We have been looking forward to this day since the Vosges. However, it proved to be tougher than we had expected. Over the last 31 days it has always been the final 3-4km of each day which have been the hardest, and today the whole walk has felt like walking those last kms. Maybe it is because psychologically we knew it was the last day of having to carry all our kit, the last day of sleeping in a different bed or that simply after a day of rest tomorrow, we only have two more walking days to the finish. Whatever the case, we both felt every one of the 30kms walked today.
The French-Belgian border was only a short walk from our B&B, and we quickly covered the distance through the early morning deserted streets of Armentieres. We had hoped for a cheesy photo opportunity at a “Welcome to Belgium” type sign announcing the border, but were sadly disappointed. The only indicators that we had crossed into Belgium were the changed car number plates, and the decrease in piles of dog poo on the pavements. The latter had become increasingly prevalent as we headed North towards Ypres, and at times it had felt like we were dodging a different kind of landmine.
Over the preceding week we had become accustomed to seeing CWGC signs, however as we walked up the Ypres Road through Ploegsteert (or ‘Plugstreet’ as it was known by the troops) towards Mesinnes we were unprepared for the number and concentration of these. Their frequency provides a visceral indication of the ferocity and scale of combat that took place in the Ypres salient from September 1914 to the war’s final days in November 1918. The war came to this part of Flanders in late September 1914, during the ‘Race for the Sea,’ as both sides tried to turn each other’s northern flank. Other than sitting on the junction between the Ypres-Comines canal and the Leperlee, the town of Ypres held no strategic significance for either side. However, the series of low ridges and hills that lie to the south and east of Ypres became vital ground, providing who ever held them with a tactical advantage over their opponent. The Allies prevented the capture of Ypres, but by Christmas 1914 the Germans had secured and dug in on the surrounding hills, so creating the infamous ‘Ypres Salient’.
Describing and explaining the battles that took place in the Salient would take far too long, so we will restrict the brief explanations to the areas over which we walked. We decided to stay on the Messines Ridge rather than deviate west, which according to our Linesman maps meant we were effectively walking along the German front line. At Messines we stopped at the Tower of Peace, a monument to the 36 (Ulster), 16th and 10th (Irish) Divisions, who despite their religious differences fought and died alongside each other in WW1. 200m west of the Tower of Peace is the first of 2 monuments commemorating the New Zealand Division’s action at the Battle of Messines in June 1917. Jonathan is particularly interested in this as he was born in NZ, and despite spending only 6 months in the country considers himself a Kiwi (especially when the All Blacks play England!).
By mid 1917 the NZ Division had become one of the most feared and respected units on the Western Front. As part of the II ANZAC Corps, 2nd Army, the NZ Division was given the responsibility of taking the village of Messines (Mesen), supported to the north by the British 25th Division and to the south by the 3rd Australian Division. The 2nd Army plan was to seize in a ‘bite and hold’ operation the high ground from Plugstreet in the south to Mt Sorrel in the north, so depriving the Germans of the vital high ground to the south of Ypres and setting the conditions for a British advance towards Passchendaele later in 1917. On the morning of the 7th June, 19 mines were detonated along the attacking front, which was followed by a heavy creeping artillery barrage. The NZ Division jumping off from in front XXXX Farm, succeeded in quickly taking the first line of German defences (still visible today) and went onto attack the heavily fortified second line in Messines Village. Despite heavy losses, the NZ Division losing 3,379 men either killed, wounded or missing, the attack was considered a British operational victory.
From here we walked along the Messines – Wytschaete (pronounced Wee-Shite by Jonathan) road, which was an objective of the British XI Corps on 7th June 1916. Marching into a head wind all the way, we had hoped to find a cafe open in Wytschaete but despite no longer being in France, we were sadly disappointed. Leaving the ridge, we headed onto towards Hills 60 and 62, both objectives of subsequent British operations in the summer of 1917. So named as it has an elevation that was artificially increased to 60m when a railway cutting was dug adjacent to it, Hill 60 was initially captured by the British in October 1914 but was later taken by the Germans on 5th May 1915 and held until June 1917. From 1915 onwards, first British, then Canadian and finally Australian mining companies dug underneath Hill 60. On the morning of 7th June 1917, a mine was detonated under the hill, one of the 19 that signalled the start of the Battle for Messines Ridge. The mine killed 650 Germans prior to Hill 60’s capture by the British 23rd Division. What amazed us both was how close were the two opposing lines in this sector.
3km further on we arrived at Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood), lower than Hill 60 and the Messines Ridge, which like Hill 63 to the south was held by the British. Between 2nd to 6th June 1916 the Germans mounted an aggressive attack on Hill 62. The Canadian Corps had recently taken over this stretch of the Ypres Saliant and their 3rd Division fought valiantly to defend this key terrain but were forced to retire. On 13th June the 1st Division, commanded by Major General Arthur Currie, retook the heights of Hill 61 and 62 and held it until relieved in August 1916. During this period the Canadians suffered over 8000 casualties. Sadly, all ground that was taken in 1916 and in the 1917 Ypres offensive, which is soaked in the blood of over 450,000 soldiers, friend and foe alike, was retaken by the Germans during the 1918 Spring Offensive.
We had been following the high ground to the south of Ypres for several hours and rather dispiritingly given our sore feet, had been able to see the tower of the Cloth Hall in the distance without it moving any closer. After 32 days (the last ten without a break) we were both a little tired, and the appeal of Ypres, a refreshing cold beer and decent meal was tantalizingly close. After taking a breather at the Sanctuary Wood Museum for a coffee and a snack, of which we were in dire need after a meagre lunch of an apple and 4 chunks of Toblerone, we crossed the Meensweg Road and headed on to Hooge Crater (and yes, it is a huge crater!), before turning southeast on the final leg into Ypres. The Hooge crater is one of many in this area, marking the extensive use of mines and underground warfare.
Heading into Ypres by following the attractive stone ramparts around the city, we finally set eyes upon The Menin Gate where we had arranged to lay a wreath on Friday evening. Stopping only to take a quick photo to record this milestone, we pressed on and checked into the Novotel Hotel just after 5pm, both absolutely shattered. At various times throughout the last five weeks, we had talked of how we imagined we would feel once we finally reached this stage, yet in the event our predicted elation and enthusiastic celebrations did not come to pass. On entering our hotel room for the final time, the daily routines we have settled into kicked in once again; packs down and boots off, heating cranked up (both to warm us through and for later sock-drying) and kettle on to boil. We filled our paper cups with hot water and flopped, herbal teabags stewing, in knackered silence as every km of the past five weeks caught up with us. It slowly sank in that we had crossed France and following a welcome rest the following day we now only had two relatively short walks to the finish in Nieuwpoort on Friday.
After a quick turnaround, we headed out to one of the many restaurants which run from The Cloth Hall and border The Grote Markt, the most attractive main market square in Ypres. We were joined for a drink and dinner by Linda and Colin from the Army’s Provincial Recovery Unit (North), who had kindly travelled to Belgium to meet up with us, and even more kindly had brought a resupply of Snickers!
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