NationMaster - Encyclopedia: First Battle of Ypres

The First Battle of Ypres, also called the Battle of Flanders, was the last major battle of the first year of World War I (1914). This battle and the Battle of the Yser marked the end of the so-called Race to the Sea. Course of the Race to the Sea showing dates of encounters and highlighting the significant battles. ... Combatants Belgium, British Empire, France, United States, other Western Allies of WWI Germany Commanders No unified command until 1918, then General Ferdinand Foch Kaiser Wilhelm II Casualties ~4,800,000 Unknown though considerably higher Following the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the German army opened the Western... This article is becoming very long. ... 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 (see link for calendar). ... Ypres municipality and district in the province West Flanders Ypres (French, pronounced generally used in English1) or Ieper (official name in Dutch, pronounced ) is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_German_Empire. ... Motto: Gott mit Uns (German: God with usâ€) Anthem: Heil dir im Siegerkranz (unofficial) Territory of the German Empire in 1914, prior to World War I Capital Berlin Language(s) Official: German Unofficial minority languages: Polish (Posen, Lower Silesia,Upper Silesia, Masuria) French (Alsace-Lorraine) Government Constitutional monarchy Emperor - 1871... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... The Earl of Ypres John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, KP, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCMG, PC (28 September 1852â€“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... Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ... Ferdinand Foch OM GCB (October 2, 1851 â€“ March 20, 1929) was a French soldier, military educator and author credited for possessing the most original and subtle mind in the French Army. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_German_Empire. ... 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. ... The German Fourth Army (German: ) was a field army that fought in World War II. The Fourth Army was activated on December 1, 1938 with Field Marshal Günther von Kluge in command. ... The 6. ... Course of the Race to the Sea showing dates of encounters and highlighting the significant battles. ... The Battle of Albert began on September 25, 1914 as part of the Race to the Sea during World War I. The confrontation was between the French under Commander-in-Chief Joseph Joffre and the Germans. ... Combatants France German Empire Commanders Louis Maudhuy Crown Prince Rupprecht Strength French Tenth Army Three corps of the German First, Second and Seventh Armies The Battle of Arras (also known as the First Battle of Arras), which began on October 1, 1914, was an attempt by the French Army... Combatants Belgium France German Empire Commanders Albert I of Belgium Albrecht, Duke of WÃ¼rttemberg Strength Belgium: 4 infantry divisions, 2 reserve divisions France: 1 infantry division, 2 Marine regiments 6 Corps (12 divisions) Casualties Belgium: 40,000 France: 15,000 The Battle of the Yser secured the coastline of... This article is becoming very long. ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Combatants Belgium France German Empire Commanders Albert I of Belgium Albrecht, Duke of WÃ¼rttemberg Strength Belgium: 4 infantry divisions, 2 reserve divisions France: 1 infantry division, 2 Marine regiments 6 Corps (12 divisions) Casualties Belgium: 40,000 France: 15,000 The Battle of the Yser secured the coastline of... Course of the Race to the Sea showing dates of encounters and highlighting the significant battles. ...

The British Expeditionary Force, under the command of Field Marshal Sir John French, was redeployed 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 Saint-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 British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was the British army sent to France and Belgium in World War I and British Forces in Europe from 1939â€“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 Earl of Ypres John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, KP, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCMG, PC (28 September 1852â€“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... Saint-Omer, a town and commune of Artois in northern France, sous-préfecture of the Pas-de-Calais département, 42 miles west-north-west of Lille on the railway to Calais. ... The German Army (German: Heer, [IPA: heÉ] ) is the land component of the Bundeswehr (Federal Defence Forces) of the Federal Republic of Germany. ... Combatants British Empire Australia Canada New Zealand South Africa United Kingdom France German Empire Commanders Douglas Haig Hubert Gough Herbert Plumer Arthur Currie 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... Ypres municipality and district in the province West Flanders Ypres (French, pronounced generally used in English1) or Ieper (official name in Dutch, pronounced ) is a Belgian municipality located 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 defense. ... Ypres municipality and district in the province West Flanders Ypres (French, pronounced generally used in English1) or Ieper (official name in Dutch, pronounced ) is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. ... Artillery with Gabion fortification Cannons on display at Fort Point Continental Artillery crew from the American Revolution Firing of an 18-pound gun, Louis-Philippe Crepin, (1772 â€“ 1851) A forge-welded Iron Cannon in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. ...

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 weakened at First Ypres, but the battle allowed the Allies time to strengthen their lines. Combatants United Kingdom Australia New Zealand Canada Cape Colony Orange Free State South African Republic Commanders Redvers Buller Frederick Roberts Herbert Kitchener Paul Kruger Martinus Steyn Louis Botha Christiaan de Wet Casualties 22,000 6,500 Civilians killed [mainly Boers]: 24,000+ The Second Boer War, commonly referred to as... European military alliances in 1915. ...

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. Year 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 (see: 1917 Julian calendar). ... The 1914 Star (colloquially known as the Mons Star), was a British campaign medal for service in World War I. The 1914 Star was approved in 1917, for issue to officers and men of British forces who served in France or Belgium between 5 August and midnight 22/23 November... Alfred Anderson (Dundee, June 25, 1896 - Newtyle, November 21, 2005) was a Scottish joiner and veteran of the Great War. ...

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Results from FactBites:

First World War.com - Battles - The First Battle of Ypres, 1914 (996 words)
	With the German failure at the Battle of the Marne in September 1914 and the subsequent Allied counter attacks, the "Race to the Sea" began.
	The Allied position around Ypres took the shape of a small salient in the trench lines because it could best be defended from the low ridge of higher ground to the east, but it was vulnerable to superior German artillery.
	There were eventually three major battles at Ypres (click here to read a summary of the second; click here for the third, also known simply as Passchendaele), but the First Battle of Ypres was one of the most significant.

Britain.tv Wikipedia - Ypres (1440 words)
	Ypres is an ancient town, and is known to have been raided by the Romans in the first century BC During the Middle Ages, Ypres was a prosperous city with a population of 40,000,
	Ypres was further fortified in 17th and 18th centuries while under the occupation of the Hapsburgs and the French.
	Of the battles, the largest, best-known, and most costly in human suffering was the Third Battle of Ypres (July 21 to November 6, 1917, also known as the Battle of Passchendaele) in which the British, Canadians and ANZAC forces recaptured the Passchendaele ridge east of the city at a terrible cost of lives.

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