The Story of the Great War, Volume III (of 12): The War Begins, Invasion of Belgium, Battle of the Marne
History
The Story of the Great War, Volume III (of 12): The War Begins, Invasion of Belgium, Battle of the Marne
World War, 1914-1918
Sir John French summarized part of the fighting in Flanders, after
the capture of Antwerp, in the following official report: "The Second
Corps under General Smith-Dorrien was opposed by overpowering forces
of Germans, but nevertheless advanced until October 18, 1914, when
the German opposition compelled a reenforcement. Six days later
the Lahore Division of the Indian Army was sent to support the
Second Corps. On October 16, Sir Henry Rawlinson, who had covered
the retreat of the Belgian army from Antwerp, with two divisions of
English cavalry and two divisions of French infantry, was stationed
on the line east of Ypres under orders to operate over a wide front
and to keep possession of all the ground held by the Allies until
the First Army Corps could reach Ypres.
"General Rawlinson was opposed by superior forces and was unable
to prevent the Germans from getting large reenforcements. With
four divisions holding a much wider front than their size justified
he faced a rather awkward situation, as the enemy was massed from
the Lys.
"The shattered Belgian army and the weary French troops advanced
to check the Germans--but in vain. Sir Douglas Haig with the First
Army Corps was sent to recapture Bruges on October 19, 1914, while
the Belgian army intrenched along the Yser Canal. General Haig
failed--owing to bad roads. October 21 brought the most severe
attack made on the First Corps at Ypres, in the checking of which
the Worcestershire Regiment did good work. This day marked the
most critical period in the battle which resulted in the recapture
of the village of Gheluvelt."
South of Dixmude is one of the most historic and quaintly attractive
cities of Belgium, Ypres. It is situated on a tributary of the Yser
called the Yperlee, and a railway runs through it from Roulers
to the main Lille-St. Ower line at Hazebrouck and a very important
canal runs from the Yser in the north to the Lys at Comines.
The allied lines were held by the British First and Third Corps
and several cavalry divisions, at this point all under the chief
command of General Haig, while the Bavarian Crown Prince directed
the movements of the German forces. On October 20, 1914, the allied
line stretched--a few miles to the northeast of Ypres--from Bixschoote
to the crossroads a mile and a half northwest of Zonnebeke. The
cavalry only were kept busy during this day, while the other forces
were making elaborate preparations for the main drive. The great
attack was delivered October 21 against the point of the salient
between Zonnebeke and Besselaere. The allied line on the left was
so much exposed that the Twenty-second Brigade was enfiladed by the
Germans at the very beginning, and in the center the Germans pierced
the line held by the Royal Scots Fusiliers, with the Yorkshires on
the extreme right. The fierce assaults from both sides ended in
a draw for this day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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