Part 4

In everything connected with the spinning and weaving of linen Armentieres, like Lille, Roubaix, Tourcoing, and the whole of Northern France in general, was considerably in advance of Germany. Consequently, the Germans destroyed all the mills, factories and metallurgical works, and what machinery could not be taken to pieces and sent to Germany they ruthlessly smashed.

_Visit the ruins of_ =St. Waast Church=, _then return to Rue de Dunkerque. There take the first street on the right and cross the Lys._ From the Bridge there is a general view of the church.

_Cross the Cloth Market, then follow the tram-lines along Rue de Flandre and Rue Bizet. Follow the Lys Canal, then cross the new bridge. Go through Bizet Village_ (badly damaged houses). _Leaving the ruins of the church on the right, turn first to the right, then to the left_ (the photograph shows an army hut on the left, now temporarily used as the office of the Receiver of French Customs). _Cross the frontier a few yards further on, then at the fork just outside the village, take the road on the right opposite the Villa des Roses (photo below). Leaving on the right the road to the gasworks_ (of which nothing is left but a wrecked gasometer) _the first houses of_ =Ploegsteert= _are reached._ This village lay west of the first lines in May, 1918, and was captured by the Germans on April 12 (see p. 39).

British cemetery No. 53 (photo, p. 56) lies at the entrance to the village. _Go straight through the village_ (in ruins). _On leaving it_, Cemetery No. 54 is seen on the right, then beyond a large concrete shelter, Cemetery No. 55. Cemetery No. 56 is on the left, beyond the level-crossing.

_Cross Ploegsteert Wood, leaving the road to Petit-Pont Farm on the left. Here the road rises._ To the left, on the slopes of Hill 63, are seen the ruins of La Hutte Chateau. On the crest opposite stand the ruins of Messines (photo above). In June, 1919, it was not possible to go direct to Messines, the road being cut at the Petite Douve stream.

_Follow the road as far as the fork to the place called Notre-Dame-de-Grace_ (the ruins of the chapel are barely distinguishable), _then take the Neuve-Eglise road on the left._ Stop the car at Rossignol terre-plein and walk a few yards into the little wood on the right; numerous concrete shelters, from the top of which there is a very fine view over the Hills Kemmel, Rouge, Noir and Cats. The last-named can be recognised by its abbey, which stands out against the sky.

_Return to the car. The road now descends. Passing by a few ruined houses--all that remain of the hamlet of Haubourdin--a fork is reached, where take the Neuve-Eglise-Messines road on the right._ British cemetery on the right. _Cross the Douve river, then the railway (l. c.). Turn to the right at the first ruins of Wulverghem, then go through the village, passing in front of the cemetery. Next cross the Steenbeck, by the St. Quentin Bridge. The road now rises sharply to the crest on which Messines used to stand._ Numerous small forts are seen to the right and left. These machine-gun nests are all that now mark the site of the village.

At the entrance to the village leave the car at the junction of the Ypres-Armentieres and Neuve-Eglise-Warneton roads, and visit these pathetic ruins on foot.

=Messines= maybe regarded as one of the hinges of the "Ypres Salient." An important strategic point, it was hotly disputed throughout the war.

On November 3, 1914, during the First Battle of Ypres, it fell into the hands of the enemy. At four o'clock on the following day, the ground between this village and Hollebeke (some four miles to the north) was the scene of several furious attacks (see p. 8).

Messines was destroyed by the British bombardment during the offensive of June, 1917. The New Zealanders captured it on June 7, in spite of a stubborn defence. They also took the neighbouring village of Wytschaete (see p. 20). Messines again fell into German hands in April, 1918 (see p. 39), and was finally retaken on September 30 during the last battle (see p. 46).

_Return to the car and take the Ypres road on the left_ (photo, p. 58). Along this road are numerous little bridges thrown across the shell-holes.

=Wytschaete=, which is soon reached, was captured, like Messines, in the first battle of 1914, and retaken by the New Zealanders on June 7, 1917. After being entirely destroyed by bombardment (see p. 20), it was lost again on April 15, 1918, then retaken on September 30, 1918.

_At the fork, just before entering the village_--protected by a series of powerful blockhouses--_take the road on the right leading to Oosttaverne_ (now totally destroyed). _Follow the main road_ (Ypres-Warneton) _on the right as far as the place called Gapaard_ (photo below), _then turn to the left along the road to Houthem._ A series of little bridges over shell-craters full of water--once the River Wanbecke--are crossed.

_Go through Houthem_, which was razed to the ground. Beyond an armoured shelter built against the brick wall of a house, _the road turns to the left. Cross the canal by the temporary bridge._

The old bed of the canal is marked by some crumbling blocks of concrete. _A few yards further on, take the level-crossing over the Ypres-Lille Railway._ It was on this line that on October 22 and 23, 1914, the Germans brought up an armoured train which bombarded Ypres with incendiary shells, causing the first serious damage to the town.

_A few hundred yards beyond the railway turn to the right at the village of Kortewilde_, where a few wooden houses are being erected among the ruins. _After crossing a number of little bridges over the Gaverbeck canal, the road, rising slightly, turns to the right._ At this turning the Chateau (photo above) and village of =Hollebeke= ought to be visible on the left, but this part of the battlefield is in so chaotic a condition that neither road, canal, nor village can be distinguished.

During the first battle (November, 1914) the Germans launched attacks in great force between Hollebeke and Messines, and captured both these places. Hollebeke was retaken on July 13, 1917, during the first phase of the great British offensive for the clearing of the town. After being lost again in April, 1918, Hollebeke was finally recaptured by the Allies in October.

_The road first rises, then descends._ On the hillside are the ruins of Zandvoorde. _At the entrance to the village take the Zillebeke-Wervicq road on the left, then first to the right, then to the left, between two wooden houses. The road descends, then, undulating slightly, joins the main road from Ypres to Menin, opposite Gheluvelt,_ the site of which is marked by a sign-post.

This was one of the important strategic points in the first German offensive of 1914 (see p. 7), when the village was captured by the enemy. During the battle for the clearing of Ypres, fierce fighting took place to the west of =Gheluvelt=, especially at Tower Hamlet. From November, 1917, to April, 1918, the firing-line ran through the village. Gheluvelt was retaken by the British in October, 1918.

_Take the main road from Ypres to Menin on the right. Only at Gheluvelt will a passable road to Becelaere be found_.

In Gheluvelt, where there are still a few broken walls standing, turn to the left at the fork in the road, leaving the ruined church on the right. At the next fork take the right-hand road to the ruined hamlet of Terhand.

Fifty yards before the crossing with the Dadizelle Road, there is a German cemetery on the right, containing a remarkable concrete monument, thirty feet in height, which dominates the whole plain. This monument (photo, p. 62) was in reality a German observation post. Inside there were two floors. An outside staircase led to a platform. Traces of the balustrade are visible in the photo.

_Leave the Dadizelle road on the right._ The road hereabouts is camouflaged. Numerous small forts may be seen on both sides of the plateau, especially on the right. The largest of them was used as a telephone exchange.

After passing the place called Molenhoek the tourist comes to the Passchendaele-Wervicq road, now impassable.

_Leave the car at the fork, and go on foot through the ruins of Becelaere, as far as the church on the right._

_Return to the fork and take the right-hand uphill road._ On the plateau there are many shelters.

To the west of the road from Becelaere to Zonnebeke lay Polygone Wood, which was entirely destroyed. The British made two unsuccessful attempts (July 31 and August 16, 1917) to take this strongly fortified wood, succeeding eventually on September 20 (see p. 28). Evacuated by the British in April, 1918, the wood was finally recaptured by the Allies in October, 1918.

Beyond the place called Noordenhoek there is a bend in the road. On the left, Zonnebeke Pond, the ruined chateau, and the remains of a gasometer come into sight (photo below).

_At the place called Broodseinde take the Ypres-Roulers road on the left, to visit the ruins of Zonnebeke._

=Zonnebeke= was taken in 1914 by the Germans, who made an outpost of it in front of their lines. The village was recaptured on September 26, then lost in April, 1918, and finally retaken in the following October.

_Return to the fork_ (which was commanded by numerous small forts), _and turn to the left:_ military cemetery at the side of the road. In the fields on the right, 200 yards beyond the level crossing, there is a monument to the memory of 148 officers and men of the Canadian 85th Battalion (photo, p. 64).

Passing through shell-torn country, =Passchendaele=--now razed to the ground--is reached. All that remains of the church is the mound seen in the background of the photograph (p. 64).

Passchendaele was captured by the Germans in November, 1914, and later by the British (October 26, 1917). The village had already been wiped out by the bombardment, but the position, which dominated Ypres and Roulers, was an important one. The fighting there was of the fiercest, Hindenburg having ordered it to be held at all costs. However, the British broke down the enemy's stubborn resistance.

=From Passchendaele to Ypres=

_Beyond the church turn to the left._ The undulating road goes straight to =Westroosebeke=.

Westroosebeke was taken at the same time as Passchendaele, during the British offensive of October 29, 1917. These two positions, lost in April, 1918, were retaken on September 30 by the Belgian army under King Albert.

The village was completely destroyed. _On entering, turn to the right and pass the church._ A few broken tombstones mark the site of the churchyard.

_Retracing his steps, the tourist turns to the right into the Ypres-Roulers Road_, which describes a bend to reach =Poelcappelle=. This village was the scene of fierce fighting in December, 1914, and May, 1915, and is now in ruins. There are numerous redoubts to right and left. _Just beyond the village, leave the Dixmude Road on the right, and take the one leading to Langemarck._

Beyond the cross-roads there is a confused heap of rails and broken trucks in the middle of a piece of shell-torn ground.

_At the fork, take the road to the right and enter the ruined village of_ =Langemarck=.

The photograph below shows: in the background, a mound formed by the ruins of the church; in the foreground, a tank.

Langemarck, defended by the French in 1914, was evacuated on December 17 of that year. Recaptured, the town was lost again on April 21, 1915, during the German gas attack.

_Keep along the road, leaving on the left the ruins of the church, and a little further on the remains of the chateau_ (_photo, p. 67_).

_Cross the railway (l. c.) and then go on to_ =Houthulst Forest=, captured by the Germans in 1914, and retaken in 1918 (see p. 46). In June, 1919, the roads through the forest were impracticable for motor-cars.

_Return to the fork at the entrance to Langemarck, turn to the right, and take the road to Boesinghe, crossing the Hanebeek. The road follows the Ypres-Thourout railway_, on both sides of which are numerous redoubts. _Cross the ruins of Pilkem_, 300 yards beyond, which is a rather large British cemetery.

_At the next fork in the road turn to the right and cross the railway (l. c.)._ On the left is another cemetery. _Turn again to the left_. Notice in passing a third cemetery, then a few yards further on the ruins of a mill. _Cross the canal at the Pont de Boesinghe_.

_On reaching the crossing of the main road from Dixmude to Ypres, turn to the right._ On the left, the remains of Boesinghe Chateau stand in the middle of a park, the trees of which are cut to pieces.

_Follow the road running along the canal._ The latter, owing to the upheaval of the ground by shell-fire, is often lost to view. 1,500 yards from Boesinghe, the site of Het Sas village, where the lock used to stand, may still be located. The fighting was very severe there, especially in 1914.

_Return to Boesinghe, leave the road just taken on the left, and cross the railway (l. c.)._

The road runs alongside the Yperlee river and canal for some distance. Numerous traces of footbridges are to be seen over both river and canal, the course of which can no longer be distinguished with certainty.

_The road next turns sharply to the left, crosses the Lys-Yperlee Canal, then passes the dock of the Yser-Ypres Canal_ (photo above), _and enters_ =Ypres= _by the Dixmude Gate_.

=YPRES=

Few names awaken more memories than that of Ypres--a city of incomparable splendour in the Middle Ages, and of which nothing now remains but a heap of ruins. Of the last precious traces of this ancient prosperity, the rich and splendid buildings which filled the mind with wonder--the immense Cloth Hall, the beautiful cathedral, the churches, the sumptuous mansions, the sculptured houses--the German guns have spared nothing. History furnishes few examples of such grandeur followed by destruction so swift and so complete. Ypres is now but a memory.

=Chief Historical Events=

The Town of Ypres (Latin Ypra, Flemish Ieperen) grew up in the 10th century around a fortified castle, rebuilt about 958 by Baudoin, Count of Flanders. This castle had been in existence since the 8th century, but only the ruins had survived Norman invasions.

The town, favourably situated in the centre of the maritime plain with its rich grassy meadows intersected by canals, prospered exceedingly. A numerous population sprang up of merchants and artisans, whose chief sources of wealth were the manufacture and sale of cloth.

As early as the 12th, but especially in the 13th and 14th centuries, Ypres, thanks to important privileges granted by the Counts of Flanders, became a considerable town, and possessed 4,000 looms.

Flanders, the meeting-point of the three great European states--England, France and Germany--was then the industrial centre _par excellence_ of the west and the rendezvous of all the merchants of the old world. This explains the splendour of the towns of Flanders in the Middle Ages, not only Ypres, but Bruges, Ghent, etc.

This prosperity was often a temptation to the Kings of France, who led many an expedition into Flanders. Ypres was taken by Louis VI. in 1128, by Philippe-Auguste in 1213, by Philippe-le-Bel in 1297, but the town was little damaged in these wars.

It suffered more in the 14th century. Riots, and the siege and destruction of the town by the people of Ghent in 1383, caused many of the weavers to emigrate, and left as its only industry the manufacture of Valenciennes lace. At that time the Counts of Flanders were French princes. Robert de Bethune was succeeded in 1322 by the Count of Nevers, whose family reigned until 1384. This dynasty ended with Louis-le-Male, and Philippe-le-Hardi, Duke of Burgundy, became Count of Flanders. Under the rule of these Dukes, who were fairly wise and moderate statesmen--Flanders being a source of considerable revenue, and the Flemish people quick to revolt against any violation of their privileges--Ypres prospered greatly.

In 1481 Flanders passed under the rule of Austria (Marie, heiress of Burgundy, had married the Archduke Maximilian), then in 1558 under that of Spain. In 1559 it replaced Therouanne as the centre of the diocese.

At that time it had lost much of its splendour. Towards the end of the 15th century it was depopulated by a dreadful pestilence, and about the middle of the following century, a second outbreak completed the ruin of the town. It was just beginning to recover when it was captured by the _Gueux_ and the troops of the Duc d'Albe and Alexandre Farnese, who massacred most of the inhabitants.

In the 17th century Ypres was taken by the French on four occasions--1648, 1649, 1658 and 1678--finally reverting to France under the Treaty of Nimegue at about the latter date. Vauban fortified it. Retaken by the Imperial Troops in 1715, Ypres was restored to France in 1792, and under the Empire became the capital of the Departement of Lys. The treaties of 1815 gave it back to the Netherlands, and since 1830 it has formed part of the Kingdom of Belgium.

In 1914 the population numbered 18,000. Its principal industries were the manufacture of woollen goods, printed cottons, linens, ribbons, and Valenciennes lace. Its tanneries and dye works were also of considerable importance. It was a clean, well-built town, watered by the river Yperlee. The many arms of the latter ran through the streets of the town, enabling the boats loaded with merchandise to come right up to the warehouses.

These waterways are now covered in. Formerly there was a path on each side of them, which explains the exceptional width of the streets and squares of Ypres.

=YPRES=

=A Visit to the Ruins=

_The tourist enters Ypres by the Dixmude Gate._

At No. 54 Rue de Dixmude is the facade of the Maison Biebuygk, on the right. Built in 1544, this house was one of the most remarkable in Ypres. Immediately below the gable were two carved medallions representing the sun and the moon. The great pointed arch which framed the gable windows gave exceptional grace to the facade (photos, p. 73).

At No. 66 of the same street, on the left, the 18th century facade shown in the photographs (p. 74), was still standing in July, 1919. It was decorated with statues of the Virgin Mary and St. Francois, under fluted niches with carved borders.

Arriving at the Grande Place, the imposing ruins of the =Nieuwerk= and the =Cloth Hall= are seen on the right.

=THE CLOTH HALL AND THE NIEUWERK=

The Cloth Hall, containing extensive warehouses, in which the sale of cloth was carried on, was built in the 13th and 14th centuries. It consisted of a series of buildings grouped around a rectangular court. The Hall proper was distinguished from a building called the Nieuwerk, added in the 17th century. The southern building of the hall had a magnificent facade, flanked on the east by the gable of the Nieuwerk and surmounted by a large belfry in the centre. Bold turrets stood at both ends of this facade. Rather spare in ornament, the long succession of glazed and blind windows constituted the grandeur of the facade. On the ground-floor, which was lighted by a row of quatrefoil windows in pointed arches, there were forty-eight rectangular doors.

Above these doors were the high windows of the upper storey, the Hall having two floors. These windows were alternately glazed and blind--a method frequently adopted in the Middle Ages, to avoid weakness in the walls, without detracting from the symmetry of the exterior. This storey was reached by staircases, access to which was gained through doors at each end of the facade.