Battle or Action:


The Battles of Ypres 1914 (First Ypres)


  Detail :

 19 October - 22 November 1914. Following the failure of the German Schlieffen Plan in August and September 1914, both sides engaged in a series of linked battles as they sought to outflank each other. The climax of these manouvres was at Ypres in November 1914 when the might of the German Army attempted to break the much outnumbered British Expeditionary Force. The political importance of Ypres, being the last town of any size in Belgium that remained in allied hands, established its importance for both sides and ensured a series of battles over four years.

The First Battle of Ypres in 1914 is characterised by a series of linked heroic stands by outnumbered British soldiers in conditions of confusion and weary endurance. The Germans never knew how close they had come to winning - at one point just the clerks and cooks were the last line of defence for the BEF. By the end of the battle the magnificent original BEF, composed of professional regular soldiers, had been all but destroyed and already the Territorial battalions were called into battle. From the end of 1914 a 'Regular' battalion was in terms of its compostion little different to a Teritorial or later Service Battalion. The professional soldiers had all but vanished.

 Rank Initials Surname Died Lodge
 Sgt. J.S. MORRIS 03-10-1914 Aldershot Camp No. 1331
 Capt. H.F. LEWIS 19-10-1914 Northern Nigeria No. 3325
 Maj. J.S. CAVENDISH DSO 20-10-1914 Household Brigade No. 2614
Isaac Newton University No. 859
Northern Nigeria No. 3325
 Capt. T.H.R. BULKELEY CMG MVO 22-10-1914 Household Brigade No. 2614
Kitchener No. 2998
United Studholme Alliance No. 1591
 Lt. E.L. TALBOT 23-10-1914 A Scottish Lodge No. 0
Lord Kitchener No. 3402
Old Marlburian No. 3533
 Lt. C.M. POPE 24-10-1914 Royal Clarence No. 271
 Capt. J.A. McENERY 26-10-1914 Pentangle No. 1174
 C.S.M. H. WILFORD 26-10-1914 Beach No. 2622
 Lt. M.V.D.O. BATTENBERG KCVO 27-10-1914 Old Wellingtonian No. 3404
Twelve Brothers No. 785
 Sgt. T. FELL 27-10-1914 St Ann's No. 593
 LCpl. W.L. OLIVER 28-10-1914 Seacombe No. 3468
 Pte. R.E. COYNE 29-10-1914 Marquis of Granby No. 124
 Sgt. J. MONTGOMERY 29-10-1914 Lord Kitchener No. 3402
 Lt. J.C. CLOSE-BROOKES 30-10-1914 Combermere Lodge of Union No. 295
 Capt. H.W. GROSVENOR 30-10-1914 Household Brigade No. 2614
 Lt. N.W.H. LEGGE-BOURKE 30-10-1914 Athlumney No. 3245
Household Brigade No. 2614
 Capt. A.M. VANDELEUR 30-10-1914 Household Brigade No. 2614
 Lt. C.S. PELHAM [WORSLEY] 30-10-1914 Foxhunters No. 3094
Lord Worsley No. 3017
 W.O.2 H.W. BAKER 31-10-1914 Aldershot Camp No. 1331
 Capt. R.V. BARKER 31-10-1914 Apollo University No. 357
Old Wykehamist No. 3548
 2Lt F. DEAN 31-10-1914 Alexandra No. 1065
Castle No. 1436
 2Lt R.W. FLETCHER 31-10-1914 Apollo University No. 357
 Capt. R. OMMANNEY 31-10-1914 Lodge of Erin No. 2895
Wellesley No. 1899
 Maj. G. PALEY 31-10-1914 United No. 1629
 Capt. J. SPOTTISWOODE 31-10-1914 Lodge of Honour No. 379
 C.S.M. H.R. AITCHISON 01-11-1914 London Scottish Rifles' No. 2310
 LCpl. J. CAREY 01-11-1914 London Scottish Rifles' No. 2310
 Sgt. A.W. KITCHER 01-11-1914 Beacontree No. 1228
 Pte. D.R. MCDOUGALL 01-11-1914 Hervey No. 1692
 Lt. B.R. WINTHROP-SMITH 01-11-1914 Household Brigade No. 2614
Isaac Newton University No. 859

FIRST PREV ( Page 1 of 2 ) NEXT LAST