German Military Cemetery (Langemark)

German Military Cemetery. One of four remaining German military cemeteries in West-Flanders, the 'Studentenfriedhof' is now the final resting place for some 44,000 German servicemen. One of several burial grounds begun during the war in the Langemark area, the cemetery was expanded with burials from abandoned smaller cemeteries until the 1950s. Some 25,000 remain unidentified and were laid to rest in a 'Kameradengrab'. Langemark is conceived as a lawn cemetery ('Rasenfriedhof') with oak trees, the ancient German trees, symbolizing the dead.

German Military Cemetery (Langemark)

German Military Cemetery. A stylized group of four soldiers coming to mourn their fallen comrades was carved by Emil Krieger. The First Battle of Ypres (19 October–22 November 1914) presented both sides a reality check: it was now clear as day that a quick decisive victory was completely out of reach. Frontal attacks against defensive positions all failed. However, the alternative, a long, brutal war of attrition with massive casualties and little or no territorial gain seemed hard to sell at the home front. The German army considered it better to spread the news that 'young regiments' had broken through enemy lines at Langemark while singing the German national anthem. The myth of the heroic student volunteers was born and the burial place at Langemark became the 'Studentenfriedhof'. In fact very little students took part in the attacks, they didn't sing, there was no breaktrough, but the casualties were excessively high. In the interwar period the Nazi Party hijacked the Langemark episode and turned it into a symbol of German heroic sacrifice.

German Military Cemetery (Langemark)

The mass grave ('Kameradengrab') contains remains of 24,916 unknown German soldiers. In recent years almost 17,000 were identified and their names are listed on the surrounding tablets. Whether they are actually buried in this mass grave, nobody knows for sure.

German Military Cemetery (Langemark)

The stone tablets date from 1971. Each covers several burials. Where possible name, rank and date of death are given. These casualties are from the First Battle of Ypres, which turned out to be for both sides, but especially for the German army, extremely costly in human lives.

Carrefour des roses (Boezinge)

Breton War Memorial. This patch of Breton heritage on Belgian soil, comprises a calvary, menhirs and dolmen to form a memorial commemorating the victims of the French 87th Territorial Division and the French 45th Infantry Division who fell during the first German poison gas attack on 22 April 1915. Many of the Territorials were from Brittany, while the 45th consisted of North African servicemen. Both sides had been experimenting with gas since the outbreak of the war. The relatively harmless tear gas soon became toxic chlorine gas, which the Germans first employed on the Western Front here, on the northern flank of the Ypres Salient, near Boezinge. In a couple of days several thousands died or were incapacitated. Gas masks were nonexistent. Yet the Germans failed to exploit their advantage due to a lack of troops. Once the fist steps in chemical warfare had been taken by the Germans, the Allies no longer felt restrained from using poisonous gas as well. Unlike the canisters used by the Germans to overwhelm the infantry, the French army introduced asphyxiating gas shells in June 1915 on the Artois front as counter-battery fire.

Carrefour des roses (Boezinge)

The monuments on the Carrefour des roses were imported from Brittany, including this 16th-century calvaire from Louargat. The ensemble was inaugurated on 15 September 1929 by the bishop of St. Brieuc, who served with the 87th Territorial Division. More on: https://inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be/erfgoedobjecten/30629

Kitchener's Wood (Langemark-Poelkapelle)

Kitchener's Wood (originally the Wijngaardbos, later named the 'Bois des cuisiniers'), west of Sint-Juliaan, was the scene of bitter fighting in the Second Battle of Ypres, in April 1915. The Allied lines were close to collapse after the Germans assaulted the northern edge of the Ypres Salient with poison gas on 22 April 1915. The Canadian Division, in its first action on the Western Front, counterattacked to retake Kitchener's Wood during the night of April 22/23. The inexperienced Canadians gained some ground, but suffered heavy casualties and were eventually forced to withdraw. A new gas attack on 24 April made more gaps in the Allied lines, but in spite of all, the Canadian Division held firm and bought time for reinforcements to arrive. This memorial commemorates the action of two Canadian battalions in the area. It was designed by Jef Dekeyser, at the initiative of the school in Sint-Juliaan and unveiled in 1997. Kitchener's Wood was completely destroyed in the war and never replanted.

Seaforth Cemetery, Cheddar Villa (Langemark-Poelkapelle)

This Commonwealth battlefield cemetery was built after the fighting in the area on 25/26 April 1915. It took part of its name from the nearby farm, while the majority of the 148 dead are men from the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders buried on the spot. Some graves were destroyed later in the war and are now represented by special memorials. Heavy fighting took place in the area around Sint-Juliaan and Kitchener's Wood after the Germans had introduced chlorine gas on 22 April 1915 and were close to breaking through the Allied lines. Canadian and then British units were sent in to plug the gap. Eventually the Germans failed to capitalize on the chaos created by the poisonous gas and only managed to tighten the salient around Ypres. Yet both sides suffered heavy casualties with each counterattack.

Canadian Memorial (St.-Juliaan/Langemark-Poelkapelle)

This monument called "The Brooding Soldier" commemorates the action of the Canadian Corps in the Second Battle of Ypres (22 April-25 May 1915). The Canadian Division held out for four days (21-25 April) against all odds in this sector. Gas masks were not yet in use and all these guys could do was to urinate on a cloth or handkerchief and cover their mouths and noses with it. Yet for many it was too late and losses were heavy: 6.500 Canadians were killed, wounded or taken prisoner in the Second Battle of Ypres.

Canadian Memorial (St.-Juliaan/Langemark-Poelkapelle)

The designer of the monument was Canadian architect Frederick Chapman Clemesha, who himself had been wounded while serving with the Canadian Corps. The 11 meters high "Brooding Soldier" was unveiled on 8 July 1923.

Saint-Charles de Potyze - French military cemetery (Ypres)

Begun as a burial ground for a neighbouring French field hospital installed in an abandoned school in 1914-1915, 'Saint-Charles de Potyze' was devastated a couple of times in the subsequent war years. Restored in 1919, it became a concentration cemetery and eventually the largest French burial ground in Belgium. More than 4.200 French servicemen rest at Sint-Charles de Potyze, 762 remain unidentified. The cemetery is an open burial ground.

Bedford House Cemetery (Ypres)

A large Commonwealth cemetery begun during the war on the grounds of Kasteel Rosendael (renamed Bedford House by the troops), a mansion 2.5 km south of Ypres. Expanded after the Armistice, it is now the final resting place for 5,139 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War and 69 of the Second. 3,013 of the burials are unidentified. The mansion which served as hospital and occasional headquarters was quite naturally completely destroyed.

Bedford House Cemetery (Ypres)

The graves of Indian servicemen. 21 members of the British Indian Army have found a final resting place here.

Hill 62 (Zillebeke)

View looking southeast from Maple Copse towards Tor Top (Hill 62). The Germans smashed through the Canadian lines and captured Hill 62 and, further to the right, Mount Sorrel on June 2, 1916. The German plan was to capture the last crest line before Ypres and at the same time pin down as many Allied units as possible to thwart the buildup for the Somme offensive. Although severely battered the Canadian Corps began to mount counterattacks from June 3, but only succeeded to recapture the high ground by June 13, and lost over 8.000 men. Source: http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/battles/battles-of-the-western-front-in-france-and-flanders/actions-in-the-spring-of-1916-western-front/

Mount Sorrel (Zillebeke)

Looking north towards Mount Sorrel. The Germans attacked the hill from this area during their offensive on June 2, 1916. In the preliminary bombardment of the Allied positions on June 2 Major-General Malcolm Mercer, GOC 3rd Canadian Division was killed. Mercer and Brigadier-General V.A.S. Williams, GOC 8th Canadian Brigade, happened to be on a personal reconnaissance of the crest when they were caught in massive German shellfire which obliterated most of the Allied defence lines. While Mercer was wounded and then killed, Williams also injured was taken prisoner. Most casualties of the bombardment were taken to an underground work on the reverse slope of Mount Sorrel. Yet both Mount Sorrel and Tor Top (Hill 62) were captured by the Germans that day. General Mercer (1859-1916) was buried in Lijssenthoek Commonwealth Cemetery. He is the most senior Canadian officer ever to be killed in combat. Source: http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/battles/battles-of-the-western-front-in-france-and-flanders/actions-in-the-spring-of-1916-western-front/

Observatory Ridge (Zillebeke)

View from Observatory Ridge (Zandvoordestraat) towards Mount Sorrel.

Shrewsbury Forest (Zillebeke)

One of several German concrete defences still visible in Groenenburgbos (wartime Shrewsbury Forest).

Shrewsbury Forest (Zillebeke)

View from Kranenburgstraat towards Groenenburgbos (wartime Shrewsbury Forest), which was part of the German defence line in June 1916.

Hill 62 (Zillebeke)

Hill 62 Canadian Memorial. The memorial commemorates the Canadian forces who took part in the defence of the Ypres Salient, April-August 1916, often with heavy losses. The towers of Ypres can be seen on the horizon.

Bayernwald (Wijtschate)

A complex of German trenches, bunkers and countermine shafts was excavated and reconstructed in its original location in the wood north of Wijtschate. The edge of the wood formed the German front line from 1914 to 7 June 1917. The wood acquired its name after Bavarian units captured it in 1914. The Allies called it Bois Quarante.

Bayernwald (Wijtschate)

Concrete bunkers were incorporated in the German defence system. Only 1,20 meters high these bunkers in the Bayernwald sector were temporary shelters against the heaviest bombardments.

Messines Ridge

Messines atop the ridge, seen from the Spanbroekmolen site. "It was just one mass of flames. The whole world seemed to go up in the air" (Rifleman T. Cantlon - 21st Btn, King's Royal Rifles). On 7 June 1917, in preparation of the British attack that was to capture the Messines Ridge, 19 mines were detonated deep under the German positions. It created the largest non-nuclear explosions in history - apparently the sound of the blast was heard in London. Approximately 10,000 Germans were killed instantly by the explosions. The Ridge was captured. For once the British attack was a success.