edwin
Active member
Dear all,
Last week we spent one day of our vacation to visit another section of the Ypres salient and to give a small impression of our trip I have included some pics.
First we visited the Flanders fields American cemetery in Waregem.
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This cemetery is the smallest American cemetery in Europe and contains the remains of 368 soldiers killed during actions around Waregem in the final stages of the war.
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This picture is a grim remainder that the fighting and killing continued until the last day of the war.
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Daddy trying to convey his interests
Following our visit to the American cemetery, we visited a German command bunker from 1917 near Zandvoorde in the Ypres sector.
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And a view towards the missus and my youngest daughter
Next, we drove down to Geluveld to visit two important sites that played an important role during the first battle of Ypres in late 1914.
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First, we visited Geluveld chateau which played an important role in the defence of Geleuveld by the British during the German attack, which started on 29 october 1914 and was witnessed by the Kaiser personally in anticipation of the fall of Ypres. The attack on Geluveld was primarily conducted by Bavarian units. One of these units involved was IR16, that included a insignificant corporal named Adolf Hitler.
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Nonnebossen, known to the British as Glencorse wood, was the place were the British managed to stop the ultimate attack of the Prussian guard on Ypres on 11 november 1914. This guards division was led by Prince Eitel Fredrich from Prussia, the Kaiser's second son and these events are well described in the German army at Ypres 1914 by Jack Sheldon.
Subsequently, we went further down the Menin road towards 't Hooghe to visit Hooghe crater cemetery and the Canadian memorial at hill 62. Following the first battle of Ypres, stalemate ensued and the front line froze near the hamlet of 't Hooghe. Consequently, the area around 't Hooghe was highly contested for the remainder of the war, including underground mine warfare as well as flamethrower and gas attacks.
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IMG_4315 by edwinvanbloois, on Flickr
Hooghe crater cemetery was started by the British in October 1917 during the third battle of Ypres and currently almost 6000 soldiers are buried or commemorated here. This cemetery is named after a mine sprung by the British in july 1915, which is represented by the depression at the entrance of the cemetery with the centrally placed cross of sacrifice.
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Next, we walked to the Canadian memorial at Hill 62, which commemorates the Canadian involved in the defense of Ypres in 1916.
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The Germans tried to occupy all the hills and ridges surrounding Ypres, but, however, the Canadians defended or recaptured successfully these key high grounds. By doing so they prevented the Germans possession of vital positions overlooking Ypres.
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The Canadian memorial is lined by maple trees.
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A view towards Ypres from Hill 62, which nicely explains why the high grounds surrounding Ypres were important to the Germans for observation.
Regards,
Edwin
Last week we spent one day of our vacation to visit another section of the Ypres salient and to give a small impression of our trip I have included some pics.
First we visited the Flanders fields American cemetery in Waregem.
DSC02924
DSC02928
This cemetery is the smallest American cemetery in Europe and contains the remains of 368 soldiers killed during actions around Waregem in the final stages of the war.
DSC02931
This picture is a grim remainder that the fighting and killing continued until the last day of the war.
IMG_4273
Daddy trying to convey his interests
Following our visit to the American cemetery, we visited a German command bunker from 1917 near Zandvoorde in the Ypres sector.
DSC02942
DSC02934
DSC02937
DSC02939
And a view towards the missus and my youngest daughter
Next, we drove down to Geluveld to visit two important sites that played an important role during the first battle of Ypres in late 1914.
IMG_4294
First, we visited Geluveld chateau which played an important role in the defence of Geleuveld by the British during the German attack, which started on 29 october 1914 and was witnessed by the Kaiser personally in anticipation of the fall of Ypres. The attack on Geluveld was primarily conducted by Bavarian units. One of these units involved was IR16, that included a insignificant corporal named Adolf Hitler.
DSC02944
Nonnebossen, known to the British as Glencorse wood, was the place were the British managed to stop the ultimate attack of the Prussian guard on Ypres on 11 november 1914. This guards division was led by Prince Eitel Fredrich from Prussia, the Kaiser's second son and these events are well described in the German army at Ypres 1914 by Jack Sheldon.
Subsequently, we went further down the Menin road towards 't Hooghe to visit Hooghe crater cemetery and the Canadian memorial at hill 62. Following the first battle of Ypres, stalemate ensued and the front line froze near the hamlet of 't Hooghe. Consequently, the area around 't Hooghe was highly contested for the remainder of the war, including underground mine warfare as well as flamethrower and gas attacks.
IMG_4355
IMG_4305
IMG_4315 by edwinvanbloois, on Flickr
Hooghe crater cemetery was started by the British in October 1917 during the third battle of Ypres and currently almost 6000 soldiers are buried or commemorated here. This cemetery is named after a mine sprung by the British in july 1915, which is represented by the depression at the entrance of the cemetery with the centrally placed cross of sacrifice.
IMG_4334
Next, we walked to the Canadian memorial at Hill 62, which commemorates the Canadian involved in the defense of Ypres in 1916.
IMG_4349
The Germans tried to occupy all the hills and ridges surrounding Ypres, but, however, the Canadians defended or recaptured successfully these key high grounds. By doing so they prevented the Germans possession of vital positions overlooking Ypres.
IMG_4350
The Canadian memorial is lined by maple trees.
IMG_4346
A view towards Ypres from Hill 62, which nicely explains why the high grounds surrounding Ypres were important to the Germans for observation.
Regards,
Edwin
