36
The Ypres Times.
The safety of our homes and the freedom of mankind depend alike upon the con
duct of each one of us at this critical moment."
Throughout this time reinforcements were being rushed to the danger-point
by our Command, while the promise of help in great force was made by the French.
The aim of the desperately stretched-out and exhausted British troops was to keep the
line intact until these reinforcements could arrive.
Armentières, on the 7th April, had been bombarded with some 40,000 gas shells
and the town was evacuated. As the German thrust developed along the front the
battalions damming the breach to the south gradually withdrew, and in the Nieppe
Messines Sector fought their way slowly back, contesting each step from hour to hour,
and keeping in touch with the troops on their right and left until on April 14th the line
ran nearly straight from the Canal near Hollebeke to Wytschaete and Bailleul. The
success of this withdrawal was due in great measure to deeds of individual heroism, the
boldest souls creating centres of defence and fighting with utter sacrifice of self. These
heroic stands of small parties held the enemy long enough for the line to re-form, mile
behind mile, until a strong defensive position was reached. So once again the few in
number, the exhausted in body, denied the way to an enemy seemingly overwhelming
in number and strength.
But a cruel sacrifice had to be made, one that might well have broken down the
moral of an army less resolute. It had become impossible to hold that jutting line east of
Ypres that outlined the Salient. The holding of the Salient had always been to our troops
the severest task it had now become a menace. To keep the line intact, to save Ypres,
a deliberate withdrawal was ordered. All the ground that had been wrenched with such
effort and agony from the enemy a few months before was now deliberately yielded back
to him. The troops manned a battleline closely bastioned round the ruined city, and
this greatly shortened and less vulnerable line was held.
The British had by now defeated the German aim of turning the northern defences
by a break-through south of Armentières, and the enemy concentrated on the capture of
the high ground at Kemmel and the Mont des Cats
By the 17th April, the British line, now ran almost directly from Wytschaete to
Meteren, withstood all attempts to break through till on the 17th the Germans made a
determined effort to capture Kemmel Hill, attacking on either side. They attacked in
vain, although they employed eight divisions, of which seven were fresh to the battle.
The enemy tried again to capture the hill two days later, but again failed completely
and now he began to show signs of exhaustion the stubbornness of the British opposition
had told. The critical hour had passed and the nation knew that its armies had responded
to Sir Douglas Haig's call to the utmost meaning of those words.
The fresh Australian divisions had arrived, and were in the line to the south, and some
French troopsthough they had been a week on the wayhad come up to the Wytschaete
Sector. Severe fighting continued for some days and by the 24th the French had taken
over the Kemmel Sector, holding with four divisions some 12,500 yards of front. The loss
next day of Kemmel Hill is sometimes attributed to the French use of an inefficient gas
mask. The British, fighting desperately, clung to their positions and barred the way to
the north some units even counter-attacked, reaching Kemmel village.
Fortunately the end was near. Heavy fighting and hot local attacks con
tinued for some days longer, but the enemy's force was spent. No further offensive of
any importance was attempted.
And the envoi They had fought to the end. Every position had been held to the
last man. The safety of their homes and the freedom of mankind were gained. Victorv
was to those who held out the longest.Extracts from The Battle Book of Ypres.
