Messines Day
This anniversary just passed by on June 7th. Unfortunately I was away from home and thus unable to post on the day. As a prelude to the Battle of Passchendale, an attack was launched on Messines Ridge on June 7th 1917. The 16th Irish and 36th Ulster Divisions were tasked with capturing the village of Witschaete. This was the only occasion during World War One that the two Irish Divisions on the Western Front fought side by side. The most famous Irish casualty of the battle was Major Willy Redmond 5th Bn Royal Irish Regt. 17,000 British and Commonwealth troops died in the attack.
This anniversary just passed by on June 7th. Unfortunately I was away from home and thus unable to post on the day. As a prelude to the Battle of Passchendale, an attack was launched on Messines Ridge on June 7th 1917. The 16th Irish and 36th Ulster Divisions were tasked with capturing the village of Witschaete. This was the only occasion during World War One that the two Irish Divisions on the Western Front fought side by side. The most famous Irish casualty of the battle was Major Willy Redmond 5th Bn Royal Irish Regt. 17,000 British and Commonwealth troops died in the attack.
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