The Menin Gate Memoria in Ypres, Belgium commemorates the missing and is dedicated to the British and Commonwealth soldiers killed in the Ypres Salient. (Peter Bocklandt-Adobe Stock )
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Some of the most significant battles during World War I took place in the British sector, especially in the Ypres (Iepers) region of Belgium. Whoever controlled Ypres controlled the vital passes to the channel ports of northern France and Belgium. There were three major battles.
First Battle of Ypres (Salient) | Oct. 19-Nov. 22, 1914
A “Race to the Sea,” the Allies fought to stop the German advance towards the English Channel. This solidified the hold on the Western Front and led to the formation of the Ypres Salient (a saucer-shaped bulge surrounding the city). This also led to permanent trench warfare while the Germans held the high ground and ultimately resulted in tactical stalemate.
Second Battle of Ypres | April 22-May 25, 1915
This battle marked the first use of mass chemical warfare. German Forces used chlorine gas against French and Canadian troops to try to advance past the Allied line on the north side of the salient. On May 25, the battle halted, and Ypres was still under Allied control. It was after this battle that Lt. Col. John McCrae wrote the poem “In Flanders Fields.”
Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) | July 31-Nov. 10, 1917
After the successful capture of the ridge and reclaiming of the high ground during the Battle of Messines, British and Canadian troops were able to launch a larger offense. They fought through part of the German line for control over the Passchendaele Ridge. The battle became known for the summer downpours that turned the landscape into a bog with severely muddy conditions. It’s estimated up to 500,00 Allied casualties were a result. The fallen are commemorated and buried at the Tyne Cot Cemetery.
The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) played a vital role as reinforcements towards the end of the war in 1918, after the three main battles. They contributed significantly to the Ypres-Lys Offensive as well as the French Army in Flanders to push back the Germans and help liberate Belgium. Nearly 370 American war dead who fought in this region are buried and honored at Flanders Field American Cemetery.
Check out this map to follow in these World War I soldiers’ footsteps
Cemeteries and Memorial Sites
St Julien Canadian Memorial in Langemark, Belgium. “The Brooding Soldier” marks first gas attack site on the Western Front (Thierry Provost-Adobe Stock )
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ABMC- Flanders Field American Cemetery – The only permanent American World War I cemetery in Belgium
ABMC-Kemmel American Monument – Commemorates sacrifices of American troops who fought in units attached to the British Army in the summer and fall of 1918.
ABMC- Audenarde American Monument – Commemorates the sacrifice of 40,000 American troops who fought in October and November 1918, as a final Allied push against German troops. Many are buried at the Flanders Field Cemetery.
Tyne Cot Cemetery – Largest Commonwealth forces cemetery in the world. The Tyne Cot Memorial, along the north-eastern boundary of the cemetery, bears the names of nearly 35,000 soldiers whose graves are unknown.
Menin Gate Memorial – Commemorates the missing British and Commonwealth soldiers killed in the Ypres Salient. Every evening at 8 p.m. the Last Post (a final salute) is performed under the arches.
Essex Farm Cemetery – Commemorates approximately 1,200 Commonwealth soldiers. It was here that John McCrae was inspired to write the poem of remembrance “In Flanders Fields” after the death of a friend. There are preserved bunkers that acted as aid stations.
Hill 60 Memorial Site – Despite its name, Hill 60 is actually a spoil heap that gave whoever held it clear line of sight over the southern part of the Salient. There are lunar-like mine craters from the underground explosions that allowed the British to recapture the territory from the Germans. You can also see bunkers and the Queen Victoria’s Rifles Memorial.
Langemark German Military Cemetery – This village was the scene of the first gas attacks by the German army during the Second Battle of Ypres. More than 44,000 soldiers are buried here.
St. Julien Memorial “Brooding Soldier” – This 11-meter granite monument, which features a soldier with his head bowed, honors the 18,000 Canadian soldiers who faced the first deadly gas attacks during the Second Battle of Ypres.
Ploegstreet Memorial to the Missing – Commemorates more than 11,000 servicemen of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died during World War I and have no grave.
Museums and Preserved Trenches
Walk through the well preserved trenches at the Hill 62 and Sanctuary Wood Museum (Katie Wells)
In Flanders Fields Museum – This interactive museum allows you to pick a soldier and learn their story as you walk through the exhibits. On my visit, after selecting an American soldier, a second Belgian soldier was picked for me, which gave me multiple perspectives of the war. The entirety of World War I on the western front is covered, especially the Ypres Salient.
Passchendaele Museum – Dedicated to World War I and in particular the Third Battle of Ypres, this museum features reconstructed trenches and dugouts for an immersive experience.
Sanctuary Wood and Hill 62 Museum – At this privately owned museum, you can view rare stereoscopes displaying photos taken on the frontlines as well as view artillery, artifacts and propaganda from World War I. Then, head out to one of the only preserved World War I trenches to see what it may have felt like for soldiers. The Hill 62 Canadian Memorial is a short walk away.
Yorkshire Trench and Dugout – The British soldiers of the 49th West Riding Division fighting through the Ypres Salient used this site as a battalion headquarters where they launched the attack on Pilkem on July 31, 1917, at the start of the Third Battle of Ypres. Tucked away in an industrial area, you can walk through the trench and learn more about the site from detailed plaques.
Croonaert Wood (Bayernwald Trenches) – This preserved trench network sits on high ground near Ypres and shows the perspective of the German Army. The trenches were part of the Messines Ridge defensive system, and the higher ground protected soldiers from gas and enemy artillery. The area was heavily bombarded by Commonwealth forces. You can also see two mine shafts and four bunkers.
Other Important Landmarks
The Pool of Peace is a large water-filled crater created during the Battle of Messines (Wernervc, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
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Caterpillar Crater – A short walk from Hill 60, this water-filled crater is a remnant of underground mining warfare. The Allied forces used these tactics during the Battle of Messines to undermine enemy positions.
Polygon Wood – Part of the Third Battle of Ypres, Polygon Wood is home to the Buttes New British Cemetery, the New Zealand Memorial to the Missing, the Butte and 5th Australian Division Memorial, Polygon Wood Cemetery and German Bunker Ruins.
Pool of Peace – This water-filled crater is the largest crater created when British troops detonated 19 underground mines beneath German lines during the Battle of Messines in 1917.
