Ypres 2020 - Izer Memorial Niepourt

Izer Memorial Nieuport

To commemorate the Battle of the Yser, a memorial is situated near the lock gates which were opened during the battle to prevent the Germans from seizing the last remaining part of Belgium not under German control.

The monument was inaugurated on the 26th October 1930 and features a woman protecting the Belgian crown. Four figures of soldiers are at each corner of the monument; one wounded, one blind, one with his medals and one with a lion.

Izer Memorial Nieuport

Ypres 2020 - Ramscappelle Belgian Cemetery

The Ramscappelle Belgian Military Cemetery is the resting place of 643 casualties, of which 411 are unidentified. Many of the casualties are from the Battle of the Yser. It was during that battle that the surrounding area was flooded, resulting in the remains of those killed not being recovered until the area was drained after the war. Other casualties buried in the cemetery came from a consolidation graves from the Nieuport / Ramscappelle area.

Ramscapple Belgian Military Cemetery

Ramscapple Belgian Military Cemetery

Ramscapple Belgian Military Cemetery

Ramscapple Belgian Military Cemetery

The headstones are inscribed in Flemish or French depending upon the area from where the casualty originated. For those unknown casualties, the inscription is in Flemish (Onbekend Militair Stierf Voor Belgie) ) and French ( Militaire Inconnu Mort Pour La Belgique). The headstones also show the medals that were awarded to each man.

Ramscapple Belgian Military Cemetery

Unknown Soldier

Ramscapple Belgian Military Cemetery

Captain Commandant Sohie

Ramscapple Belgian Military Cemetery

Soldier Renaat Honore

Ramscapple Belgian Military Cemetery

Sergeant Andre Vandermeylen

2020 - Ramscappelle Station

Ramscappelle Station IJ

In October 1914, the Belgian Army were engaged in the Battle of the Yser to block the German Army trying to penetrate along the coast towards French English Channel ports. It was during this battle that the Belgians fell back on the Diksmuide - Ramscappelle railway to establish a defensive line prior to the area being flooded.

Diksmuide - Ramscappelle Railway

Diksmuide - Ramscappelle Railway 1914

Ramscappelle Station WW1

Ramscappelle Station WW1

The Battle of the Yser ended at the end of October 1914 when the German advance was halted as a result of the area being inundated. 

Diksmuide to Nieuport Railway  - Yser Inundations 

Diksmuide to Nieport Railway 2020

 Yser Battle 18-31 October Commemoration

Ramscappelle Station

Ramscappelle Station Yser Inundations

Ramscappelle Area 1916

The line along the Diksmuide to Nieuport Railway would be strengthened as the war progressed.

Diksmuide - Ramscappelle Railway WW1

At the station at Ramscappelle a fortified  Observation Post was established. 

Ramscappelle Station 2020

Observation Post

Diksmuide - Ramscappelle Railway / Ramscappelle Station 2020

Diksmuide - Ramscappelle Railway / Ramscappelle Station 2020

Ypres 2020 - Dodengang Trench of Death

Trench of Death Dodengang

The Trench of Death is situated at Dodengang 3 km north of Dixmuide, running alongside the River Yser. The Belgian trench was a vital defensive position and was held under constant fire from 1915 to 1918. 

In October 1914, the area around Dodengang had been flooded to stop the German advance during the Battle of The Yser, creating a spit of land between the inundations and the River Yser.

Dodengang Petrol Tanks  

Two damaged petrol tanks in German hands provided excellent observation of the area. The Belgians wanted to capture the two petrol tanks to establish their own OP's. They launched attacks in March and May 1915, both of which failed. 

The Belgians decided to dig a trench from their front line to the petrol tanks 700m away to enable their capture. The trench would be constructed on a spit of land between the River Yser and the area flooded by the Belgians in October 1914. Both sides fortified their positions, the Belgians digging under constant German fire.

Dodengang - Belgian / German Trenches

The positions continued to be fortified and the troops would come within 100 metres of each other. As a result of the effects of being under constant fire, the Belgians named the position Tranchée de la Mort - The Trench of Death. The position would remain contested until 28th September 1918 when the Germans withdrew from the area. 

Dodengang - Belgian Trench

Left - Land would have been flooded / Right - River Yser

Belgian Soldiers Tranchee de la Mort

Belgian soldiers - Dodengang Trench of Death

Dodengang Trench of Death

Dodengang Trench of Death

Dodengang Belgian Bunker facing Germans

Dodengang German Bunker

Dodengang German Bunker facing Germans

German Bunker - No Mans Land - Belgian Bunker

Dodengang Trench of Death post war

Trench of Death Dodengang Memorial

Ypres 2020 - Battle Yser 1914

In August 1914, the German Army enacted the Schleifen Plan and invaded neutral Belgium. The German First and Second Armies swept through Belgium, clashing with the Belgian Field Army at Haelen on 11th August. Although it was a tactical victory for the Belgians, they withdrew to the National Redoubt at Antwerp. 

The German Army continued it's advance forcing British and French forces back to the Marne, where they were finally halted. After German withdrawal to the River Aisne, the next phase of the war was the Race to the Sea as each side moved northward trying to turn each others flank as they advanced towards the English Channel. 

The Germans were now able to turn their attention to Antwerp, launching attacks on the city on 1st October. Gradually they eliminated defences till the city fell on 10th October 1914. The Belgian  Army withdrew towards the River Yser, together with the British Royal Naval Division (RND) who had been sent to reinforce the Belgians. 

The bulk of the RND evacuated to England from Ostend. One Brigade of the RND crossed the border into neutral Holland where they were interned  for the duration of the war. The Belgian Army withdrew along the coast to occupy the sector from Dixmuide to Nieuport. 

The River Yser would provide a natural obstacle, being at least 10 metres (11 yards) wide throughout it’s course.

River Yser

The Belgian Army was complete on the defences by 17th October, including outposts to the east of the river. To augment the Belgian field artillery which. had no heavy artillery, were three Royal Navy Monitors and three Royal Naval Armoured Trains. 

The Battle of the Yser commenced  on the 18th October when the Germans opened with a heavy bombardment along the Belgian front. Their infantry probed forward defences. The Belgian defence was resolute, and combined with the naval gun fire support, the Germans sustained heavy casualties. The Germans renewed their attack over the next few days.  

On the 20th, a German Division attacked Dixmuide supported by 210 mm mortars. The German attacks continued, on the 24th October, 15 separate attacks were made on Dixmuide, the bombardment reducing the town to ruins.

Battle for Dixmuide

Diksmuide

The Germans looked to force passage over bridges at Tervate, Schoorbakke, and St Joris which were valiantly held. The bravery and sacrifice are commemorated in memorials along the River Yser.

Trevate Bridge

Trevate - Memorial to 2nd Battalion 1st Grenadiers

Battle Yser 1914 Charge of the Grenadiers

Bridge at Schoorbakke

Bridge at Schoorbakke

Commemoration 2nd Battalion 22nd Regiment of the Line

Bridge at St Joris and Memorial to 7th Regiment of the Line

Bridge at St Joris and Memorial to 7th Regiment of the Line

St Joris and Memorial to 14th Regiment of the Line

Heavy fighting also took place at Nieupoort and the bridge across the River Yser.

Belgian Army Nieuport

Nieuport

On the night of the 22nd / 23rd October, the Germans managed to cross the River Yser over a temporary footbridge between Trevate and Schoorbakke, without a shot being fired. The Germans quickly began to build up troops across the Yser and establish a bridgehead. 

With German troops across the Yser and renewed German attacks, Belgian resistance started to deteriorate, exacerbated by ammunition running low. The Belgians had already initiated preparations for the flooding of low lying areas to block the German advance, and on the 25th October the decision was taken to inundate the area.

The sea locks at at Nieuport were opened which would result in the low lying lands on the River Yser to be flooded at high tide.

Ganzepoot "Goosesfoot" Nieuport Locks

Ganzepoot "Goosesfott" Nieuport

Ganzepoot "Goosesfott" Nieuport Lock Gates

Initial attempts to enable flooding did not result in significant effects, however opening more sluice gates and high tides on 29 / 30th October resulted in waters starting to rise.

Nieuport Sea Locks

Nieuport Sea Locks

The Belgians fell back to the Nieuport — Diksmuide railway. The Germans continued their attack as the area flooded hoping to achieve a final  breakthrough. On the 30th October they launched a heavy assault along the Belgian sector. 

Battle of Yser 1914

Battle of Yser 1914

The Germans were able to force their way to the station at Rameskapple and secured the windmill in the village. The Belgians counter attacked, including recapturing the windmill at   Rameskapple at night by bayonet point. The 14th regiment were engaged in heavy fighting at the station to repulse the Germans. 

Rameskapple Station Nieuport — Diksmuide Railway

Rameskapple Station Nieuport — Diksmuide Railway
Plaque commemorating 14th Regiment of the Line

Rameskappelle Village windmill

Rameskappelle Village windmill

As the waters deepened, the Germans were forced to withdraw. An area 13km (8 miles) x 5 km (3 miles)  would become inundated  making passage impassable. The areas would remain flooded throughout the First World War.

River Yser contemporary flooding

Yser Inundations

Yser Inundations

Yser Inundations

A Medal was awarded to the members of the Belgian Armed Forces who proved themselves worthy of the distinction during the Battle of the Yser.