the Nieppe Bridge and enter_ +=Armentieres=, _via the Rue de Nieppe_. + +_At the cross-roads take Rue Nationale on the right, and follow the +tram-lines as far as the crossing of Rue de Lille with Rue de Marle. +Take the latter to the right, and cross the railway_ (_l. c._). + +For particulars concerning Armentieres, see pp. 49--55, first Itinerary. + +_Keep straight to_ =Bois-Grenier=, _turning to the right in front of the +ruined church_. + +_Outside the village take the second road on the right to_ =Fleurbaix=. + +_Pass the church, of which a few walls are still standing_ (photo +below), _then turn to the left beyond the Square into Rue de Quesnes_. +Numerous concrete shelters were built inside the houses. + +_Near the British cemetery the road turns to the right, then to the +left, and enters_ =Laventie=. _Turn to the right in the Place de +l'Eglise, then to the left over a level-crossing near the station_. + +[Illustration: DESTROYED CHURCH OF FLEURBAIX] + +[Illustration: LAVENTIE CHURCH, RUINED BY THE BOMBARDMENTS] + +_After several turnings the road runs past a small ruined chapel, +crosses a river, then turns to the right, and crosses the Lys. At the +first houses of_ =Estaires=, _100 yards beyond the bridge, turn to the +left, amid the ruins._ + +_Pass the ruined gasworks and follow the main street shown in the photo +below._ In the middle ground of this photograph are seen the walls of +the church, the steeple of which has fallen in. + +[Illustration: ALL THAT REMAINS OF THE MAIN STREET OF ESTAIRES] + +[Illustration: MERVILLE (_from old engraving_)] + +_Leave on the left the Square, in which formerly stood the +Hotel-de-Ville_; its ruined belfry is now a mere heap of bricks and +stones. + +_Beyond a German cemetery on the right, pass through_ =Neuf-Berquin=, +_after which, on turning to the left_, =Merville= comes into view. + +[Illustration: MERVILLE CHURCH, AS THE GERMAN SHELLS LEFT IT +_Seen from the Rue des Trois Pretres._] + +[Illustration: RUINS OF LESTREM CHURCH] + +At the entrance is the cemetery, the area of which has been doubled by +serried rows of little wooden crosses, each marking a British grave. + +If time can be spared (two or three hours) proceed as far as =Nieppe +Forest=, keeping straight on, and leaving Merville on the left. + +[Illustration: LESTREM CHATEAU +(_Destroyed by the German bombardments._)] +[Illustration: REMAINS OF LOCON VILLAGE] + +Contrarily to other forests in the battle area, Nieppe Forest did not +suffer greatly, although, like the others, it concealed munitions and +stores. (Note the numerous narrow-gauge rails lying along the roadside.) + +The roads themselves bear traces of hastily constructed defence-works. + +On the left, near the outskirts of the forest, a pathway leads to a +cemetery containing British soldiers' graves. + +La Motte-au-Bois, lying in a clearing, suffered little. Its 17th century +chateau, which escaped destruction, can be reached by crossing the canal +over a temporary bridge, leaving on the right a small octagonal chapel +of no special interest. + +_Return by the same road to_ =Merville=, _and pass through it_, taking a +glance at the ruins of the church on the right. _Cross the canal, the +Lys, and the railway near the station, and turn to the left immediately +afterwards._ + +_Follow the railway, then re-cross it. The road here runs parallel to +the canal. At the next fork leave on the left the road to the Gorgue; +turn to the right, cross the railway, and enter_ =Lestrem=. _Beyond the +bridge over the Lawe, pass the church, then turn to the right, and skirt +the grounds of an old ruined chateau._ + +This chateau--completely restored in 1890--was used by the Germans as an +observation-post, and subsequently blown up by them on April 10, 1918 +(photo, p. 122). + +On leaving Lestrem the road winds. On the left, broken fragments of +ironwork mark the site of the distillery, which provided a livelihood +for part of the working population of =La Fosse= village. The ruined +church is seen to the left, on the far side of the canal. + +[Illustration: BETHUNE. THE CANAL AND SIDING (_Cliche LL._)] + +_Go through the hamlet of_ =Zelobes=, which, like that of =Lobes=, was +razed to the ground. + +_Pass through what was_ =Locon= village (photo, p. 123). + +Lawe Canal, after running parallel to the road, turns and cuts it. +_Cross the canal by the temporary bridge._ + +A little further on, the road again follows the canal as far as the +entrance to =Bethune=. + +_Cross the Aires Canal, pass the railway station on the left, then +through the horse-market to the Place de la Republique. Cross the latter +and take the Rue de Rivage to the Grande Place._ + +For four years the whole district just passed through, since leaving +Armentieres, was the scene of incessant fighting. + +In October, 1914, it saw the close of the fighting which concluded the +"race to the sea," and the stabilising of the front here resulted in +more than six months' continuous fighting. + +A little later, the Artois offensive of 1915 found an echo in local +operations for the possession of key positions like Festubert and +Neuve-Chapelle, giving rise to sanguinary struggles without decisive +result for either side. + +Finally, in 1918, it was the scene of the third great German offensive +for the conquest of the Hills (see pp. 38--43.) + + +=Bethune= + +The foundation in 984 of the Collegiate Church of St. Bartholomew, by +Robert I., ancestor of Sully, is the first mention of Bethune in +history. The town, owned in turn by the Counts of Flanders, the Dukes of +Burgundy, and the House of Austria, annexed to France at the Peace of +Nimegue in 1678, taken in 1710 by the Triple Alliance, was finally +restored to France in 1713 by the Treaty of Utrecht. + +A fraternity, called the "Confrerie des Charitables," still survives. +Founded after the plague of 1188 by two blacksmiths, to whom St. Eloi +appeared in a vision, asking them to assist their fellow-countrymen who +were dying unsuccoured, it performed the burial rites of the dead. + +During the Great War the town was intermittently bombarded for three and +a half years, but from the end of February, 1918, to April 21 the +violence of the shelling increased tenfold, and on the latter date the +civil population had to be evacuated, the battle having carried the +German lines within two miles of Bethune. + +[Illustration: BETHUNE, _from an old engraving_] + +On April 13--18 the bombardment became so intense that the town was +almost razed to the ground. + +The officials and the miners of the district were mentioned in Orders of +the Day for their courage and endurance. + +At first sight, the town does not seem to have suffered so much, but +this impression soon passes. + +The Grande Place (photo, p. 126) where the chief beauties of this small +town were concentrated, is now a heap of bricks and stones. + +The old houses have fallen in; only the facade of one of them (No. 44), +dating from the 16th century, remains, and even this one was severely +damaged and is now supported by wooden props. + +Of the modern Hotel-de-Ville there remains only a small portion of the +facade (photo, p. 127), whilst the Savings Bank on the left is a +shapeless ruin. + +The belfry, built in 1346 and restored forty years later, is still +standing, but the upper portion of it has disappeared, and the houses +which surrounded it have fallen in. + +[Illustration: BETHUNE. THE GRANDE PLACE. _Before the War._ (_Cliche +LL._)] + +Its tower is standing, as far as the upper part of the sun-dial, whilst +the four admirable gargoyles which project at the corners, and the +graceful curve of the pointed windows of its first storey, escaped +injury. + +[Illustration: BETHUNE. THE GRANDE PLACE. _After the Bombardments_] + +The remains of the spiral staircase leading to the top may still be +seen, but the 15th century wooden spire has gone. + +[Illustration: BETHUNE. RUINS OF THE HOTEL-DE-VILLE] + +This spire contained a peal of bells, one of which, dated 1576, was +called "La Joyeuse." + +"La Joyeuse" is silenced for ever. + +This peal gave its name to the street behind the belfry, which leads to +the Church of St. Waast (1533--1545), whose massive tower was more than +half-a-century later than the rest of the building. + +_To leave the town, return from the Grande Place to the Place de la +Republique_ (in June, 1917, it was impossible to take the Rue d'Arras, +which is the direct road, all this part of the town being obstructed by +ruins). + +[Illustration: RUINS OF ST. WAAST CHURCH] + +_In the Place de la Republique take the Boulevard Victor-Hugo on the +right, and then Rue Marcelin-Berthelot, also on the right. At the +cross-roads take the Rue de Lille to the left._ The Faubourg de Lille +suffered severely from the bombardment. _Take N. 41 alongside the Aire +Canal._ + +[Illustration: BETHUNE. RUE D'ARRAS, BEFORE KULTUR'S BLIGHT FELL ON IT. +(_Cliche LL._) (_See below_)] + +[Illustration: BETHUNE. RUE D'ARRAS--WHAT THE GERMAN SHELLS LEFT OF IT +(_see above_)] + +[Illustration: DESTROYED BRIDGE ACROSS THE BASSEE] + +For four years the fighting never ceased in this region. _Leave the +Festubert sector on the right._ Throughout the struggle, the Canadians +fought so bravely that one of their recruiting posters was dedicated to +the heroes of Festubert, with this inscription: + + "Oui, vous avez raison, c'est hideux le carnage, + Oui, le progres blesse recule et se debat, + Notre siecle en fureur retourne au moyen age, + Mais sachons donc nous battre, au moins, puisqu'on se bat." + +_At the crossing of N. 41 and 43 leave the latter on the right._ + +_Cross the Grande Rue d'Annequin._ From here, on the right, coalpit No. +9 can be seen, with its wrecked machinery in the air--a mass of twisted +ironwork. + +_The ruined village of_ =Cambrin= _is next passed through. On the other +side of the level-crossing, leave on the right the badly damaged village +of_ =Auchy-lez-La-Bassee=. _The road now follows the canal._ After +crossing the railway (l. c.) vast heaps of broken railway trucks smashed +by the shells can be seen in the fields on the right. Further on are +eight or nine blockhouses which were formerly brick-kilns. _Turn to the +left, cross the railway, then the Aire Canal by the new suspension +bridge_ (beside the old one shown in the photograph) _and enter_ =La +Bassee=, _now a heap of ruins_. + +La Bassee, an important centre standing at the junction of several roads +and railways, in the heart of the plain of Flanders, south-west of +Lille, was the objective of many desperate struggles during the war. + +In October, 1914, the district of La Bassee was the scene of endless +conflicts between the Allied and enemy cavalry forces, the little town +finally remaining in the hands of the Germans. + +A year later, the British offensive in Artois drove back the Germans +south of La Bassee, whilst to the north the positions of Neuve-Chapelle +and Aubers were bitterly disputed. However, the lines shifted but +little, and La Bassee still remained in the centre of the line of fire. + +[Illustration: LA BASSEE, _from an old engraving_] + +During the German offensive of 1918, the town again came inside the +German lines, but the enemy were driven out shortly afterwards, during +the Allied offensive that led to the Armistice and to the consummation +of victory. + +_Go through the Rue d'Estaires_, in which there is a large and very high +armoured shelter that served as an observation-post. _Pass the ruined +church_ (photo, p. 132), _then turn to the right into the Grande Place_. +Inside a three-storied house, which later collapsed under the shell-fire +(photo, p. 132), there was a German observation-post of concrete, armed +with machine-guns. + +_On leaving La Bassee continue along N. 41_, with its fine trees cut +down and left along the sides of the road. _Pass the first houses of_ +=Illies= _village, on the left, and 100 yards further on, cross a large +avenue_ (_leading to the Chateau de Varneton_). + +[Illustration: LA BASSEE. STREET CAMOUFLAGED BY THE GERMANS (_Note the +high poles on the left._)] + +[Illustration: LA BASSEE. RUE D'ESTAIRES BEFORE THE WAR (_Compare with +photo below._)] + +On the right, and connected with _N. 41_ by a small bridge, there is a +large German cemetery with a monument to the memory of the soldiers of +the XVth Regiment (Prinz Friedrich) (photo, p. 133). + +_The road leads to_ =Fournes=, _the outskirts of which are crossed by +Rue Pasteur_. Pass an avenue of fine trees leading to the Chateau of +Comte d'Hespel, accidentally burned down. + +At the cross-roads there is a bandstand erected by the Germans. A crude +painting on the back of the stand represents a tug-of-war between a +German and British, French and American soldiers, in which the German +wins apparently with ease. Italy, depicted as a monkey, is seen clinging +to the rope. + +After turning to the right the road passes the large Gambert Boarding +School, which was severely damaged. Behind it is a large cemetery. + +_Follow the road to the badly damaged village of_ =Beaucamps=, where +there are numerous concrete shelters in the houses. _At the cross-roads +turn to the left._ A wayside-cross, ten yards further on, indicate the +road. A short distance further on are the ruins of the Chateau de +Flandre, the basement of which, in reinforced concrete, was used as a +machine-gun emplacement. + +[Illustration: LA BASSEE. RUE D'ESTAIRES IN 1919 (_Compare with photo +above._)] + +[Illustration: LA BASSEE. ALL THAT REMAINS OF THE CHURCH] + +The tourist next comes to what was =Radinghem=. _Beyond the ruined +church_ (photo, p. 133), _turn to the right past an armoured shelter, +which defended the road, pass under the railway, and at the hamlet of_ +=La Vallee=, _beyond a chapel, turn to the right into_ =Ennetieres=. +_The road continues through the ruins of_ =Englos= _and_ =Haubourdin=. + +[Illustration: LA BASSEE. CONCRETE OBSERVATION-POST BUILT BY THE GERMANS +INSIDE A HOUSE WHICH, LATER, COLLAPSED] + +[Illustration: GERMAN CEMETERY ON THE RIGHT OF THE ROAD FROM LA BASSEE +TO TOURNES, 100 YDS. FROM ILLIES. (_See Itinerary, p. 108._)] + +[Illustration: GERMAN FUNEREAL MONUMENT] + +Haubourdin suffered comparatively little from the shells, but like all +the other occupied towns of France, it was subjected to exactions, +war-levies, deportations and pillage. The German soldiers, when relieved +from the Hindenburg line, had their rest-billets there. The church (of +no especial interest), the hospital (15th century), and a chapel built +in 1347, are still preserved. + +_After passing through_ =Loos=, _return to_ =Lille=, _entering by the +Bethune Gate_. + +[Illustration: RADINGHEM IN RUINS] + +[Illustration: LILLE. THE EX-KAISER IN THE PLACE CORMONTAIGNE] + +_For visiting Lille, see the Michelin Illustrated Guide: "Lille Before +and During the War."_ + +[Illustration: LILLE. THE COURTYARD OF THE BOURSE, WITH BRONZE STATUE OF +NAPOLEON I. CAST FROM CANNONS CAPTURED AT AUSTERLITZ] + +[Illustration: LILLE, AFTER THE BOMBARDMENT OF 1914] + +[Illustration: THE COLLAPSE OF A HOUSE ON THE RUE DE PARIS] + +[Illustration: LILLE. ENTRY OF THE BRITISH 5TH ARMY ON OCT. 21, 1918] + +[Illustration: KEMMEL HILL + +Seen from the road to Warneton, at Neuve Eglise._] + + + + +THE BRITISH FORCES ENGAGED in the YPRES SECTOR + + +[Illustration: _Photo, F. A. Swaine, London._ +VISCOUNT FRENCH OF YPRES, +K.P., G.C.B., O.M., G.C.V.O., K.C.M.G.] + + _The Orders of Battle have been compiled from information + supplied by the Historical Section (Military Branch) Committee + of Imperial Defence, with permission of the Army Council, War + Office._ + + +THE BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE, 1914. + +[Illustration: _Commander-in-Chief_ FIELD-MARSHAL SIR JOHN FRENCH. +_Photo, F. A. Swaine, London._ +FIELD-MARSHAL VISCOUNT ALLENBY, G.C.B., C.M.G.] + + _Cavalry Division._ MAJOR-GEN. SIR E. H. H. ALLENBY. + + _1st Cav. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. C. J. BRIGGS. + _2nd Cav. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. H. DE B. DE LISLE. + _3rd Cav. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. H. DE LA P. GOUGH. + _4th Cav. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. THE HON. C. E. BINGHAM. + _5th Cav. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. SIR P. W. CHETWODE. + _R.H.A._: BRIG.-GEN. B. F. DRAKE. + +[Illustration: FIELD-MARSHAL EARL HAIG, +K.T., G.C.B., O.M., G.C.V.O., K.C.I.E.] + +[Illustration: _Photo, F. A. Swaine, London_. +GENERAL SIR H. L. SMITH-DORRIEN, +G.C.B, G.C.M.G., D.S.O.] + + _First Army Corps_ LIEUT.-GEN. SIR DOUGLAS HAIG. + + _Brig.-Gen. R.A._: BRIG.-GEN. H. S. HORNE. + + _1st Division_, MAJOR-GEN. S. H. LOMAX. + _1st Guards Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. F. I. MAXSE. + _2nd Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. E. S. BULFIN. + _3rd Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. H. S. LANDON. + _Artillery_: BRIG.-GEN. N. D. FINDLAY. + _Brig.-Gen. R.E._: BRIG.-GEN. S. B. RICE. + + _2nd Division_, MAJOR-GEN. C. C. MUNRO. + _4th Guards Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. R. SCOTT-KERR. + _5th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. R. C. B. HAKING. + _6th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. R. H. DAVIES. + _Artillery_: BRIG.-GEN. E. M. PERCEVAL. + + _Second Army Corps_ GENERAL SIR H. L. SMITH-DORRIEN + + _Brig.-Gen. R.A._: BRIG.-GEN. A. H. SHORT. + + _3rd Division_, MAJOR-GEN. H. I. W. HAMILTON. + _7th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. F. W. N. MCCRACKEN + _8th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. B. J. C. DORAN. + _9th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. F. C. SHAW. + _Artillery_: BRIG.-GEN. F. D. V. WING. + _Brig.-Gen. R.E._: BRIG.-GEN. A. E. SANDBACH. + + _5th Division_, MAJOR-GEN. SIR C. FERGUSSON. BT. + _13th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. C. J. CUTHBERT. + _14th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. S. P. ROLT. + _15th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. A. E. W. COUNT GLEICHEN. + _Artillery_: BRIG.-GEN. J. E. W. HEADLAM. + _19th Inf. Bde._: MAJOR-GEN. L. DRUMMOND. + + _Third Army Corps_ MAJOR-GEN. W. P. PULTENEY. + (_Formed in France, August 31, 1919._) + + _Brig.-Gen. R.A._: BRIG.-GEN. E. J. PHILLIPS-HORNBY, V.C. + _Brig.-Gen. R.E._: BRIG.-GEN. F. M. GLUBB. + + _4th Division_, MAJOR-GEN. T. D'O. SNOW. + _10th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. J. A. L. HALDANE. + _11th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. A. G. HUNTER-WESTON. + _12th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. H. F. M. WILSON. + _Artillery_: BRIG.-GEN. G. F. MILNE. + + _6th Division_, MAJOR-GEN.: J. L. KEIR. + (_Embarked for S. Nazaire, Sept. 8--9, 1914._) + _16th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. E. C. INGOUVILLE-WILLIAMS. + _17th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. W. R. B. DORAN. + _18th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. W. N. CONGREVE V.C. + _Artillery_: BRIG.-GEN. W. L. H. PAGET. + + +=FIRST BATTLE OF YPRES.= +(October 19--November 21, 1914.) + + _General Officer Commanding-in-Chief_ FIELD-MARSHAL SIR JOHN FRENCH. + _Cavalry Corps._ GEN. SIR E. H. H. ALLENBY. + + _1st Cav. Division_: MAJOR-GEN. H. DE B. DE LISLE. + _1st Cav. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. C. J. BRIGGS. + _2nd Cav. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. R. L MULLENS. + + _2nd Cav. Division_: MAJOR-GEN. H. P. GOUGH. + _3rd Cav. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. J. A. BELL SMYTHE. + _4th Cav. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. C. E. BINGHAM. + _5th Cav. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. P. CHEPWODE. + + _3rd Cav. Division_: MAJOR-GEN. J. W. BYNG. + _6th Cav. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. E. MAKINS. + _7th Cav. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. C. M. KAVANAGH. + _8th Cav. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. C. B. BULKELEY-JOHNSON. + +[Illustration: _Photo, Russell, London._ +LORD RAWLINSON, G.C.B., G.C.V.O., +K.C.M.G., A.D.C.] + +[Illustration: _Photo, "Daily Mirror" Studios._ +LIEUT.-GEN. SIR H. DE LA P. GOUGH, +G.C.M.G., K.C.B., K.C.V.O.] + + _First Army Corps_ GEN. SIR D. HAIG. + + _1st Division_: MAJOR-GEN. S. H. LOMAX. + _1st Guards Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. C. FITZCLARENCE. + _2nd Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. E. S. BULFIN. + _3rd Inf. Bde._: BRIG. GEN. H. J. S LANDON. V C. + _Artillery_: BRIG.-GEN. E. A. FANSHAWE. + + _2nd Division_: MAJOR-GEN. C. C. MONRO. + _4th Guards Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. LORD CAVAN. + _5th Inf. Bde._: COL. C. B. WESTMACOTT. + _6th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. R. FANSHAWE. + _Artillery_: BRIG.-GEN. E. M. PERCEVAL. + + _Second Army Corps_ GEN. SIR H. L. SMITH-DORRIEN. + + _3rd Division_: MAJOR-GEN. C. J. MACKENZIE. + _7th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. F. W. MCCRAKEN. + _8th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. B. J. C. DORAN, + _9th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. F. C. SHAW. + _Artillery_: BRIG.-GEN. A. H. SHORT. + + _5th Division_: MAJOR-GEN. T. N. MORLAND. + _13th Inf. Bde_: COL. A. W. MARTYN. + _14th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN, E. S. MAUDE. + _15th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. A. E. W. COUNT GLEICHEN. + _Artillery_: BRIG.-GEN J. E. W. HEADLAM. + + _Third Army Corps_ GEN. SIR W. P. PULTENEY. + + _4th Division_: MAJOR-GEN. H. F. M. WILSON. + _10th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. C. P. A. HULL. + _11th Inf. Bde_: BRIG.-GEN A. HUNTER WESTON. + _12th Inf. Bde._: BRIG-GEN. F. G. ANLEY. + _Artillery_: BRIG.-GEN. G. F. MILNE. + + _6th Division_: MAJOR-GEN. T. L. KEIR. + _16th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. E. C. INGOUVILLE-WILLIAMS. + _17th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. W. R. B. DORAN. + _18th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. W. N. CONGREVE. + _19th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. HON. F. GORDON. + _Artillery_: BRIG.-GEN W. H. L. PAGET. + + _Fourth Army Corps_ LIEUT.-GEN. SIR H. S. RAWLINSON. + + _7th Division_: MAJOR-GEN. T. CAPPER. + _20th Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. H. RUGGLES-BRISE. + _21st Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. H. E. WATTS. + _22nd Inf. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. S. T. B. LAWFORD. + _Artillery_: BRIG.-GEN. H. K. JACKSON. + + _Indian Army Corps_ LIEUT.-GEN. SIR J. WILLCOCKS. + + _3rd_ (_Lahore_) _Div._: LIEUT.-GEN. H. A. WATKINS. + _7th Ind. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. R. G. EGERTON. + _8th Ind. Bde._: MAJOR-GEN. P. M. CARMEDY. + _Artillery_: BRIG.-GEN. F. E. JOHNSON. + _7th (Meerut) Div._: LIEUT.-GEN. C. A. ANDERSON. + _19th Ind. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. C. E. JOHNSON. + _20th Ind. Bde._: MAJOR-GEN. H. DU KEARY. + _21st Ind. Bde._: BRIG.-GEN. F. MACBEAN. + _Artillery_: BRIG.-GEN. A. P. SCOTT. + + +=SECOND BATTLE OF YPRES.= +(April 22--May 24, 1915.) + + _General Officer Commanding-in-Chief_ FIELD-MARSHAL SIR JOHN FRENCH. + + _Cavalry Corps._ GEN. SIR E. H. H. ALLENBY. + + _1st Cav. Div._: MAJOR-GEN. H. DE B. DE LISLE. + _2nd Cav. Div._: MAJOR-GEN. C. T. KAVANAGH. + _3rd Cav. Div._: MAJOR-GEN. J. W. BYNG. + + _Second Army_GEN. SIR H. SMITH-DORRIEN. + + _Second Army Corps_ LIEUT.-GEN. SIR C. FERGUSON. + + _5th Div._: MAJOR-GEN. T. N. MORLAND. + _46th Div._: MAJOR-GEN. E. J. MONTAGUE-STUART-WORTLEY. + + _Fifth Army Corps_LIEUT.-GEN. SIR H. PLUMER. + +[Illustration:_Photo, Russell, London._ +FIELD-MARSHAL LORD PLUMER, +G.C.B., G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O.] + +[Illustration:_Photo, Russell, London._ +LIEUT.-GENERAL SIR E. A. H. ALDERSON, +K.C.B.] + + _27th Div._: MAJOR-GEN. T. D'O. SNOW. + _28th Div._: MAJOR-GEN. E. S. BULFIN. + + _Third Army Corps_ GEN. SIR W. P. PULTENEY. + + _4th Div._: MAJOR-GEN. H. F. M. WILSON. + _6th Div._: MAJOR-GEN. T. L. KEIR. + _50th Div._ (_General Reserve_): MAJOR-GEN. SIR W. F. LINDSAY. + + +=THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES.= +(July 31--November 6, 1916.) + + _General Officer Commanding-in-Chief_ + FIELD-MARSHAL SIR DOUGLAS HAIG. + + _First Army._ LIEUT.-GEN. SIR H. S. HORNE. + _1st Army Corps_: LIEUT.-GEN. A. E. A. HOLLAND. + _11th Army Corps_: LIEUT.-GEN. SIR E. C. R. HAKING. + _13th Army Corps_: MAJOR-GEN. F. W. N. MCCRACKEN. + + _Second Army_ GENERAL SIR H. C. O. PLUMER. + _2nd Army Corps_ (_with 5th Army during Aug._): + LIEUT.-GEN. SIR C. W. JACOB. + _8th Army Corps_ (_with 5th Army during Aug. & Sept._): + MAJOR-GEN. SIR A. G. HUNTER-WESTON. + _9th Army Corps_: LIEUT.-GEN. A. HAMILTON GORDON. + _10th Army Corps_: MAJOR-GEN. SIR T. L. N. MORLAND. + _1st Anzac Corps_: LIEUT.-GEN. SIR W. R. BIRDWOOD. + 2nd Anzac Corps: Major-Gen. Sir A. J. Godley. + + _Third Army._ LIEUT.-GEN. THE HON. SIR J. H. G. BYNG. + _3rd Army Corps_: LIEUT.-GEN. SIR W. P. PULTENEY. + _4th Army Corps_: LIEUT.-GEN. SIR C. L. WOOLLCOMBE. + _6th Army Corps_: MAJOR-GEN. J. A. L. HALDANE. + _17th Army Corps_: LIEUT.-GEN. SIR C. FERGUSON. + + _Fourth Army_ GENERAL SIR H. S. RAWLINSON, BART. + _15th Army Corps_: MAJOR-GEN. SIR J. P. DU CANE. + + _Fifth Army_ LIEUT.-GEN. SIR H. DE LA P. GOUGH. + _2nd Army Corps (see 2nd Army)_: LIEUT.-GEN. SIR C. W. JACOB. + _5th Army Corps_: LIEUT.-GEN. E. A. FANSHAW. + _8th Army Corps (see 2nd Army)_: MAJOR-GEN. SIR A. G. HUNTER-WESTON. + _14th Army Corps_: LIEUT.-GEN. LORD CAVAN. + _18th Army Corps_: MAJOR-GEN. SIR F. L. MAXSE. + _19th Army Corps_: MAJOR-GEN. H. E. WATTS. + _New Zealand Division (Unattached)_: MAJOR-GEN. SIR A. H. RUSSELL. + + _Canadian Army Corps_: LIEUT.-GEN. SIR E. A. H. ALDERSON. + +[Illustration: _Photo, Russell, London._ +LORD BYNG, G.C.B., K.C.M.G., M.V.O.] + +[Illustration: _Photo, Chandler, Exeter._ +THE EARL OF CAVAN, K.P., G.C.M.G., K.C.B.] + + + + +INDEX TO NAMES OF PLACES MENTIONED IN THIS VOLUME + + +_The figures in heavy type indicate the pages on which there are +illustrations._ + + Abeele, 116 + + Aire Canal, 124, 127 + + Allaines, 45 + + =Amiens=, 37, 45 + + Anzac Redoubt, 28 + + =Armentieres=, 5, 18, 38, 39, 45, 46, =49=, =50=, =51=, =52=, + =53=, =54=, 58, 108, 119, 124 + + =Arras=, 37 + + Artois, 37 + + Aschhoop, 35 + + Aubers, 129 + + Auchy-la-Bassee, 129 + + + =Bailleul=, 39, 40, 41, 45, 119 + + Baisieux, 18 + + Beaucamps, 131 + + Becelaere, 3, 7, 30, 48, 61, =62=, 63 + + Bellewarde Lake, 105 + + Berthem, 118 + + =Bethune=, 39, 48, 108, =124=, =125=, =126=, =127=, =128= + + Bixschoote, 12, 14, 25, 32 + + Bizet, =55= + + Boeschepe, =115= + + Boesinghe, 23, 66, =67=, 68 + + Bois Grenier, 38, 39, 119 + + Borry Farm, 28 + + Broodseinde, 3, 15, 30, 32, 63 + + =Bruges=, 69 + + Brulooze Inn, 43 + + + Calonne, 39 + + =Cambrai=, 45, 46 + + Cambrin, 129 + + Canal du Nord, 45 + + Canteleu, 48 + + =Cassel=, 40 + + Cats Hill, 40, 42, 48, 58, 108, 109, =116=, =117=, =118= + + Chapelle d'Armentieres, 49 + + Clarence River, 39 + + Clercken, 3 + + Comines, 46 + + Corverbeek Stream, 34 + + + Denain, 46 + + Dickebusch Pond, 42, 43 + + =Dixmude=, 13, 23, 25, 26, 46 + + =Douai=, 46 + + Douve River, 58 + + Draeibank, 34 + + Dranoutre, 41, 42 + + Driegrachten, 26 + + + Elverdinghe, 23 + + Englos, 132 + + Ennetieres, 132 + + Essenfarm, 23 + + Estaires, 39, 45, 48, =120= + + + =Festubert=, 39, 124 + + Fleurbaix, 39, =119= + + Fokker Farm, 28 + + Fourues, 131 + + Frezenburg, 7, 16, 25 + + + Gallipoli Farm, 28 + + Gapaard, 21, 23, =59= + + Gaverbeck Canal, 60 + + =Gheluvelt=, 3, 4, 7, 28, 46, 48, =60=, 61 + + =Ghent=, 69 + + =Givenchy=, 39, 45 + + Glencorse Wood, 3, 26, 28 + + Godewaerstelde, 116 + + Goudberg, 35 + + Gouzeaucourt, 45 + + Gravenstafel, 31 + + + Hanebeke Stream, 115 + + Haubourdin, 58, 132 + + Haute-Deule Canal, 46, 48 + + Havrincourt Wood, 45 + + =Hazebrouck=, 39, 40, 45 + + Heksken, 115 + + Herenthage Wood, 3, 28, 106 + + Het Sas, 14, 15, 17, 23, 67 + + =Hill 60=, 3, 14, 16, 18, 106 + + Hill 63, 57 + + =Hindenburg Line=, 133 + + Hockske, 35 + + Hollebeke, 7, 10, 23, 25, 26, 28, 59, =60= + + =Hooge=, 16, 19, 23, 25, 48, =105=, =106= + + Houthem, 11, 48, 59, 60 + + Houthulst Forest, 3, 32, 33, 46, 66 + + + Iberian Farm, 28 + + Illies, 130 + + "International Trench", 18 + + Inverness Wood, 3, 26, 28 + + + =Kemmel=, 14, 41, 42, 109, =113=, =114=, 115 + + Kemmel Hill, 40, 42, 48, 58, 108, 109, =114=, 115, 136 + + Kemmelbeek, 42, 107, 112 + + Kippe, 35 + + Klein Zillebeke, 7, 21, 23, 28 + + Kortekeer Inn, 25 + + Kortewilde, 60 + + Kruppfarm, 23 + + + =La Bassee=, 13, 37, 38, 45, 48, 129, =130=, =131=, =132= + + La Bassee Canal, 46 + + La Clytte, 42, 43, 109, =111=, 115 + + La Couture, 39 + + La Croix de Poperinghe, 118 + + La Fosse, 123 + + La Motte du Bois, 123 + + =Langemarck=, 12, 15, 16, 18, 26, 27, 28, 30, 48, =66=, =67= + + La Vallee, 132 + + Laventie, 39, 45, 119, =120= + + Lawe River, 39, 123, 124 + + =Lens=, 45, 46 + + Lestrem, =122=, 123 + + Le Transloy, 45 + + Lille, 40, 46, =48=, 50, 108, 133, =134=, =135= + + Lille-Hazebrouck Rly., 30 + + Lindenhoek, 41, 42 + + Little Hill, 119 + + Lizerne, 15, 23 + + Lobes, 124 + + Locon, 39, =123=, 124 + + =Locre=, 42, 43 110, =112=, 115 + + Lombaertzyde, 23 + + Lomme, 48 + + =Loos=, 133 + + Luyghem, 35 + + =Lys River=, 13, 23, 25 37, 39, 45, 46, =50=, =51=, 53, 55, 119, + 120, 123 + + + Mangelhaere, 32 + + Marchiennes, 46 + + Marquion, 45 + + Martjet-Vaart Canal, 26 + + =Menin=, 7, 9, 16, 28, 46, 61, 103, 105 + + Menin Road, 30 + + Merckem, 35 + + Merris, 39 + + Merville, 39, 45, 108, =121=, 122, 123 + + =Messines=, 5, 8, 9, 20, 21, 23, 48, =56=, =58=, 59, 61 + + Messines-Wytschaete Crest, 39 + + Meteren, 39, 40, 41, 45 + + Molenaarelsthoek, 30 + + Molenhoek, 62 + + Mosselmarkt, 35 + + + Neuf-Berquin, 39, 121 + + =Neuve-Chapelle=, 13, 38, 39, 45, 124, 129 + + Neuve-Eglise, 39, 40, 45, 58 + + Nieppe, 39, 119 + + Nieppe Forest, 38, 39, 45, 108, 122, 123 + + Noir Hill, 40, 48, 58, 108, =118= + + Nonnes Wood, 3, 28 + + Noordhemhoek, 30, 63 + + Noreuil, 45 + + Notre-Dame-de-Grace, 58 + + + Oosttraverne, 20 + + Orchies, 46 + + Outtersteene, 45 + + + Papegoed Wood, 34 + + =Passchendaele=, 3, 30, 32, 34, 35, 46, 48, 63, =64=, 65 + + Petite Doure Stream, 58 + + Petit-Kemmel, 42 + + Pilkem, 14, 15, 23, 25, 66 + + =Ploegsteert=, 18, 23, 39, 45, 55, =56=, =57= + + Poelcapelle, 3, 7, 28, 31, 32, 33, 35, =46=, =65=, 66 + + Polderhoek, 30 + + Polygon Wood, 3, 26, 28, 63 + + =Poperinghe=, 16, 40, 48, =107=, 108, 115 + + Poterie Farm, 21 + + Potsdam Redoubt, 28 + + Premesques Chateau, 49 + + + Quatre Chemins, 23 + + Queant, 45 + + + Radinghem, 132, =133= + + Ramscapelle, 16 + + Ravelsberg, 119 + + Ravetsberg, 40 + + Rayon Wood, 20 + + Reninghe, 23 + + =Reninghelst=, 109, 115 + + Reutel, 80 + + Richebourg-St.-Waast, 39 + + Robecq, 39 + + Rose Farm, 28 + + Rossignol, 58 + + Rouge Hill, =40=, 48, 58, 108, =109=, 110, =112= + + =Roubaix=, 46, 50 + + =Roulers=, 15, 34, 64 + + + Sailly-Saillisel, 45 + + =St. Eloi=, 3, 8, 9, 12, 14, 16, 18, 41 + + St. Janshoek, 32, 34 + + St. Julien, 16, 25, 27, 28 + + St. Maur Ferry, 39 + + St. Yves, 8, 21, 23 + + Sanctuary Wood, 19, 23, 25, 106 + + Schaexnen, 118 + + Scherpenberg Hill, =37=, 48, 108, 109, 110, =111= + + Soetart Farm, 16 + + Steenbeck Canal, 25, 26, 58 + + Steenstraat, 14, 15, 16, 17, 25, 26 + + Steenwerck, 39, 45 + + Steenwoorde, 116 + + Stilebecque Stream, 119 + + + Terhand, 61, =62= + + Therouanne, 70 + + Thielt, 6 + + =Tourcoing=, 46, 50 + + =Tournai=, 18 + + Tower Hamlet, 28, 29, 30, 61 + + + =Valenciennes=, 46 + + Vampire Farm, 28 + + Veldhoek, 28, 32, 106 + + Vendin-le-Vieil, 46 + + Verbranden-Molen, 10 + + Verlorenhoek, 23, 25 + + Vidaigne Hill, 40, 48, 108, 110, =112=, =118= + + Vieux-Berquin, 39, 45 + + Villers-au-Flos, 45 + + =Vlamertinghe=, 107 + + Voormezelo, 42 + + + Wanbecke River, 59 + + Warneton, 58 + + Wervicq, 46 + + Westhoek, 26 + + =Westoutre=, 43, 110 + + Westroosebeke, =65= + + Wez Macquart, 49 + + Wieltje, 16, 23 + + Wulverghem, 14, 39, 40, 45, 58 + + =Wytschaete=, 8, 9, 20, 40, 48, =59= + + Wytschaete-Messines Crest, 39 + + + Yperlee River, 23, 68, 71, 80 + + =Ypres=, =4=, =11=, =14=, =18=, =35=, =58=, =68--102= + + Ypres-Bruges Rly., 23, 25 + + Ypres-Comines Canal, 17, 21, 23, 26, 28 + + " " Rly., 19 + + " Lille Rly., 60 + + " Roulers Rly., 23, 30, 103 + + =Yser Canal=, 3, 15, 17, 23, 25, 26, 68 + + + Zandvoorde, 4, 5, 7, 48, 61 + + Zelobes, 124 + + Zevecoten, 109, 115 + + Zevencote, 28 + + =Zillebeke=, 3, 19, 42, 43, 102, =103=, =104=, 105 + + Zollebeke, 48 + + Zonnebeke, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 28, 29, 48, =63= + + Zuydschoote, 15 + + Zwarteleen, 9, 23 + + + + +CONTENTS + + PAGES + FOREWORD 3 + THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE, 1914 (1st Battle of Ypres) 4--11 + SECOND BATTLE OF YPRES 14--16 + THE ALLIES OFFENSIVE, 1917 (3rd Battle of Ypres) 20--23 + 1st Phase 23--26 + 2nd Phase 26--27 + 3rd Phase 28--29 + 4th Phase 30--31 + 5th Phase 32--33 + 6th Phase 34--35 + GERMAN OFFENSIVE, 1918 37 + BATTLE OF THE FLANDERS HILLS 38--40 + CAPTURE OF KEMMEL HILL 41--42 + LAST GERMAN ATTACK, 1918 43 + THE ALLIES' VICTORY OFFENSIVE, 1918 44--47 + VISIT TO THE BATTLEFIELDS 48--133 + First Day 48--107 + Second Day 108--133 + CHIEF HISTORICAL EVENTS 69--71 + BRITISH FORCES ENGAGED 137--141 + British Expeditionary Force, 1914 138--139 + 1st Battle of Ypres, 1914 139 + 2nd Battle of Ypres, 1915 140 + 3rd Battle of Ypres, 1916 141 + INDEX TO NAMES OF PLACES MENTIONED IN THIS VOLUME 142--143 + + +PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON. + + + + + MICHELIN DURING THE WAR + + THE MICHELIN HOSPITAL + + When the Great War broke out, Michelin at once converted an + immense new four-storied warehouse into an up-to-date Hospital, + with Operating Theatre, X-Ray, Bacteriological Laboratory, etc. + Seven weeks later (September 22, 1914) Doctors, Dispensers, + Nurses, Sisters of Mercy, and auxiliaries were all at their + posts. The first wounded arrived the same night. In all, 2,993 + wounded were received. + + All expenses were paid by Michelin. + + The story of how Michelin did "his bit" during the war is told + briefly and simply in the illustrated booklet, "The Michelin + Hospital," sent post free on application. + +[Illustration: A VIEW OF ONE OF THE WARDS.] + + MICHELIN & Cie., Clermont-Ferrand, France. + MICHELIN TYRE Co., Ltd., 81, Fulham Road, London, S.W. 3. + + + + + THE + _MICHELIN_ + TOURING OFFICE + +[Illustration: A VIEW OF THE MICHELIN TOURING OFFICE] + + =Open to all Motorists seeking information and + advice regarding Tours= + + The MICHELIN Touring Office saves the intending Tourist time and + trouble, and generally assists him in mapping out his Tour _free + of charge, and irrespective of the make of Tyres he uses_. + + Send us a rough draft of your next proposed Tour and we will + prepare a complete and detailed itinerary and forward it on to + you, within three or four days. + + MICHELIN TOURING OFFICE + 81, FULHAM ROAD, LONDON, S.W. 3. + Telephone: Kensington 4400. Telegrams: "Pneumiclin, London." + + + + + MICHELIN ROAD MAPS + + _Scale 1.200,000 or 3.15 Miles to the Inch._ + +[Illustration: + NORTH + + MICHELIN + MAP + of the + BRITISH ISLES + + Scale. 3.15 Miles to the Inch. + or 1/200,000 + + London-Bath + No. 18 + + ENGRAVED AND EDITED + BY + THE MICHELIN TYRE CO., LTD, + 81, FULHAM ROAD, + LONDON. + + SOUTH +] + + BRITISH ISLES + Published in 31 Sheets. + On Canvas 2_s._ net: post free 2_s._ 2_d._ + On Paper 1_s._ net: post free 1_s._ 11/2_d._ + + FRANCE + Published in 48 Sheets. + On Canvas 2_s._ net. Post free 2_s._ 2_d._ + On Paper 1_s._ net. Post free 1_s._ 11/2_d._ + + _The MICHELIN MAPS may be obtained at all Booksellers, at the + Royal Automobile Club, London, The Automobile Association, + London, at all MICHELIN Stockists, at MICHELIN & Cie., Paris, + and at_ + + MICHELIN TYRE CO., LTD. + 81, FULHAM ROAD, LONDON, S.W. 3. + + + * * * * * + + +Transcriber's notes + +Obvious punctuation errors repaired. + +Hyphen removed: "iron[-]work" (page 123). + +Pages 25, 142: "Kortekeert" changed to "Kortekeer". + +Page 25: "Ypers" changed to "Ypres" (on the right of the Ypres-Roulers +Road). + +Page 26: "asault" changed to "assault" (they took by assault the +village). + +Page 32: "Houlthulst" changed to "Houthulst" (the south-western edge of +Houthulst Forest). + +Page 37: "of" changed to "to" (the driving back to the Channel coast). + +Page 71: "coverd" changed to "covered" (waterways are now covered). + +Page 101: "tmypana" changed to "tympana" (whose tympana are decorated). + +Page 116: "Itinerery" changed to "Itinerary" (See Itinerary p. 108). + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Ypres and the Battles of Ypres, by Unknown + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YPRES AND THE BATTLES OF YPRES *** + +***** This file should be named 36213.txt or 36213.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/6/2/1/36213/ + +Produced by Moti Ben-Ari and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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