On the 19th of October it will be the anniversary of the First Battle of Ypres, also known as the First Battle of Flanders. The battle was undertaken in 1914 to secure the town of Ypres, in the west of Belgium in, thought between the Allied and German armies. It was a ferocious battle lasting until the 22nd of November 1914.
The First Battle of Ypres thought by the Allies to keep control of the English Channel ports, enabling a good supply chain. The Germans wanted to take Ypres to advance on Boulogne-sur-Mer and Calais.
The French intended to prevent the Germans from flanking the Allies from the north. Both opposing sides provided considerable offense against each other until mid October, when the Allies had to back off and limit their attacks to counter-strikes.
Although the Allies gained victory in the end, both sides could of won the battle early on, but were unable to due to problems in command and communication. The Germans over estimated the Allies numbers, and called off many attacks when advances could have been made. Many experienced British soldiers in the regular army suffered fatalities in the battle, while a mixture of young and experienced Germans lost their lives.
The end of the battle led to mobile operations not taking place again until 1918. Below is some helpful information that may help you if you visit Ypres.
- There is a daily mass at St George's Memorial Church, where you can pay tribute to those who have fallen.
- Every evening since 1928 at precisely 8pm, the Last Post, the traditional salute to the fallen warrior, is played under Ypres' Menin Gate Memorial.
- Visit Flanders Field Museum to see artifacts from the first Battle of Ypres.
