The 3rd Battle of Ypres in 1917 commenced with the Battle of Messines and the blowing of the mines on the Messines Ridge. This was a preliminary operation aimed at straightening out the Ypres Salient and securing vital ground prior to the main 3rd Ypres Battle. As part of this operation 21 mines were dug into the Messines Ridge and detonated prior to the main assault. The mine craters up to 200 feet deep remain.
Kruisstraat Crater
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and a reminder of the Iron Harvest...nearly 3 million shells were fired at Messines, some did not explode.
Spanbroekmolen Crater