Ypres and the Battles of Ypres Part 2

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, b.l.o.o.d.y 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 sh.e.l.ls.

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._"

[Ill.u.s.tration: 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 t.i.tle 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 Ca.n.a.l 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 sh.e.l.l-craters.

On April 19, the fighting a.s.sumed 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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 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 a.s.sailed 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 a.s.saulting 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 crus.h.i.+ng 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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE FLANDERS BATTLEFIELD IN WINTER]

On June 6, a fresh a.s.sault began, preceded by the usual bombardment, and further a.s.sisted 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 s.p.a.ces, 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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 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 Ca.n.a.l. 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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 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 Ca.n.a.l, 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 pa.s.sed in raids, patrols, and reconnoitring, preparatory to the new offensive of July 31.