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 River Yser would provide a natural obstacle, being at least 10 metres (11 yards) wide throughout it’s course.
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| 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.
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| Battle for Dixmuide |
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| 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.
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| Trevate Bridge |
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| Trevate - Memorial to 2nd Battalion 1st Grenadiers |
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| Battle Yser 1914 Charge of the Grenadiers |
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| Bridge at Schoorbakke |
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Bridge at Schoorbakke
Commemoration 2nd Battalion 22nd Regiment of the Line
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| Bridge at St Joris and Memorial to 7th Regiment of the Line |
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| Bridge at St Joris and Memorial to 7th Regiment of the Line |
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| St Joris and Memorial to 14th Regiment of the Line |
Heavy fighting also took place at Nieupoort and the bridge across the River Yser.
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| Belgian Army Nieuport |
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| 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.
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| Ganzepoot "Goosesfoot" Nieuport Locks |
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| Ganzepoot "Goosesfott" Nieuport |
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| 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.
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| Nieuport Sea Locks |
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| 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.
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| Battle of Yser 1914 |
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| 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.
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| Rameskapple Station Nieuport — Diksmuide Railway |
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Rameskapple Station Nieuport — Diksmuide Railway
Plaque commemorating 14th Regiment of the Line |
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| Rameskappelle Village windmill |
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| 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.
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| River Yser contemporary flooding |
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| Yser Inundations |
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| Yser Inundations |
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| 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.
