The Battle of Passchendaele
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| Battle of Passchendaele | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of World War I | |||||||
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| Combatants | |||||||
| ANZAC, British Expeditionary Force | Germans | ||||||
| Commanders | |||||||
| German Kaiser | Various NZ Commanders | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | 2000 + | ||||||
| Casualties | |||||||
| 840 Killed | 600+ killed | ||||||
The Battle of Passchendaele in October and November 1917 was the last phase of an attack launched by the British Expeditionary Force on 31 July 1917. Its target was to push the Germans off the high ground surround the much-needed Belgian town of Ypres (which is now called Ieper) and would open the way for an advance that would have a significant strategic impact on the Western Front. After some early advances, the attack quickly faltered in August as bad weather left the troops pin-down.
A new phase of the battle opened in September. A way forward seemed to have been found in a 'bite and hold' approach-with artillery support and infantry could seize a portion of the German territory and hold it against counter-attacks. Two attacks in September demonstrated the effectiveness of such tactics. The third, on 4 October, involving the Australians and New Zealanders II ANZAC, was succesful. But even as the enemy appeared to the British commander to be hesitating, heavy rain turned the battle into a pool of mud. Two further hastily prepared attacks, on 9 and 12 October, failed disastrously, mainly because proper artillery preperation proved immpossible. Hundreds of New Zealanders died in the second of these failed attacks.
By this time the capture of the ruined villahe of Passchedaele had lost all strategic significance. When Canadian troops pressed forward in a series of well-supported attacks to take it in early November, the cost in lives had been in no way equal with the advantages gained. Five months later the ruins were back in German hands.
