YouTube
- Thread starter SkipperJohn
- Start date
Steve Nick
Well-known member
I just returned last week from a two week visit to Belgium. Brugges, Ghent ((or Hent if you're from west Flanders), Ypres, Antwerp, Namur, Dinant, Brussels.
We toured the Ypres Salient with a fantastic battlefield guide over the course of 8 hours visiting, Langemarck, Tyne Cot, Essex Farm, Vancouver Corner, Hill 60 and getting a very thorough appreciation of the ground over which the 2nd Battle of Ypres was fought . This was the gas attack in which the 1st Canadian Division held their trenches and prevented a German breakthrough .
Also paid a visit for the 2nd time to Vimy Ridge, this time with my eldest son and my two grandsons. Every country needs a legend and for Canadians Vimy Ridge is ours.
Loved Belgium and the Belgian people were very kind and hospitable. Next time I'm in Northern Europe the Fort de la Pompelle is on my list.
We toured the Ypres Salient with a fantastic battlefield guide over the course of 8 hours visiting, Langemarck, Tyne Cot, Essex Farm, Vancouver Corner, Hill 60 and getting a very thorough appreciation of the ground over which the 2nd Battle of Ypres was fought . This was the gas attack in which the 1st Canadian Division held their trenches and prevented a German breakthrough .
Also paid a visit for the 2nd time to Vimy Ridge, this time with my eldest son and my two grandsons. Every country needs a legend and for Canadians Vimy Ridge is ours.
Loved Belgium and the Belgian people were very kind and hospitable. Next time I'm in Northern Europe the Fort de la Pompelle is on my list.
coert65
Well-known member
Very nice! Did you also visit the small village of St-Julien? There, this first gas attack took place, also, slightly north of it, is Kitchener's wood, where also a lot things happened then, during second Ypres. I am also going to visit Ypres, and the salient in a few weeks time again.
I visit the salient for about 23 years now, so I know the place well.
I like doing long battlefields walks, taking in all the history there. There are so many things to see, but sometimes you have to get off the beaten touristic path, to see all.
I visit the salient for about 23 years now, so I know the place well.
I like doing long battlefields walks, taking in all the history there. There are so many things to see, but sometimes you have to get off the beaten touristic path, to see all.
Steve Nick
Well-known member
We visited St. Julien, Kitchener's Wood, which is where the 10th and 16th Battalions were almost wiped out., Locality C, and Gravenstafel Ridge. That was interesting as the 5th ()Western Cavalry) and 8th (Little Black Devils) Battalions manned the ridge by withdrawing from their original trench positions. They did this under fire. It's not much of a ridge in terms of elevation but it must have seemed like a mountain at the time.
We spent the entire day but there is so much to see we could easily have spent a week.
Peter B
Well-known member
The Reserve Artillery Regiment in my hometown that I commanded as a Regular was involved in the battle. The 10th Battery of 56 Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery. They ended up firing their guns in both directions at one point. There is a parade every year in St Catherines Ontario where that Battery is based. I was honored to lead the Parade one year.
Here is the story:
At about 6.30pm the German advance towards St. Julien had been brought to a halt. The stubborn defence of the 13th Canadian Battalion on the left of the Canadian line was assisted by the artillery fire of two of the guns from the 10th Battery (10 CFA on map refers). The battery had opened fire at 5.45pm. Some of the gas had wafted through the battery position.
The position of this gun battery became threatened as the German advance began to put pressure on the the French and Canadian troops holidng a position along the St. Julien-Poelcappelle road. At one point, at about 7pm, a large number of German helmets were seen bobbing above a hedge as they marched southwards only about 200 metres away from the battery position. Major King swung two of his guns round to face the west and continued firing intermittantly in two directions - to the west and to the north. Leaves and branches fell down on the gun crews as German machine gun bullets rained down on the orchard from close range. Fortunately for the battery the German machine gun fire died down and the Germans withdrew a little way and dug in.
The 10th Battery was in the most dangerous position as it was closest to the advancing enemy. Unfortunately the teams of men in the ammunition wagons had been killed west of St. Julien whilst on their way to resupply the battery. The wagons had been ditched and, with the help of 30 men from 7th Canadian Battalion and 25 men from 2nd Company 15th Canadian Battalion, the ammunition rounds had been carried by hand some 500 metres further on to the battery position.
The battery commander, Major King, was unsure if the limbers would be able to reach him unscathed and in time. So he ordered two first line transport wagon teams to pull two of the four guns to the rendezvous point south-west of Mouse Trap Farm. Forty-five minutes after the first two guns had left the position there was still no sign of the battery's limbers. He therefore ordered the remaining two guns to be hooked up to wagon limbers. To Major King's relief, at about 11pm the battery's limbers did eventually arrive and the two guns and remaining wagons were removed from the position.
By the early hours of 23 April all four guns of the10th Battery had been moved out of the line, through the Canadian Division rear area and had crossed over the Yser Canal to the west bank. It was put into position near Brielen under command of the 1st Canadian Divisional Artillery.
Here is the story:
10th Battery
The battery was located in an orchard behind the hamlet of Keerselaere, about 450 metres north of St. Julien and 90 metres east of the St. Julien-Poelcappelle road. The limbers were located a little further south of the battery in a shell-hole beside the Haanebeek stream. 10th Battery was commanded by Major W B M King.At about 6.30pm the German advance towards St. Julien had been brought to a halt. The stubborn defence of the 13th Canadian Battalion on the left of the Canadian line was assisted by the artillery fire of two of the guns from the 10th Battery (10 CFA on map refers). The battery had opened fire at 5.45pm. Some of the gas had wafted through the battery position.
The position of this gun battery became threatened as the German advance began to put pressure on the the French and Canadian troops holidng a position along the St. Julien-Poelcappelle road. At one point, at about 7pm, a large number of German helmets were seen bobbing above a hedge as they marched southwards only about 200 metres away from the battery position. Major King swung two of his guns round to face the west and continued firing intermittantly in two directions - to the west and to the north. Leaves and branches fell down on the gun crews as German machine gun bullets rained down on the orchard from close range. Fortunately for the battery the German machine gun fire died down and the Germans withdrew a little way and dug in.
The 10th Battery was in the most dangerous position as it was closest to the advancing enemy. Unfortunately the teams of men in the ammunition wagons had been killed west of St. Julien whilst on their way to resupply the battery. The wagons had been ditched and, with the help of 30 men from 7th Canadian Battalion and 25 men from 2nd Company 15th Canadian Battalion, the ammunition rounds had been carried by hand some 500 metres further on to the battery position.
The battery commander, Major King, was unsure if the limbers would be able to reach him unscathed and in time. So he ordered two first line transport wagon teams to pull two of the four guns to the rendezvous point south-west of Mouse Trap Farm. Forty-five minutes after the first two guns had left the position there was still no sign of the battery's limbers. He therefore ordered the remaining two guns to be hooked up to wagon limbers. To Major King's relief, at about 11pm the battery's limbers did eventually arrive and the two guns and remaining wagons were removed from the position.
By the early hours of 23 April all four guns of the10th Battery had been moved out of the line, through the Canadian Division rear area and had crossed over the Yser Canal to the west bank. It was put into position near Brielen under command of the 1st Canadian Divisional Artillery.