THE YPRES TIMES
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gates became reduced to four, three of them being ornated with artistic fa£ades. The
Antwerp Gate was the most beautiful of them and bore, facing the city, a long latin
inscription to the glory of Ludovicus-Magnus with the date 1688.
War broke out again in 1689, illustrated in following years by the victories of
Marlborough. Though every Belgian town was taken and retaken several times during
these eventful years, Ypres escaped all attacks on account of its strong fortifications.
After the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, Ypres was occupied by a Dutch garrison.
In 1744 the French, under Louis XV, invaded Flanders on June 6th and attacked
Ypres, which was only feebly held. The attack took place along both banks of the Yser
Canal (dug in 1638) and was so actively pushed that the Governor, Prince William of
Hesse-Phillipsthal, surrendered on the 25th. Capitulation was signed at the Royal
Headquarters at Vlamertinghe next day.
Belgium, having passed by heritage under the rule of the Emperor Joseph II of
Austria, a pacifist, decided to dismantle all the fortresses on Belgian soil. All the
works east of the moat were levelled and the ground sold by auction. The Menin and
Zonnebeke roads were made to follow the course they have to-day and led through the
Antwerp Gate.
In 1792 the successor of Joseph II had to pay for undue pacifism and lack of
foresight when the French started war against Austria and had no trouble in occupying
Ypres. The Austrians retook it, soon to lose it once more. The French evacuated
the town again the following year. Immediately the Austrians decided to rebuild
the works outside the moat and on the eastern front alone nine demi-lunes were erected.
The city was attacked on June 1st, 1792, by General Moreau. His army stretched
from the Yser Canal to the Vlamertinghe Road. The Austrians, 7,000 strong, sur
rendered on the 17th, after a very heavy bombardment and weak resistance.
In 1794 the outer works were again levelled.
In 1804 Emperor Napoleon paid a visit to Ypres. The main gate was called after
him, and an imperial eagle carved on the stonework. Thus disappeared the old name
of Antwerp Gate.
In 1815, during the Hundred Days, all the exterior works were hastily rebuilt
under the British R.E. Colonel Carmichael Smyth, and armed with numerous British
artillery, landed at Ostend and brought along the Nieuport canal.
After Waterloo, Belgium was united to Holland and during the following years
Ypres was strongly fortified against a possible invasion by the French. A large-sized
lunette was built in 1821-22 on the site of the old citadel, with three demi-lunes north
and as many south of it. Napoleon's Gate, thenceforth called Menin Gate, gave
passage to the road after it had passed through the third demi-lune from the north.
In 1852 the Belgian Government decided Ypres should no longer rank amongst
the few fortified places of the country. All the outer works were levelled once again,
this time even the brick rampart built by Vauban was pulled down on the northern
front, and in 1853 also on the western side to make room for the railway works and
station. The old gates were pulled down, so as to give wider passage to the roads.
And so it came that, during a dark night early in 1915, when word passed down
the single file, the last man, shut the Menin Gate this man, new to the place, swore
he could find no gate to shut.
M. de Hasque, D.C.M.,
Hon. Lieut., Belgian Army.
Writer of above avails himself of this opportunity to convey his most respectful greetings and
kindest regards to all under whose orders or with whom he served in the Ypres Salient from January,
1915, right up to the great offensive as Belgian Military Interpreter, with the 27th, 6th, 38th, 30th, 56th!
7th, 14th and 29th Divisions, B.e.F., and after the Armistice with 4th Division and XXII Army Corps.
