The Battle of Passchendaele

[Groundhog]

31st July 1917 - Day 1

Tuesday 31st July 1917 - Day 1

The First Stage of the Third Battle of Ypres began with The Battle of Pilckem Ridge. Third Ypres is more usually called the Battle of Passchendaele. Zero Hour was 3.50am.

Like the Battle of the Somme, Passchendaele was fought partly to take pressure off the French Army which was by this time at the point of collapse. Unlike the Somme, this battle had a strategic aim too. A breakthrough here would enable the British to capture the ports along the Belgian coast which were being used by German submarines.

Unfortunately The Germans were not the only enemy. The terrain and the weather combined to create the enduring picture of warfare on the Western Front - men fighting in a mud bath. Most of what was the Ypres Salient is reclaimed marshland. The shelling destroyed the drainage and the summer of 1917 was very wet indeed, 21.7mm of rain fell on 31st July. Almost all of the battlefield became a swamp that swallowed men, animals, guns and tanks.

The battle ground on until the 10th of November.

The basis for this thread is Chris McCarthy’s book, Passchendaele, The Day to Day Account. The aerial photos are from Google Earth unless otherwise attributed. The WW1 placenames are as close to their original positions as I can make them by relating photos to maps. All are accurate (I think).

Zero Hour on day 1 was set for 3.50 am.

[Groundhog]

Boesinghe

Guards Division

2 Guards Bde

1st Scots Guards and 2nd Irish Guards advanced at Zero Hour and meeting no opposition reached the Blue Line in 15 minutes. The advance continued at 5am but this time the Irish came under heavy fire from Hey Wood. The Black Line was reached at 6am. From here at 7.15am 3rd Grenadier Guards and 1st Coldstream Guards took over and advanced to the Green Line. On the right the Grenadiers came under fire from Blockhouses on the Ypres-Staden railway line. These were cleared by 8am and the advance continued to Vulcan Crossing. On the left 1st Coldstream Guards had to move left to assist 3 Bde which was under heavy fire from Abri Wood. The Coldstreams cleared the wood and pushed on taking Fourche and Captain’s Farms.

3 Guards Bde

1st Grenadier Guards and 1st Welsh Guards advanced with relative ease to the Blue Line, taking a Blockhouse in Wood 15 on the way. The Welsh maintained contact with the French 201st Regiment on the left and the advance continued to the Black Line. From here 2nd Scots Guards took over and advanced to the Green Line. Consolidating here, the Scots threw back a left flank because the French had been held up by fire from Colonel’s Farm.

1 Guards Bde

2nd Grenadier Guards on the right and 2nd Coldstream Guards on the left advanced from the Green Line at 8.50am having passed through the lead brigades.The Grenadiers were forced to throw out flank protection on the right along the railway line because the 38th Div was delayed in renewing the advance. The Grenadier advance was also made in the teeth of heavy MG fire from west of the Steenbeek. Despite this they reached within 80 yards of the Steenbeek by 9.30am where they dug in under fire from Langemarck village. On the way they captured Signal and Ruisseau Farms. 2nd Coldstream meanwhile was forced to wheel left in order to maintain contact with the French still delayed at Colonel’s Farm.

As a point of interest, the ground captured by the Guards, 38th and 51st Divisions on 31st July was almost all of that which had been lost to the first German Gas attack on 22nd April 1915. Another point of Irish interest is that 31st July 1917 was the day on which the poet Francis Ledwidge was killed. He wasn’t in the Guards Division, he was in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, but he was killed by a shell while building a road near Artillery Wood in the Guards AO. The red X marks the spot where he fell.

[Groundhog]

Pilckem

38th Division

114 Bde

114 Bde consisted of four battalions of the Welsh Regt; the 10th, 13th, 14th and 15th. The 10th, 13th advanced initially to the Blue Line unopposed. Here the 14th Bn and Welch Fusiliers passed through. The 14th met heavy opposition at Iron Cross but eventually captured it while the 15th was delayed by heavy shell fire, lost the barrage and struggled onto Iron Cross Ridge. From there half of each battalion advanced to the Green Line. Coming under fire from Rudolphe Farm, a platoon of the 15th Bn attacked and captured it.

113 Bde

Two companies of 13th and 16th Bn, Royal Welch Fusiliers reached the Black Line having passed through heavy fire from Marsouin and Stray Farms as well as the village of Pilckem.

115 Bde

While the advance brigades were taking Iron Cross Ridge, troops of 115 Bde advanced to pass through and on to the Steenbeek. 11th South Wales Borderers and 17th Bn, Royal Welch Fusiliers met opposition from the houses in front of the stream. The Germans had constructed strongpoints in these buildings. These positions were outflanked and the Steenbeek crossed. A company of 10th South Wales Borderers
Reinforced the Fusiliers. A German counter attack at 3pm was beaten off except at Au Bon Gite where the 11th South Wales Borderers withdrew across the Steenbeek. A later German attack was driven off by artillery.

[Groundhog]

XVIII Corps

St. Julian

39th Division


116 Bde

The Division was supported by eight tanks in it’s attack.

116 Bde attacked with 11th, 12th and 13th Bns, Royal Sussex Regt and 14th Bn, Hampshire Regt. 13th Sussex captured St. Julian with the aid of the brigades two tanks.

117 Bde

The attacking troops were from 16th, Sherwood Foresters and 17th Bn, King’s Royal Rifle Corps. 16th Bn, Rifle Brigade and 17th, Sherwood Foresters were in support. The three pill boxes at Regina Cross were taken under a Stokes mortar and rifle grenade barrage. The brigade also captured the strongpoint at Alberta.

118 Bde

The brigade began it’s advance at 8am. 1/1st Hertfordshires and 1/6th Cheshire Regt were in the assault supported by 4/5th Black Watch and 1/1st Cambridgeshire Regt.

The Cheshires advanced through St. Julian as far as Von Tirpitz Farm. The Hertfordshires suffered heavily from MG fire beyond Kitchener’s Wood. The Black Watch made it into the wood. Meanwhile the right flank was in trouble because it had outstripped the 55th Div advance on their right. They withdrew from St. Julian to the east bank of the Steenbeek and the entire brigade was withdrawn to divisional reserve.

Langemarck

51st Division


152 Bde

1/5th Seaforth Highlanders and 1/8th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders advanced practically unopposed as far as the Blue Line. 1/6th Seaforth Highlanders and 1/6th Gordon Highlanders then passed through. The Gordons met opposition at Ascot Cottage, but they requisitioned a passing tank and took the position. They then continued to the Black Line where aparty was sent to assist the Seaforths in attacking MacDonalds Farm and Wood. Again with the help of a tank the farm fell. The advance continued to the Green line where they came under heavy MG fire from the opposite bank of the Steenbeek Stream. A new line was dug 100 yards short of the stream.

153 Bde

In the lead here were 1/7th Gordon Highlanders and 1/7th Black Watch. The Gordons took Hindenburg Farm on the way to the Blue Line. 1/5th Gordon Highlanders and 1/6th Black Watch continued the attack through the Black Line, where the Gordons had to take a line of pill boxes, and on to the Green line, digging in 200 yards short of the Steenbeek. On the way they took a blockhouse near Francois Farm and assisted 38th Div troops in capturing Varna Farm. Meanwhile the Black Watch had cleared Goumier Farm on their way to the Black Line, then encountered heavy fire from Cane Wood and Rudolfe Farm. Some groups crossed the Steenbeek north of Military Road and established posts. A squadron of King Edward’s Horse followed. Between 3 and 4pm these posts fought off a German counterattack. In the confusion 1/6th Seaforths and 1/8th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders crossed the stream and dug in opposite Ferdinand Farm. From here they rushed Maison du Rasta and Maison Bulgare. After fighting off another attack all troops were ordered back across the Steenbeek.

164 Bde

The brigade was in Divisional reserve and did not advance.

[Groundhog]

XIX Corps

Frezenberg

15th Division

44 Bde

44 Bde attacked on the division’s right with 8/10th Gordon Highlanders and 9th Black Watch. 8th Bn, Seaforth Highlanders was in support. The attack went relatively easily and the brigade had fought through and consolidated 500 yards east of Frezenberg in time to fight of a German attack at 8.30am and another at 10am.

46 Bde

This brigade used 7/8th King’s Own Scottish Borderers and 10/11th Highland Light Infantry in the attack with 10th Scottish Rifles in support.

Assisted by two tanks, the KOSB overcame resistance from a redoubt in Frezenberg village. They reached the Blue Line by 5am and after a re-org continued the attack. Another strongpoint on the Ypres-Zonnebeke Road had to be outflanked and captured. The HLI meanwhile was held up by fire from Square Farm, Hill 35 and Frost House. 55th Div troops took Square Farm as part of their assault allowing the HLI to advance to Low Farm. Here they were checked again by fire from PommernCastle and Hill 35. The HLI reached the Black Line by 10am.

45 Bde

45 Bde was supposed to take the third objective once the first and second had fallen to the assault units. In the brigade were 6/7th Royal Scots Fusiliers, 6th Cameron Highlanders, 11th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders and 13th Royal Scots.

A&SH covered the right flank with two platoons. A counterattack at 2pm fell on the 55th Div and the Camerons. The 55 th troops withdrew to the line Pommern Castle-Beck House and 10/11th HLI was sent to Iberian Farm to strengthen the right flank.

Wieltje

55 Div

165 Bde

The division advanced at Zero Hour with 165 Bde front right, 166 Bde front left and 164 Bde in support.

Attacking troops in 165 Bde were 1/5th and 1/6th King’s Liverpool Regt. The two battalions reached the Blue Line with little trouble and then attacked Plum Farm from which heavy MG fire was coming. The Farm was captured whilst still under bombardment.

1/7th and 1/9th King’s Liverpool Regt then passed through, 1/7 th being held up by fire from Square Farm, the same position that was holding up the HLI of 15th Div at the same time. The Farm fell to the Liverpudlians after several attacks allowing the advance continue to the Black Line. Pommern Redoubt was captured at 9am and a tank captured Bank Farm.

166 Bde

Despite running into many MG positions, 1/5th King’s Own Regt and 1/5th North Lancashire Regt kept up with the barrage and reached the first objective. 1/10th Liverpool Scottish and 1/5th South Lancashire Regt then passed through, encountering strong opposition from Spree Farm, Capricorn Trench and Pond Farm. 1/5th North Lancs was sent forward to support them. Capricorn Trench fell to the Liverpool Scottish at 9am. Spree Farm and Pond Farm remained in German hands and caused many casualties. One of the wounded was Capt Noel Chavasse, MO of the Liverpool Scottish. He earned his second VC for helping the wounded under fire. His first VC was earned on the Somme in 1916 and he had also been awarded the MC previously. Capt Chavasse would be the only double VC of the Great War. Unfortunately he died of his wounds and is buried in BrandhoekCemetery.

164 Bde

The brigade joined the battle at 10am. 2/5th Lancashire Fusiliers captured Spree Farm supported by the 1/8th Bn (Liverpool Irish). 1/4th Bn, North Lancs supported by 1/4th Bn, King’s Own advanced to the Green Line, capturing five batteries of 77mm guns on the way. The brigade consolidated in touch with 15th Div. Later on the left flank had to withdraw to get in touch with 39th Division troops.

[Groundhog]

Hooge

8th Division

24 Bde attacked with 1st Bn, Worcestershire Regt and 2 nd Bn, Northamptonshire Regt. 2nd East Lancs and 1st Sherwood Foresters were to pass through the lead battalions on reaching their objectives.

Covered by mortar fire 2nd Northants took BellewardeLake. Beyond that the troops struggled through Chateau Wood barely managing to keep up with the barrage. The Worcesters and Northants advanced to the Blue Line, capturing Jacob Trench and Bellewarde Ridge. However as the Sherwood Foresters passed through them they came under heavy fire from HanebeekValley and Glencorse Wood.

The brigade pulled back to the shelter of Westhoek Ridge.

23 Bde

2nd Bn West Yorkshire Regt and 2nd Bn Devonshire Regt attacked here, supported by 2nd Scotish Rifles and 2nd Middlesex Regt respectively.

Both attacking battalions reached their objective, the Yorks taking Ziel House. The support units then passed through, with the Scottish Rifles taking Jaffa Trench despite heavy fire from Kit and Kat Blockhouses. The blockhouses were also captured.

This brigade was also forced back to Westhoek Ridge.

25 Bde

1st Bn, Royal Irish Rifles was in this brigade, which was in support to the rest of the division. Also in action were 2nd, Lincolnshire Regt and 2nd, Rifle Brigade. Two companies of 2nd Bn, Royal Berkshire Regt formed a defensive flank on the right to compensate for 30th Division’s failure.

The Rifle Brigade initially established an outpost in Hanebeek Wood but was forced to with draw to Kit and Kat positions.

The Lincolns and Irish Rifles came under heavy fire from Glencorse Wood and Nonneboschen. Some groups were making progress but it was decided to consolidate Jabber Trench just short of the second objective. Several attacks were driven back in the afternoon, with the Middlesex plugging gaps in the line. A final German assault at 5pm was destroyed by artillery.

[Groundhog]

Sanctuary Wood

30th Division

The division attacked with 21 Bde on the right flank, 90 Bde on the left and 89 Bde in support.

21 Bde

2nd Bn, Green Howards and 2nd Bn Wiltshire Regt attacked in 21 Bde supported by 19th Bn, Manchester Regt and 18th Bn King’s Liverpool Regt. The brigade was held up by enemy shelling and quickly became confused in Sanctuary Wood, a twisted mess of fallen trees, shell-holes and mud. Two whole companies of the Liverpool Regt wandered off north east and ended up in StirlingCastle and Clapham Junction. The Wiltshires, Manchesters and some 2nd Bn, Scots Fusiliers of 90 Bde ended up in Jar Row Trench, south of StirlingCastle. An unsuccessful attempt was made to bomb along the trench. Fire from StirlingCastle meant that that position could not be taken until reinforcements arrived from 89 Bde. Bodmin Copse was also occupied.

90 Bde

16th and 18th Bns, Manchester Regt took their first objectives whereupon 17th Bn, Manchester Regt passed through the 16th Bn and was stopped just short of StirlingCastle by MG fire. 2nd Bn, Scots Fusiliers got lost however, some joining 21 Bde troops while others attacked Chateau Wood in the belief that it was Glencorse Wood. The capture was reported to HQ.

89 Bde

89 Bde advanced in support of the other two brigades with 20th Bn King’s Liverpool Regt on the right followed by 19th Bn King’s Liverpool Regt and 17th Bn King’s Liverpool Regt on the left supported by 2nd Bn, Bedfordshire Regt. The 19th was tasked with filling the gap across the Menin Road between 30th and 8th Divisions.

Much to their surprise, 17th, Liverpool Regt reached StirlingCastle at 8.45am to find that they were now lead troops in the division. They dug in south of Clapham Junction facing Dumbarton Wood and linked with 8th Div on their left. 19th Liverpool and 2nd Bedfords remained at Maple Copse until 10pm when they relieved 53 Bde.

18th Division

53 Bde

53 Bde’s task was to leapfrog 30th Div once Glencorse Wood had been taken.

8th Bn, Suffolk Regt arrived in Jackdaw Trench at 8.10am to find Glencorse Wood stille in enemy hands despite reports to the contrary. They dug in near Clapham Junction. Meanwhile 6th Bn, Berkshire Regt bogged down on the Menin Road also under fire from Glencorse Wood. With the help of 79 Coy, RE they destroyed some pill boxes between road and wood. Five tanks sent to assist bogged down in mud and were destroyed by shell-fire. By 10am they had dug in at the cross roads north west of Glencorse Wood.



ShrewsburyForest

24th Div

17 Bde[/B]

Fifth Army was commanded by our own Hubert Gough.

24th Div attacked with three brigades in order to form a defensive flank on the right of Fifth Army.

In 17 Bde, 1st Royal Fusiliers reached it’s first objective shortly after Zero Hour then joined 73 Bde in attacking Lower Star Post. 12th Royal Fusiliers then passed through the 1st Bn to the Black Line where they came under fire from Tower Hamlets. They were stopped 300 yards short of the Blue Line where 3rd Bn, Rifle Brigade helped them consolidate.

73 Bde

2nd Bn, The Leinster Regt attacked through ShrewsburyForest with 7th Bn, Northamptonshire Regt. After a short delay in the wood, the brigade reached Jehovah Trench, advanced through Groenenburg Farm and was stopped at Jordan Trench by fire from the pill boxes in Lower Star Post. The brigade consolidated in front of Jordan Trench, which was flooded, having failed to take Lower Star Post.

72 Bde

1st Bn North Staffordshire Regt and 8th Bn, The Queen’s Regt advanced through Bodmin Copse and on to Bassevillebeek where the stream leaves Dumbarton Wood. Under fire from the wood on the left and Lower Star Post on the right, the two battalions withdrew to the south of Bodmin Copse.

[Groundhog]

North West of Hollebeke

X Corps

41st Div

122 Bde

The division attacked astride the Ypres-CominesCanal at Zero Hour.

122 Bde attacked south of the canal with 18th King’s Royal Rifle Corps and 11th Royal West Kents. 12th Bn The East Surrey Regt was in support. The West Kents took Oblique Trench after a fierce fight after which they came under fire from houses on the Hollebeke Road. KRRC was held up by machine gun fire from HollebekeChurch. At 8 am the West Kents assaulted the village and captured it by 11.30 am. They consolidated 100 yards short of the final objective, the Green Line. After night fall the East Surreys attacked and captured Forret Farm.

123 Bde

123 Bde attacked north of the canal with 11th Bn, The Queen’s Regt, 10th Royal West Kents and two companies of 23rd Bn, Middlesex Regt. 20th Bn, Durham Light Infantry was in support.

All attacking units met strong opposition but managed to take the first objective, The Red Line. Thereafter progress was slowed down by the state of the ground. As a consequence, the barrage crept ahead of the attack. The Middlesex met flooded ground between the canal and the railway forcing them to advance along the railway’s embankment. Parties from the West Kents and Queen’s Regt reached The Blue Line by 8am where they dug in. During the day more troops filtered up to reinforce but attempts on The Green line were defeated by a line of Pill Boxes.

19th Div

56 Bde

56 Bde attacked at Zero Hour with 7th Bn, King’s Own, 7th Bn, East Lancashire Regt and 7th Bn, North Lancashire Regt. 7th Bn, South Lancashire Regt was in support. The King’s took allit’s objectives- JunctionBuildings, Spider Farm and Tiny Farm and by 4.10am it’s right hand company had reached the Blue Line in touch with 37th Div on it’s right. However a 300 yard gap existed between it and the rest of the companies at Wasp Farm. The rest of the battalions also reached the blue line with the left flank of North Lancs forming a flank south of Forret Farm.

At 6.45am the Germans counterattacked the boundary of the two divisions at Rifle Farm and recaptured it. Another attack an hour later forced the King’s own back to Tiny farm and 9th Royal Welsh Fusiliers was sent to reinforce.



Hollebeke

IX Corps

37th Div

63 Bde

The brigade attacked with two of it’s own battalions, 10th Yorks & Lancs and 8th Somerset Light Infantry and also with 8th East Lancs, attached from 112 Bde. 63 Bde’s other two battalions 4th Middlesex and 8th Lincolns were under command of 19th Div.

4th Middlesex and one company of 8th Lincolns advanced at Zero Hour to the line July Farm-Rifle Farm. At 7.50am the second phase began with the Lincolns advancing alongside 8th Somerset Light Infantry to the western edge of Beek Farm where the Somerset’s A Coy dug in while two platoons tried unsuccessfully to clear Beek Wood. A German counterattack forced the Lincolns back from Rifle Farm. Another attack at 8pm was defeated by artillery fire.

[Groundhog]

Second Army

II ANZAC Corps

Warneton

3rd Australian Division

11 Australian Bde

42nd and 43rd Bns attacked some German outposts with 43rd Bn capturing The Windmill position after a sharp fight.The 42nd was held up by flanking fire from the outposts but in 15 minutes reached the wire of the Warneton Line. At dusk 41st Bn was relieving the two assault battalions when the Germans attacked and recaptured the Windmill. 43rd Bn drove the Germans back after midnight.


New Zealand Division

1 NZ Bde

1st Auckland Bn raided the northern sector of the divisional front supported by 2nd Auckland Bn. 2nd Wellington Bn meanwhile attacked La Basse Ville further south. The Wellingtons met strong resistance and two platoons had to clear the village with bomb and bayonet. They captured but failed to hold an Estaminet on the Warneton Road called Der Rooster Cabaret. From here the Germans launched three counterattacks during the afternoon against the Aucklands who had captured two of three fortified shell holes.

[Groundhog]

Wednesday 1st August 1917 - Day 2

Frezenberg

At 3.30pm under cover of smoke and artillery, the Germans attacked along the Ypres-Roulers Railway line, the boundary between 15th and 8th Divisions. North of the railway artillery stopped the Germans but to the south the 8th Div was forced back, exposing the right flank of 15th Div which was held by 8/10th Gordon Highlanders. The Gordons left fell back to North Station Buildings while the right was reinforced by 6/7th Royal Scots Fusiliers and 11th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. The three battalions were ordered to retake the Black Line which they did at 9pm.

Westhoek

25th Div relieved 8th Div.

Warneton

A German counterattack was spotted whilst forming up by 3rd Australian Division. It reached the Warneton Line before being driven back by MG and artillery fire.

[Goldie fish]

Am I mistaken in thinking that some indie pop combo has a single out at the moment about the battle?

[Groundhog]

Am I mistaken in thinking that some indie pop combo has a single out at the moment about the battle?

Please tell me you are mistaken.

[Master Of None]

Am I mistaken in thinking that some indie pop combo has a single out at the moment about the battle?

Well it depends on whether you call Iron Maiden an indie pop combo or not!!

There is actually a recent song on the subject as well, heard it on Pet Sounds last night (TodayFM). Think it might be by a band called Secret Space but im very open to correction on that.

[Groundhog]

Thursday 2nd August 1917 - Day 3

St. Julian

A German attack on 39th Division was stopped by artillery while forming up. 116 Bde occupied St. Julian and established posts north of the village on the east bank of the Steenbeek.

Frezenberg



At 1.30pm after a heavy bombardment, the Germans launched another assault on 15th Division. The defenders drove them back. Another attempt at 5pm was stopped by artillery.


Part of the 1.30 assault on 15th Division also fell on 55th Division. Here the attack was directed at Pommern Redoubt. The assault was broken up by artillery and MG fire, the attackers retreating behind Hill 35.

[Goldie fish]

The Good Books.

GoodBooks: Passchendaele
Out: 16/07/2007
Label: Columbia Records
'Passchendaele' tells the story of a tiny town in Belgium that suffered heavily in WWI through the eyes of a young soldier wondering what all the fussing and feuding is about. Strong lyrically, it’s a lovely ditty that goes on the pull for perfect pop, coming up trumps via electronic pokes and prods, tonal guitar strumming, Britpop piano and a choral flugelhorn accompaniment.

A definite nod to early Travis and Gomez abounds, but instead of coming off as a copy-and-paste affair, these GoodBooks inscribe a sense of originality on ‘Passchendaele’, one that spews from each melody as if they have been singing about the Great War all their life.

A preview from their forthcoming debut album Control, out at the end of July, this is a promising and enticing introduction to a band that could become a mainstay in the hearts and minds of pop lovers – if each song on said long-player is as good as this one, a classic could emerge. Plus, instead of blaring on about women and sex to plaintive Britpop, the high road is taken here, as the quartet writes about something interesting, like history. Does chalking on about history does get the girls? Does it matter? Bravo.