Walking Wipers – “Five years of war” October 2006.

Post Tour Report

With 24 passengers our Journey began picking up at various spots on the way to our base for this Ypres walking tour. Each of the walks covered an area of the “Salient” where much of the fighting took place in that year. Many of the areas walked here are seldom covered and our group often attracted glances from locals not as used to seeing such visitors!

Walk 1 - 1914 “First Ypres”- Covering the ground between Gheluvelt and Zanvoorde we looked at the actions fought by the BEF in October & November 1914 as the Germans attempted to break through to the channel ports. Starting at the Royal Horse Guards memorial in Zandvorde Clive set the scene of the BEF and its retreat from Mons and also pointed out the actions by the London Scottish at nearby Messines. We finished the walk at Gheluvelt before starting walk 2 - 1915 “Frezenberg Ridge. As gas and flamethrowers make their debut on the battlefield we followed the attacks and counter attacks that took place over this open, gun swept ground, we looked at the development of mining and some of the isolated memorials to men who fell in the Second Battle of Ypres. Crossing Oxford road, Aeroplane cemetery and the 50th Division memorial we proceeded in an almost orderly fashion to Railway Wood and RE Grave where we discussed the Liverpool Scottish attack of 1915 before going into Ypres for the last post ceremony.

Day 3, Whilst the third year of the war, 1916 saw no major offensive at Ypres by British forces, the Canadian operations on Observatory Ridge witnessed desperate fighting in May & June as they clung to the only remaining high ground held by the Allies in the Salient. Starting at Zillebeke we went up the line towards Maple copse and then onward to Hill 62 and the Canadian memorial. Our Packed lunch was taken al fresco in the autumn sunshine.

The opening phase of the Third Battle of Ypres saw the Allies advance on the Passchendaele Ridge, after initial successes at Messines the battle floundered in the quagmire of Ypres; our walk concentrated on the fortunes of the 39th Division during the 31st July 1917. For this walk we were following the attack of the 1/1st Hertfordshire Regiment. A different feel to this walk was made possible by our collection of personal memorabilia, papers and anecdotes from men of the Hertfords (our home regiment) Having started near New Irish Farm we finished at the Steenbeek stream, the high point of the Hertfords’ advance where they suffered enormous casualties. An Impromptu toast was arranged by some of the passengers “To the Regiment” and Clive erected a small memorial at the side of the river Steenbeek in memory of the men of the Hertfordshire regiment.

Day 4 saw us on the high ground at “Mont Kemmel” - The final push by the Germans to change the course of the war in 1918 saw heavy fighting in the Mont Kemmel area, an often overlooked aspect of Ypres, our walk looked at rearguard actions in the area as well as the American involvement in their recapture a few months later. The British bunkers at Lettenburg were our start point then downhill through Kemmel village and Kemmel Chateau cemetery toward Vierstraat and ending at the American Memorial to the 30th and 27th Divisions. Lunch was taken back on top of Kemmel Hill with its commanding views over the whole salient. Out tour concluded with time at the preserved trenches at Bayernwald and discussions on trench life and trench fighting. (Croonart wood) The last supper was taken in a lovely Restaurant but it is fair to say 24 covers was a little too much even for the unflappable maitre D’ on a Quiet October night !