Ypres 2020 - British Nieuport Memorial

The Nieuport Memorial commemorates 552 British officers and men who were killed in Allied operations on the Belgian coast during the First World War who have no known grave. 

Twenty of those commemorated served with the Royal Naval Division and were killed or mortally wounded during the siege of Antwerp in October 1914.  Almost all of the remainder fell in heavy fighting in the region of Nieuport in the summer of 1917, the Battle of the Dunes.

The memorial was officially unveiled by Major General Sir George Macdonogh in July 1928. 

British Memorial Nieuport

pre 1938

In 1937, adjacent to the British memorial,  construction began on a memorial to the Belgian King, Albert 1st who died in 1934. King Albert was a well respected monarch who led his country during World War One. The Albert memorial was inaugurated in 1938.

British Memorial Nieuport

post 1938

British Memorial Nieuport

British Memorial Nieuport

British Memorial Nieuport

At the base of memorial base  are bronze plaques bearing the names of those commemorated. Around the top of the panels is Binyons ode to the fallen.

They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn,

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,

We will remember them

British Memorial Nieuport

Memorial Plaque

CWGC Nieuport Memorial

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NIEUPORT MEMORIAL

ROYAL ARTILLERY

ROYAL HORSE and FIELD ARTILLERY

Lieut	JEB	OAKES	MC	10-Jul-1917	"Z" 1st T.M Bty.
2.Lieut	FC	BOULLY		10-Jul-1917	RHA attc. RFA
Bmdr	M	CAMPBELL		10-Jul-1917	"Y"1st T.M. Bty.
Gnr	J	SYKES		11-Jul-1917	"A" Bty. 168th Bde.
Gnr	W	TAYLOR		12-Oct-1914	58th Bty. 35th Bde.
Dvr	J	SARGENT		10-Jul-1917	21st T.M Bty.

R

OROYAL GARRISON  ARTILLERYARRISON ARTILLERY

Gnr

j

HIRST

10-Jul-1917

203rd Siege Bty.

ROYAL HORSE and FIELD ARTILLERY

Gnr

R

HALTON

12-Jul-1917

"A" Bty. 168th Bde

Ypres 2020 - Albert Memorial Nieuport

King Albert Memorial Nieuport IJ

Situated overlooking the Ganzepoot lock gates on the River Yser at Nieuport, is a memorial to King Albert 1st, King of the Belgians during WW1. 

King Albert Memorial Nieuport

Albert came to the Belgian throne in December 1909. He was a progressive monarch who tried to bring social change to the country and stop exploitation in the Belgian Congo. He also brought about reform to the Belgian Army including the introduction of conscription. 

King Albert I Belgian Army

On 2nd August 1914, Germany issued an ultimatum to Belgium demanding safe passage through the country for the German Army. The ultimatum was issued on the pretence that this was a defensive measure, as the Germans had information that the French were about to invade Belgium to attack Germany.  King Albert issued a refusal on the 3rd August. The same day the German Army invaded Belgium, and Belgian forces mobilised.

The Germans swept through Belgium, the capital Brussels being occupied 20th August. The British and French armies were pushed back to the River Marne, before withdrawing to the River Aisne. The Belgian Field Armies withdrew to the National Redoubt in Antwerp. In October 1914, the Germans attacked Antwerp and the city fell on the 10th October. The Belgian Field Army withdrew to the area from Dixmuide to Nieuport stablishing a defensive line. The the Germans launched an assault on the Belgians on 18th October.  The Battle of Yser would result in the German advance being halted by the sector being flooded.

The Belgians would continue to fight to ensure that the last remaining part of the country remained free from occupation.

King Albert I stands up to German aggression

German occupied Belgium WW1

The King would lead his troops throughout the war serving on the frontline.

King Albert on the frontline 1914-15 

King Albert 1 in the Trenches

The Belgian Queen, Elisabeth, served as a nurse . 

Queen Elisabeth Queen of the Belgians

serving as a nurse WW1 

King Albert was killed in a mountaineering accident in the Ardennes near Namur 17th February 1934.

King Albert 1

1875 to 1934

 

Albert I of Belgium

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The monument to commemorate King Albert 1st was inaugurated on 24th July 1938. 

The circular monument is 30 metres in diameter with a 100 metre circumference. At the centre of the memorial is a statue of King Albert mounted on a horse.  A bronze plaque on the monument shows Queen Elisabeth nursing a wounded soldier. 

King Albert Memorial Nieuport

King Albert Memorial Nieuport

Adjacent to the King Albert Memorial is the British Nieuport Memorial.

King Albert Memorial / British Memorial Nieuport

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