Third Battle of Ypres

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Third Battle of Ypres Officially known as the Third Battle of Ypres, Passchendaele became

infamous not only for the scale of casualties, but also for the mud.

Ypres was the principal town within a salient (or bulge) in the

British lines and the site of two previous battles: First Ypres

(October-November 1914) and Second Ypres (April-May 1915). Haig had

long wanted a British offensive in Flanders and, following a warning

that the German blockade would soon cripple the British war effort,

wanted to reach the Belgian coast to destroy the German submarine

bases there. On top of this, the possibility of a Russian withdrawal

from the war threatened German redeployment from the Eastern front to

increase their reserve strength dramatically.

The British were further encouraged by the success of the attack on

Messines Ridge on 7 June 1917. Nineteen huge mines were exploded

simultaneously after they had been placed at the end of long tunnels

under the German front lines. The capture of the ridge inflated Haig's

confidence and preparations began. Yet the flatness of the plain made

stealth impossible: as with the Somme, the Germans knew an attack was

imminent and the initial bombardment served as final warning. It

lasted two weeks, with 4.5 million shells fired from 3,000 guns, but

again failed to destroy the heavily fortified German positions.

The infantry attack began on 31 July. Constant shelling had churned...

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...entually

Sir Douglas Haig called off the attacks and did not resume the

offensive until late September.

Attacks on 26th September and 4th October enabled the British forces

to take possession of the ridge east of Ypres. Despite the return of

heavy rain, Haig ordered further attacks towards the Passchendaele

Ridge. Attacks on the 9th and 12th October were unsuccessful. As well

as the heavy mud, the advancing British soldiers had to endure mustard

gas attacks.

Three more attacks took place in October and on the 6th November the

village of Passchendaele was finally taken by British and Canadian

infantry. The offensive cost the British Expeditionary Force about

310,000 casualties. Sir Douglas Haig was severely criticised for

continuing with the attacks long after the operation had lost any real

strategic value.

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