The First Battle of Ypres

October 19, 1914

Chief of the General Staff Erich Von Falkenhayn, leader of the German army at Ypres, was assembling a massive force to assault and capture the French town. There, he believed, would be the gateway to the coastal cities of Dunkirk, Calais, and Boulogne. He chuckled to himself. If he could take those towns, the British would have no hope of sending any further troops to the front. France would be completely isolated! "Yes," he thought, "this will be a day long remembered in German history." Little did he know, Commander-in-Chief Joseph Joffre was thinking about that very same thing. He too knew of the gravity of the situation. If his troops were to fail, Germany would cut off the only help his country could receive. "I will not fail." He thought, "I cannot fail."

The first German assault was directed at Langemarck. It was one of

many small towns that surrounded Ypres. The German 4th army, on October 21, committed to a series of attacks. These were poorly planned and with little support, however. The British 7th Division, defending the town, was able to temporarily push the Germans back. The allied defenses consisted of soldiers using shallow trenches, stone walls, and village houses as makeshift cover. The British defended the front lines, while the French forces covered the rear. Fierce fighting continued for another week around Langemarck, but soon, the fighting bogged down, and Falkenhayn knew he needed to target another location if he had any hope of breaking through to Ypres.

With the 6th army holding its position in the south, and the 4th army halted in the north, Falkenhayn ordered an attack through the center, through Gheluvelt, hoping to break through the village defenses, and push on into Ypres. However, the British and French put up stiff resistance. After repeated attacks near Gheluvelt, the Germans managed to break through for a short time. However, they were pushed back soon after by a British counterattack.

For the allies all along the line, it was a brutal struggle. Having a far weaker force in numbers than the Germans, their defense seemed hopeless. Nonetheless, they continued on, desperately fending off the waves of German assaults.

From November 10 to November 11, the fighting was at its peak in ferocity. The Germans focused the majority of its attacks towards the area between Langemarck and Diksmuide. They were able to break through parts of the allied lines, but couldn't be supported, so they were soon pushed back. With neither side able to achieve any significant advantage over the other, both began digging in. Both the allies, and the Germans were utterly exhausted. Losses for all sides were considerable. German casualties numbered over 80,000, with the French at a similar figure, while the BEF casualties at over 50,000 (89,964 since the Battle of Mons).

With the end of this battle, came the end of the mobile phase of the war. From now on, trench warfare would rage along the western front for the next four long years.

The First Battle of Ypres (October 19 - November 22)