THE YPRES
CAMPAIGN
In 1914, Ypres was
a quiet Belgian town that was more of a religious center, with Saint Martin’s
Cathedral and the Cloth Hall: both excellent examples of Gothic
architecture.
Ypres was a
communications hub, with roads leading in many directions. The highway of
greatest interest was the route traveling westward, towards the Channel ports
of Boulogne-sur-Mer and Calais, making Ypres the enemy’s last major obstacle.
To accomplish their goal, they were determined to break through the Allies’
defenses [i]
The Battle of
First Ypres lasted from October 10th to November 22, 1914. It was a
combination of four battles: La Bassee (October 12 – November 2nd);
Armentieres (October 13th – November 2nd); Messines
(October 12th – November 2nd); and Ypres (October 19th
– November 22nd). The battles intermingled with one-another, making
individual battles complex and difficult to sort out. [ii]
In order to
comprehend the importance of each battle, it is critical to understand the
landscape around Ypres. The area has been described as a shallow saucer with
the town of Ypres at the center. The rim of the saucer represents a ridge,
which begins seven miles south of Ypres, in the town of Messines, then
continues two miles north to Wytschaete, before curving north-east to
Hollebeke, Zillebeke, Sanctuary Wood, Hill 60, Gheluvelt, Winhoek, Nonne
Bosschen, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Passchendaele, Langemarck, and Bixschoote.
It could be surmised that the First Battle of
Ypres was a series of battles fought to control the ridge, which became known
as the Ypres Salient. [iii]
The army in
control of the ridge had the advantage of overlooking all of Flanders plain,
permitting their artillery a choice of targets. [iv]
Sir John French
had removed two sections of Second Corps from the Battle of The Aisne, and
concentrated them at the town of Bethune, which is located 25-30 miles south of
Ypres. Winston Churchill, Lord of the Admiralty, pulled First Corps from Aisne
and transported them by rail to Hazebrouck. From there they would march through
towns north of Ypres.
Prior to the arrival of the German Army, the
Allies created trench defensive positions around Ypres in the shape of a small
salient[1].
The BEF held a thirty-five-mile-long line in the center of the bulge, while the
French Army protected the British flank south of the city.
On October 20 the German Army Chief of Staff,
Falkenhayn, ordered his army to break through the Allied lines to capture the
ports of Dunkirk, Calais, and Boulogne. Initially they struck the Belgian
defenses on the Yser River near Nieuport. The Belgian forces were unable to
hold their position, therefore to prevent the enemy from continuing their path
along the coast, they opened the sluice gates and flooded the surrounding land.
The Germans were compelled to reconsider their plans, opting to launch a series
of attacks against the city of Ypres. As was the case in previous battles, the
German forces outnumbered the British; until some of the Empire’s Indian
divisions arrived to replace the reserves. [v]
World War 1 - An Unkept Promise
[1] Salient - A piece of land or section of
fortification that juts out to form an angle
[i]
Marshall, S.L.A. World War 1 pp 134
[ii]
Lomas, David First Ypres 1914 ebook location 740 – 758
[iii] Lomas,
David, First Ypres 1914 The Graveyard of the Old Contemptibles ebook location 740 - 773
[iv] Lomas,
David, First Ypres 1914 The Graveyard of the Old Contemptibles ebook location 740 - 773
[v]
Marshall, S.L.A. pp 129-134
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