NOWHERE on the whole battle-front has the fighting been fiercer or more continuous than around the Flemish town of Ypres, long famed for its beautiful Cloth Hall and Cathedral, now, alas, a heap of ruins and a city of the dead. The stand stands on a tributary of the Yser, in the mids of low-lying meadows, with important roads radiating from it to Bethune, Messines, Lille, Menin, Roulers and Bruges.
The first battle of Ypres may be said to have commenced on 20 October, and lasted right on to 17 November. It forms one of the great events chronicled in the fourth dispatch of Sir John French, and in its earlier stages was part of the simultaneous attack of the Germans on the French, British and Belgian front, from Arras to the coast at Nieuport. It is estimated that the Germans brought into this particular engagement at least 500,000 men, whilst the Allies numbered more than 150,000.
When Sir Douglas Haig arrived at Ypres from the Aisne on 19 October with the First British Corps, he was instructed by Headquarters to advance to Thourout with the object in view of capturing Bruges and, if possible, of driving the enemy towards Ghent. It soon became apparent, however, that all idea of such an offensive as was proposed must be postponed, for the Germans where everywhere advancing in strong force and threatened the flanks of the British Corps. Sir Douglas Haig was unable to proceed beyond the line Zonnebeke – St. Julien – Langemarck – Bixschoote. Sir John French arrived at Ypres on the 21 October and discussed the situation with Sir Douglas Haig, Sir Henry Rawlinson, in command of Fourth Corps, and General de Mitry and General Bidon of the French Army. General Joffre had previous informed Sir John French that more troops would be sent later, but that he was unable to commence this movement before the 24 October. It was decided, therefore, that the First and Fourth Corps should strengthen their positions as much as possible, and be prepared to hold their ground for two or three days, until the French offensive movements on the North could develop.
On the 22 October a series of attacks by the enemy resulted in a portion of the line held by the Cameron Highlanders north of Pilken being penetrated. A counter attack on the following day by Major General Bulfin met with success and over six hundred prisoners were taken. On the same day an attack by the Germans on the Third Infantry Brigade was repulsed with heavy losses, some 1,500 dead being counted in the neighbourhood of Langemarck. On the evening of this day a division of the French Ninth Corps came up into line. Further attacks by the enemy followed every day for the remainder of the month, the severest engagements taking place for possession of Zandvoorde Ridge and Gheluvelt. As Sir John French stated in his dispatch: “the most important and decisive attack (except that of the Prussian Guard on 15 November) made against the First Corps during the whole of its arduous experiences in the neighbourhood of Ypres took place on the 31 October. After several attacks and counter-attacks during the course of the morning along the menin-Ypres road, south-east of Gheluvelt, an attack against that place developed in great force, and the line of the First Division was broken.”
The retirement of the First Division exposed the left of the Seventh Division, and owing to this, the Royal Scots Fusiliers, who remained in their trenches, were cut off and surrounded. Shortly after this, the headquarters of the First Division was shelled. The General Officer Commanding First Division was wounded and six Staff Officers were killed. “Meantime on the Menin Road, a counter-attack delivered on the left of the First Division and the right of the Second Division, against the right flank of the German line was completely successful, and by 2.30 Gheluvelt had been retaken with the bayonet, the 2nd Worcestershire Regiment bring to the fore in this, supported by the 42 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.”
Sir John French said that he regarded the time between two and three o'clock on this day, when the First Division was retiring, as the most critical in the whole of the great battle. “The rally of the First Division and the recapture of the village of Gheluvelt at such a time was fraught with momentous consequences. If any one unit can be singled out for special praise it is the Worcesters.”
During the later stages of the Battle of Ypres a division of the Prussian Guard, which had been operating in the neighbourhood of Arras, was moved up to this area with great speed and secrecy. Documents found on dead officers prove that the Guard had received the Emperor's special commands to break through and succeed where their comrades of the line had failed. They took a leading part in the vigorous attacks made against the Allies' centre on the 11 November and 12 November, but like their comrades were repulsed with enormous loss. After this, fighting continued till the 17 November, when the weather changed and snow set in and the battle died away. The losses on both sides were very severe. The German casualties were estimated at not less than 250,000 in the three weeks' battle from Albert to Nieuport, whilst the Allies lost well over 100,000 men. In the Ypres fight alone the British lost at least 40,000.
We cannot close the account of the battle better than in the words of Sir John French when he said, “I venture to predict that the deeds during these days of stress and trial will furnish some of the most brilliant chapters which will be found in the military history of our times.”
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