The Battle of Messines was launched on June 7, 1917 by British General Herbert Plumer's second army, which included the 16th (Irish) Division and the 36th (Ulster) Division, near the villages of Mesen (in French Messines, as it was on most maps at that time) and Wytschaete. The target of the offensive was the Messines Ridge, a natural stronghold southeast of Ypres, a town in the West Flanders province of Belgium. General Plumer had begun plans to take the Messines Ridge a year before, in early 1916. The attack was also a harbinger to the much larger Third Battle of Ypres, known as Passchendaele, which began on July 31, 1917. June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... Herbert Onslow Plumer (1857-1932) was a British colonial official and soldier. ... (Redirected from 16th (Irish) Division) The British 16th (Irish) Division was a New Army division formed in Ireland in September 1914 as part of the K2 Army Group. ... The British 36th (Ulster) Division was a New Army division formed in September 1914. ... Mesen (French: Messines) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. ... 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. ... West Flanders (Dutch: West-Vlaanderen) is the westernmost province of Flanders and of Belgium. ... 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... July 31 is the 212th day (213th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 153 days remaining. ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ...

Over a period beginning more than a year before the attack, the attackers had tunnelled under the German trenches and planted almost 455 tonnes (1,000,000 lb) of ammonal there. A heavy bombardment of the German positions was initiated and then halted. The defenders returned to their positions expecting an assault to follow. The detonation of the explosives all timed for 3:10am, killed approximately 10,000 German soldiers and was said to have been heard as far away as London. In Switzerland the explosions registered as an earthquake. The real attack then followed. Ammonal is an explosive mixture of ammonium nitrate, aluminium dust and stearic acid. ... London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England and is the most populous city in the European Union. ...

Not all of the explosives went off. Four of the original 21 mines failed to ignite due to one reason or another. On July 17, 1955, a lightning strike set off one of the remaining mines. No one was killed. Several unexploded mines still remain in the area. Several large water-filled craters still mark the original positions of the German trenches. July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 167 days remaining. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

A New Zealand War Monument and the Island of Ireland Peace Park War Memorial are located on the south side of the Messines village (connect on external link below). The Peace Parks symbolic Irish Round Tower near Ypres. ...

Quotes

"Gentlemen, we may not make history tomorrow, but we shall certainly change the geography."

Remark by General Plumer to his staff the evening before the attack

External links

• The Battle for Messines Ridge
• First World War.com - A more detailed overview of the battle with links to present day pictures of the battlefield