The First Battle of Ypres, also called the Battle of Flanders, was the last major battle of the first year (1914) of World War I. Combatants Allied Powers: British Empire France Italy Russia United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary Bulgaria Germany Ottoman Empire Casualties Military dead: 5 million Civilian dead: 3 million Total dead: 8 million Military dead: 4 million Civilian dead: 3 million Total dead: 7 million The First World War, also known as... October 19 is the 292nd day of the year (293rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... November 22 is the 326th day (327th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... The Belfry of Ypres Ypres (French, generally used in English;1 Ieper official name in the local Dutch) is a municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of West Flanders. ... The Earl of Ypres John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, KP, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCMG, PC (28 September 1852–22 May 1925) was a British Field Marshal, the first commander of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in World War I. Biography Born in Ripple in Kent, the son... Marshal of France Ferdinand Foch, OM, GCB, (October 2, 1851 – March 20, 1929) was a French soldier. ... Erich von Falkenhayn Chief of the General Staff Erich von Falkenhayn (11 November 1861 - 8 April 1922) was a German soldier and Chief of the General Staff during World War I. Falkenhayn was a career soldier. ... Course of the Race to the Sea showing dates of encounters and highlighting the significant battles. ... The Battle of the Yser secured the coastline of Belgium for the allies in the Race to the Sea in the first three months of World War I. Belgium had been invaded by Germany and the remnants of the Belgian Army pushed into the far south west of the country... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Combatants Allied Powers: British Empire France Italy Russia United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary Bulgaria Germany Ottoman Empire Casualties Military dead: 5 million Civilian dead: 3 million Total dead: 8 million Military dead: 4 million Civilian dead: 3 million Total dead: 7 million The First World War, also known as...

This battle and the Battle of the Yser marked the end of the Race to the Sea where the Germans tried to reach the French Channel ports of Calais and Dunkerque, which were the main supply routes for the British Expeditionary Force. Major German advances would not resume until the Spring Offensive of 1918. The only other major German offensive prior to this in the west was a concentrated assault at Verdun in 1916. The Battle of the Yser secured the coastline of Belgium for the allies in the Race to the Sea in the first three months of World War I. Belgium had been invaded by Germany and the remnants of the Belgian Army pushed into the far south west of the country... Course of the Race to the Sea showing dates of encounters and highlighting the significant battles. ... In physical geography, a channel is the physical confine of a river or slough, consisting of a bed and banks. ... Location within France The Burghers of Calais, by Rodin, with Calais Hotel de Ville behind J.M.W. Turner: Calais Pier Calais (Dutch: Kales) is a town in northern France, located at 50°57N 1°52E. It is in the département of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is... Location within France Dunkirk ( French: Dunkerque; Dutch: Duinkerke) is a harbour city and a commune in the northernmost part of France, in the département of Nord, 10 km from the Belgian border. ... The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was the British army sent to France and Belgium in World War I and British Forces in Europe from 1939 - 1940 during World War II. The BEF was established by Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane following the Second Boer War in case the... The Spring Offensive (Operation Michael) was a German offensive along the Western Front during the First World War which marked the deepest advance by any side since 1914. ... Combatants France Germany Commanders Philippe Pétain Robert Nivelle Erich von Falkenhayn Strength About 30,000 on 21 February 1916 About 150,000 on 21 February 1916 Casualties 378,000; of whom 120,000 dead 337,000; of whom 100,000 dead The Battle of Verdun was a major battle...

Outnumbered and exhausted, the British Expeditionary Force, under the command of Field Marshal Sir John French, raced north from the mobile fighting of the first two months of the war to join two divisions of reinforcements recently landed in Belgium. They advanced east from St Omer, met and halted the German army at the Passchendaele Ridge to the east of the Belgian town of Ypres. The Belgians opened the sluice gates of the river Yser to let in the sea into the low lying land to prevent further German advances[1]. Both sides dug in for trench warfare. The town of Ypres was rapidly demolished by artillery and air attack. The Earl of Ypres John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, KP, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCMG, PC (28 September 1852–22 May 1925) was a British Field Marshal, the first commander of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in World War I. Biography Born in Ripple in Kent, the son... The main square and Hôtel de Ville in St Omer. ... Combatants United Kingdom France Canada Australia New Zealand German Empire Commanders Douglas Haig Hubert Gough Herbert Plumer Francois Anthoine Max von Gallwitz Erich Ludendorff Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties 448,000 killed and wounded 260,000 killed and wounded The 1917 Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of... The Belfry of Ypres Ypres (French, generally used in English;1 Ieper official name in the local Dutch) is a municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of West Flanders. ... Categories: France geography stubs | Belgium geography stubs | Belgian rivers | French rivers ... Trench Warfare is a form of war in which both opposing armies have static lines of fortifications dug into the ground, facing each other. ... The Belfry of Ypres Ypres (French, generally used in English;1 Ieper official name in the local Dutch) is a municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of West Flanders. ... Historically, artillery refers to any engine used for the discharge of projectiles during war. ...

The Germans called the battle "The Massacre of the Innocents" (German "Kindermord"). Eight German units consisted of young volunteers, many of them enthusiastic students, and these units suffered huge casualties during a failed attack on a smaller but highly-experienced British force, many of them veterans of the Second Boer War. The BEF was supported for the first time by battalions from the Army of India and the British Territorials whose support was essential in holding the Germans at bay. The BEF was severely weakend at First Ypres, but the battle allowed the allies time to strengthen their lines. Combatants British Empire Orange Free State, South African Republic Commanders Frederick Roberts later Lord Kitchener Christiaan Rudolf de Wet and Paul Kruger Casualties Military dead:22,000 Civilian dead:N/A Total dead:22,000 Military dead:6,500 Civilian dead:24,000 Total dead:30,500 The Second Boer...

In 1917 the Mons Star was awarded to those surviving British troops who had served in France or Belgium prior to the end of the First Battle of Ypres; the last surviving holder of this decoration, Alfred Anderson, died in November 2005. The Mons Star was medal awarded to the British Expeditionary Force whom a senior German commander (often thought to be Kaiser Wilhelm) referred to as Britains contemptible little Army, and hence commonly known as the Old Contemptibles. ... Alfred Anderson (Dundee, June 25, 1896 - Newtyle, November 21, 2005) was a Scottish joiner and veteran of the Great War. ...

External links

• General Joffre's report on the battle
• [2]