Chapter II: Part 2

=The Capture of Kemmel Hill= (_April 22--28, 1918._)

A period of comparative calm followed, during which the Germans prepared a fresh mass attack, in view of the capture of the Hills.

For this new offensive five fresh divisions from Alsace-Lorraine were brought up, of which two--the IVth Bavarians and the Alpine Corps--were picked troops. These troops joined the four divisions already in the sector. The artillery was also considerably reinforced.

During this concentration small local attacks occurred on both sides.

On April 22 and 23 the Germans endeavoured to improve their positions north of Bailleul, but without appreciable result.

The French, on their part, sought by attacks and raids to impede the preparations for the coming assault.

At that time the firing line, from west to east, ran as follows: from Meteren (held by the Germans) it passed north of Bailleul, then crossed the crest of Lindenhoek at Dranoutre, east of Kemmel, and skirted Groote Vierstraat and St. Eloi on the east.

The five French divisions which defended the Hills occupied the following positions:

The 133rd before Cats Hill; the 34th Infantry (Sabatier) before Locre; the 154th Infantry (Breton) from Dranoutre to the Petit-Kemmel; the 28th Infantry (Madelin) before Kemmel Hill, its left linking up at Lindenhoek with the British 9th Infantry Division. The Cavalry Corps was held in reserve on the Hills.

At 2.30 a.m. on April 25 the attack began with a heavy bombardment, in which the proportion of gas shells was far greater than previously.

At about 6 a.m. the infantry assault began in a dense fog north and south of Kemmel Hill.

North of the Hills the "Sieger" divisions, marching west to east, had orders to capture Kemmel Village, and then, _via_ the Valley of the Kemmelbeek, join up at Locre with the Eberhardt Divisions, which were attacking from north to south in the direction of Dranoutre.

On the left of the attacking front, the village of Kemmel was taken by the Germans, in spite of a heroic defence. Step by step the British 9th Division was driven back into Kemmelbeek valley and on Dickebusch Pond.

In the centre the enemy storm-troop waves, after several repulses, finally reached the summit of Kemmel Hill, where a fierce hand-to-hand encounter took place. In spite of their great heroism, the 30th Infantry Regiment, outnumbered and almost surrounded, was forced to abandon the position, but only after a dashing counter-attack by a battalion of the 99th Infantry had failed to extricate them. On the right, the German Alpine Corps, by a daring manoeuvre, made possible by the fog and the broken nature of the ground, succeeded in reaching the artillery positions, which were at once attacked by machine-gun fire. The French and British batteries, under a storm of bullets, were obliged to retreat, saving what material they could and blowing up the rest.

The Germans thus reached the village of Locre, which changed hands several times during the day.

Finally, after a counter-attack, the 154th Infantry Division remained masters of the village, although the Germans succeeded in holding the "hospice" at the southern end.

The situation was now critical and the enemy advance had to be checked at all costs. On the night of the 25th the Allies were reinforced by the 39th Infantry Division (Massenet) at the very moment a fresh German offensive was being launched. The timely arrival of these troops effectually stayed the German thrust.

On the evening of the 26th, after much sanguinary fighting, the enemy paused, exhausted. The French took advantage of the respite to consolidate new positions.

The 27th was marked only by a violent attack on the extreme left at Voormezele, where the Germans succeeded in obtaining a footing, only to be driven out by a vigorous British counter-attack.

As a result of these various battles the new line was as follows: from Locre Chateau it ran south of Locre Village, followed Kemmelbeek Valley, passed in front of La Clytte Village, then south of Dickebusch Pond and Voormezele Village, joining up with Zillebeke on the south-east.

It was against this new front that the Germans were now preparing a new offensive.

=THE LAST GERMAN ATTACK= (_April 29, 1918._)

After an artillery preparation lasting all night, the attack began at 7 a.m. on April 29, along a front about eight and a half miles in length, extending from the Chateau and Park of Locre to Dickebusch Pond. This attack, by no less than 120,000 enemy troops, resulted in a crushing defeat for the Germans.

Both ends of the front stood firm: the British on the left, between La Clytte and Zillebeke, and the French on the right, in the Chateau and Park of Locre. All attacks were vigorously repulsed, and the Germans did not even reach the Allied lines.

More fortunate in the centre, they succeeded in taking the village of Locre, and advanced beyond it as far as the cross-ways on the Westoutre Road, half-a-mile north of Locre. Their success was but short-lived, however, as a vigorous counter-attack by French Dragoons drove them back, and at the end of the day all that remained of their gains was a slight salient near Brulooze Inn. Exhausted, they did not renew their attack.

The Hill offensive was over. The Germans had destroyed Ypres, but could not enter the ruined city.

=THE ALLIES' VICTORY OFFENSIVE OF AUGUST--OCTOBER, 1918=

After the German setback of April 29, the initiative passed into the hands of the Allies.

On April 30, the French 39th Infantry Division reduced the Brulooze Inn salient. During the following week numerous local engagements enabled the Allies to recapture several fortified farms and _points d'appui_, and generally to consolidate their positions. An attack by the British, on July 19, to the north of the Lys, advanced their lines two and a half miles, and gave them the village of Meteren. Then followed a lull, which lasted until the speeding-up of Foch's offensive rendered the German positions untenable and forced the conquered enemy back towards the Rhine.

After the Allies' victorious counter-thrust had flattened out the "pocket" made by the German Spring offensive near Amiens, the battle quickly spread over the whole front, including Flanders.

East of Nieppe Forest and Hazebrouck, the British, pressing forward towards Armentieres, advanced beyond Vieux-Berquin in the direction of Merville. On August 18, they joined battle between Vieux-Berquin and Bailleul, on a front of four miles, and captured the village of Outtersteene. The next day they entered Merville.

On September 1, the British had reached the line: La Bassee, Laventie, Steenwerke, Neuve-Eglise and Wulverghem, on both sides of the Lys. On the following day, Estaires was outflanked south of Lens, and the famous Hindenburg line passed. Noreuil, Villers-au-Flos (south of Queant), Le Transloy, Sailly-Saillisel and Allaines (south of the Bapaume-Cambrai Road) were next captured. Further south the storming of Queant by the Canadians, who then advanced beyond, and approached Marquion, opened the road to Cambrai.

On September 4, the British reached the Canal du Nord, and crossed it at several points. On the following day, they regained possession of their old lines on both sides of the Lys, from Neuve-Chapelle to Givenchy, and captured Ploegsteert Village. On September 10, south-west of Cambrai, Gouzeaucourt Wood and the old line of trenches dominating Gouzeaucourt Village, as well as the outskirts of Havrincourt Wood were occupied.

The general offensive was to be launched a few days later, in co-operation with the Belgian Army and some French units.

On September 28, the Belgian Army and the British Second Army (General Plumer), commanded by King Albert, marched against the army of Von Arnim. The British, covered on the north by the Belgians, began a turning movement in the region of Lille, Roubaix and Tourcoing. Houthulst Forest, the crests of Passchendaele and Gheluvelt, and Dixmude were carried with fine dash. Crossing the Lys on the following days between Wervicq and Comines, the British now drew near to Menin. On October 1, the Germans were in full retreat on a wide front north and south of the Bassee Canal, all their positions between Armentieres and the south of Lens being now abandoned.

On October 9, the Canadians of the First Army occupied Cambrai. On the 13th, the British reached the gates of Douai and occupied the banks of the Haute-Deule Canal from Douai to Vendin-le-Vieil.

Elsewhere, the British Second Army, after capturing Menin and Wervicq, obtained a footing on the right bank of the Lys, then crossed the river between Menin and Armentieres, thus forcing the Germans to abandon the line of the Haute-Deule, and taking the Lille-Tourcoing in the rear.

The British army and some French units occupied Lille--capital of the north--on October 17, and the same days the Germans evacuated Douai. Roubaix and Tourcoing were liberated the next day, and Denain, Marchiennes and Orchies on the 21st and 22nd.

The Western suburbs of Valenciennes were fiercely disputed, being finally retaken on November 2 by the Canadian troops under General Currie.

A few days later the Armistice was signed, and the victory of the Allied armies sealed.

VISIT TO THE BATTLEFIELD

A visit to Ypres Town and Salient requires two days, and may be made most conveniently by taking Lille as the starting-point.

_First Day_: Visit Messines, Wytschaete, Houthem, Zondvoorde, Gheluvelt, Becelaere, Zonnebeke, Passchendaele, Langemarck, Ypres, Zollebeke and Hooge, spending the night at Poperinghe.

_Second Day_: Visit the Hills: Scherpenberg, Vidaigne, Rouge and Kemmel; then, after re-crossing the French frontier, those of Cats and Noir, returning to Lille for the night, via Armentieres, Estaires, Bethune and La Bassee.

=FIRST DAY: LILLE--YPRES= (_See Itinerary, p. 47._)

Starting-point: The Grande Place, Lille.

_Take Rue Nationale to the end, go round Place Tourcoing, take Rue de La Bassee on the left, then the first turning on the right (Rue de Turenne), Canteleu Gate, and Rue Lequeux. Cross the bridge over the Haute-Deule Canal, and turn to the left into N. 42._

_At Canteleu follow the tram-lines leading to Lomme. At the end of the village, cross the railway (l. c.). Go through Lomme by Rue Thiers, leaving the church on the right_ (transept greatly damaged).

On the left are the burnt ruins of a large spinning mill. In the fields: numerous small forts of reinforced concrete, which commanded all the roads into Lille. The road passes through a small wood, in the right-hand part of which are the ruins of Premesques Chateau, of which only the facade remains. Further on, to the left, is Wez Macquart, whose church was badly damaged. Trenches lead to the road, while in the fields, traces of the violent shelling are still visible.

_Pass through Chapelle d'Armentieres (completely destroyed). After crossing the railway (l. c.), a British cemetery is seen on the right._ =Armentieres= _lies on the other side of the next level crossing._

_After entering_ =Armentieres=, _and immediately beyond the railway, take Rue du Faubourg de Lille, leaving the Church of St. Roch on the right. After passing a public washing-place, turn to the right into the Rue de Lille, then cross the Grande Place._ Here will be seen the Hotel-de-Ville, completely ruined. _Take a few steps along Rue de Dunkerque, then turn into the first street on the right, which leads to the Place de l'Eglise St. Waast._

=Armentieres=

Armentieres suffered in many wars, being taken by the English in 1339, by the French in 1382, by the Calvinists in 1566, by Marshals de Gassion and De Rantzau in 1645, and by the Archduke Leopold in 1647.

Occupied by the Germans in August, 1914, it was retaken in September. Nearly four years later (April, 1918) it again fell into the hands of the enemy. On October 2, it was finally liberated by General Plumer's army.

Until the later war, Armentieres had preserved its 17th century belfry of chimes, its church of Notre-Dame, and another church dedicated to St. Waast--patron saint of the town.

This personage, to whom many of the churches in this district have been dedicated, was Bishop of Arras in the 6th century. While still a priest, he is said to have cured a blind beggar in the presence of Clovis. This miracle was one of the causes which led to the conversion of the king, to whom St. Waast acted instructor in the Faith.

The town also possessed a national technical school, dating from the previous century.

Belfry, churches, schools and houses are all in ruins.

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.

The glazed windows were decorated with three trefoils supported on two arches. The blind windows were similar to the windows of the ground-floor, except that the latter were less lofty. The two arches formed niches, each of which contained a statue: that of a Count of Flanders (the Counts and Countesses from Baudoin Bras-de-Fer to Charles Quint were represented) or of a notable citizen of Ypres, such as Melchior Broederlam, the painter. These statues, some of which were restored in the 19th century, rested on a corbel apparently supported by a small figure bearing the coat-of-arms of the sovereign represented.

The upper portion of the walls was decorated with an ornamental frieze and a battlement bordered with fine moulding. The frieze was composed of a tricusped arcade with small columns carried on corbels with carved heads.

Behind the battlements ran a sentry-way, while at the ends of the facade turrets decorated with arcades and surmounted by octagonal spires, served as watch-towers.

The Belfry rose from the centre of the buildings, of which it was the oldest part, the foundation-stone having been laid by Baudoin =IX=., Count of Flanders, in 1201. Square in plan, it consisted of three stories. Its exterior, like that of the facade, was decorated with arches, and was lighted with windows ornamented with trefoils. It had two rows of battlements, four corner-turrets, and a timber-work roof surmounted by a campanile, above which rose a small spire. At the base of this campanile there were four copper eagles, dating from 1330. At the foot of the belfry a door, flanked by two pilasters, led to the inner court of the Hall. Over this door was a modern statue of Notre-Dame-de-Tuine, with the Lion of Flanders above.

The belfry served all the purposes of a Hotel-de-Ville (previous to the 14th century there were no Hotels-de-Ville properly so-called). It was there that the representatives of the guilds held their meetings, and that the charters of the guilds were kept in great coffers with manifold locks. There, also, the archives of the town were stored. The bottom storey was used as a prison. From the summit, unceasing watch was kept, to warn the citizens of danger, especially that of fire.

The roof of the Hall was pitched very high, in order the more easily to get rid of snow and rain water. It was gilded and emblazoned with the arms of the city and those of the County of Flanders. This roof, with its dormer windows, did not cover a stone vaulting, but a panelled ceiling. Inside the upper storey were large wainscotted galleries, which, in the 19th century, were divided by partitions and adorned with mural decorations.

=The Pauwels Room=

During the last century, the Hall was frequently restored and embellished. In 1876 the walls of the eastern half of the southern building were decorated with twelve mural paintings by Ferdinand Pauwels, representing the principal events in the history of Ypres, in the days of its prosperity (1187 to the siege by the people of Ghent in 1383). The artist displayed exquisite taste, especially in the fresco depicting the "Wedding of Mahaut de Bethune with Mathias de Lorraine." The western half of the gallery was decorated by the artist Delbecke, with paintings depicting the life of a cloth merchant. Owing to the death of the artist, the last picture was never finished. This gallery was used as a banqueting hall. A number of statues by Puyenbroeck of Brussels, along the southern facade, had replaced the originals, badly damaged during the Revolution (1793).

The River Yperlee formerly flowed past the western facade and, until 1848, there was a flight of steps with a double balustrade (17th century) to facilitate the transfer of merchandise from the boats to the warehouses.

=The Nieuwerk=

The Nieuwerk did not detract from the imposing appearance of the southern facade, of which it formed the continuation. Renaissance in style, the plans are said to have been the work of J. Sporeman (about 1575). Building was begun early in the 17th century and finished in 1624.

The ground-floor formed an open hall, 20 feet in width, the vaulting of which was carried on slender cylindrical columns, joined by irregular arcades. The building comprises two stories, the first of which communicated with that of the Cloth Hall. The large high windows of the facades were very close together. The roof was pierced with high and very ornamental dormer-windows.

The Nieuwerk was restored about 1862. In the Chapelle Echevinale, frescoes by Guffens and J. Swerts, and stained-glass was renovated, and at the same time a fine fireplace was built by Malfait of Brussels. Old mural paintings, representing St. Mark and St. John, and a frieze, depicting the Counts of Flanders from 1322 to 1476, were discovered and restored. In the middle of the hall stood a small equestrian statue of John of Brabant (1252--1294) by A. Fiers.

This slightly-built Nieuwerk could not long withstand the bombardment. The south gable, struck on November 21, 1914, collapsed, while on the following day the Cloth Hall burst into flames. A few weeks' later the Nieuwerk was completely destroyed.

_Turn to the right in the Place Vandenpeereboom_, formerly an ornamental pond, now filled in.

Here used to stand a row of old houses with double facade, now completely destroyed. Here also, to the north of the Cloth Hall, stood the Cathedral of St. Martin.

=The Cathedral of St. Martin=

The Church of St. Martin (which became a cathedral in 1559) replaced an older church of the 11th century. Built in the 13th century, its choir dated from 1221, and its nave from the second half of that century. The foundation-stone was laid by Marguerite of Constantinople. The western tower dated only from the 15th century, and replaced a tower which had collapsed in 1433. The new tower was 175 feet in height, and was to have been twice as high. Built from the plans of Martin Untenhove of Malines, it was severe in style.

The plan of the Cathedral was a Latin cross, and terminated in a semicircular choir. It underwent important restorations during the last century.

The facade of the south arm of the transept was of unusually great width.

The central portal was surrounded by a polygonal rose-window and crowned with a high gable flanked by turrets. Above the side portals, the surface of which was decorated with arcading, were gables lighted by rose-windows. This part of the building was probably not earlier than the 14th century.

There were no radial chapels in this great church. A circulating gallery running through the buttresses formed an uninterrupted passage around the building.

At the base of the roof ran an open balustrade, broken at intervals by the pinnacles which crowned the buttresses.

Above the centre of the transept rose a campanile, surmounted by a very pointed timber-work spire.

The nave, and more especially the choir, were remarkable. High pillars with crocketed and foliate capitals supported the springing of the large irregular arches. Above ran a circulating gallery or triforium. The pointed arches of the latter were carried by small columns which originally rested on the wide _abaci_ of the capitals, but several of them had been cut away and replaced by statues of apostles, evangelists, or persons of note.

This arrangement is common in Burgundy and, like others to be found in the Cathedral--the exterior circulating gallery, the interior gallery, the form of the latter, and various decorative features--show how strongly French, and especially Burgundian influence preponderated in Flanders during the 14th century.

The choir was disfigured by an ungraceful 16th century altar. The stalls, carved about 1598 by C. Van Hoveke and Urbain Taillebert, were noteworthy, as was also the pulpit--a richly decorated monumental work, at the base of which stood a life-size statue of St. Dominic.

Urbain Taillebert was also the sculptor of the magnificent "Christ Triumphant," suspended between the columns of the main entrance; and of the tomb of Antoine de Hennin, Bishop of Ypres, who died in 1626. The centre of the tomb represented the bishop in his pontifical robes; _on the left_, he was seen kneeling in prayer, with his mitre close by; _on the right_, his patron, St. Anthony, was represented in a hermit's gown, accompanied by his traditional pig.

A "Virgin and Child" was fortunately rescued from the ruins of the Cathedral. It is a Flemish work of the 16th century. A surrounding fence (_Hortus conclusus_ of the Litanies) is represented on the pedestal (photo opposite).

Beside the tomb described above was that of Jean Visscherius, Bishop of Ypres, who died in 1613. The bishop, clothed in his pontifical robes and wearing his mitre, was represented in a recumbent position, his head raised on a cushion and supported by his hand (photo below).

There were other tombs in the church, notably that of Louise Delage, Lady of Saillort, widow of the Chancellor of Burgundy, Hugonnet (beheaded in 1477).

In the pavement before the altar was the third tombstone of the famous _Cornelius Jansenius_. It was a simple slab of stone, on which was carved a cross, and in the four corners the figures 1, 6, 3, 8. Jansenius, Bishop of Ypres, who died of plague on May 6, 1638, was the founder of the sect of the Jansenists, which still exists in Holland, and whose headquarters are at Utrecht. When and how this tombstone was placed there is not known. It replaced two others removed by ecclesiastical authority in 1655 and 1673 respectively.

Round the chapel, known as the Dean's Chapel, there was a fine copper railing decorated with small alabaster figures.

The inner doors of the church were magnificently carved; those of the south portal, with superimposed figures of saints, were considered to be marvels of Belgian art.

In the Place Vandenpeerboom, take the Rue de Boesinghe. Leaving the Rue d'Elverdinighe (see plan, p. 72) _on the left_, the Cattle Market is next reached, formerly a pond, since filled in. Here were three guild-houses, Nos. 15, 19 and 21. No. 15 was the Maison des Bateliers, on whose facade two symbolic boats were depicted. The canal which passed before the house has disappeared. The date of construction was shown by anchors fixed in the wall of the second storey: 1-6-2-9. At the top of the gable there was an involuted niche which probably sheltered the statue of the patron-saint of sailors (photo opposite). The next house, part of which may be seen on the right of the photo, was 17th century.

_Take the road on the left which rejoins the Promenade, and turning again to the left, skirt "La Plaine d'Amour"_ (photos below and p. 91). Behind the prison walls there is a British cemetery in the gardens (photo, p. 91).

_Turn to the left into the Chaussee de Furnes_, leaving on the left the reservoir of the ruined waterworks. _Take Boulevard Malou and return to the Grande Place_, via _the Rue de Stuers and the Rue au Beurre_ (photos, p. 92).

_Pass the ruins of St. Nicolas Church._

Before reaching the Grande Place the site of the Meat Market (photo, p. 93) is passed.

This was an important, two-gabled building of symmetrical proportions. The lower part of the facade resembled that of the Cloth Hall, but the upper story and roof of the building were of a later date. The gables, with stair-like copings, were decorated with blind windows. The lower storey was of stone, while the gables and the upper part of the facade were brick.

The first storey was formerly occupied by the Brotherhood of St. Michael. The Museum, which was housed there, contained a number of pictures, interesting drawings of the old wooden fronts of the houses of Ypres (by L. Boehm), old chests containing the Charters of the Drapers, pieces of sculpture and wrought ironwork.

Almost directly opposite the Cloth Hall is the Rue de Lille, in which, on the right, is the =Hospice Belle= (photos, p. 94).

This asylum for aged women was founded about 1279 by Christine de Guines, widow of Solomon Belle, Lord of Boesinghe, and rebuilt in the 17th century. The facade of the chapel, which faced the Rue de Lille, contained twin doors, surmounted by a large stained-glass window set in a radiating flamboyant framework. In addition to the statue of St. Nicholas (against the central mullion of the stained-glass window), the lower part of this facade was embellished with statues, in Renaissance niches, of the foundress and her husband. Above the window was an _oculus_, the decoration of which was mingled with that of an escutcheon immediately beneath it, on which the date "1616" could still be deciphered.

Inside the chapel were a 17th century portable confessional (a very curious specimen of carved woodwork), 15th century copper candelabra, and a line picture attributed to Melchior Broederlam. This artist, whose works are very rare, was a native of Ypres. He preceded J. van Eyek as official painter to the Dukes of Burgundy. This picture was saved.

On the right of the street, in the midst of the ruins, can be seen the broken-in vaulting of the old French Barrack (photo above), and on the left, the =Hotel Merghelynck=.

The latter charming 18th century house stood at the corner of the Rue des Fripiers. It was built (1774--1776) from the plans of Thomas Gombert of Lille, and its last proprietors had converted it into an interesting museum.

It was decorated with woodwork, panelling, and Louis XVI. medallions by Ant. Jos. de la Dicque.

The stucco ornamentation was the work of Gregoire Joseph Adam of Valenciennes. The staircase balustrading was by Jacques Beernaert.

A white stone vase, carved from designs by Rubens, stood in the fine court of the house.

Almost opposite, at No. 68, was the old 14th century =Templars' House=, since turned into a post-office (photo, p. 96). The Church of St. Pierre is next reached.

This 11th century church had been largely rebuilt. The facade was surmounted by a substantial square tower, flanked by four corner turrets and crowned by an octagonal spire rebuilt in 1868.

Inside, lofty columns supported the springing of the large irregular arches. There was no vaulting, the church having a timber-work roof in shape of an inverted keel. In it were a 16th century altar, large carved pulpit and a fine choir-screen.

St. Nicolas Old French Barracks School Belltower St. Peters Church St. James' Church]

Rue de Lille ends at Lille Gate. Before passing through, climb up the ramparts, from which there is a magnificent panorama.

Pass through the Gate, the towers of which date from 1395. There is an interesting view over the wide moats, and of the ancient ramparts (rebuilt by Vauban), which were ruined by shells.

_Turn back and re-enter the town by the same way. Beyond the Church of St. Pierre, take the first street on the right as far as the Rue des Chiens, where, on turning to the left_, the ruins of the Church St. Jacques, and the shattered facade of the Hotel de Gand will be seen.

The latter fine house, with double gables dated from the 16th century. The transition from 15th to 16th century style is very marked: on the ground-floor is the irregular arch of the 15th century, while on the first floor the arches are full semi-circles, framing the rectangular bays, whose tympana are decorated with flamboyant figures. These tympana were added some years later, thus giving the wide 17th century windows, of which the (French) architect of the Hotel Merghelynck made such happy use (photo, p. 101).

_Having reached the Grande-Place, take the Rue de Menin on the right_, leaving on the left the ruins of the Hospice Notre-Dame. _Next take the Menin Road, to visit the Chateau de Hooge and_ =Zillebeke=.

=Visit to Zillebeke and Hooge= (_See Itinerary, p. 47._)

_At the Menin Gate leave the Westroosebeke Road on the left, and take the main road to Menin on the right._

On the right, near the last houses, a British cemetery (photo above). _Before the level-crossing over the Ypres-Routers railway, take the road to the right. After passing two further level-crossings, the road descends slightly._ On the left is a large British cemetery: on the high ground to the right are the remains of the Chateau, whilst in the distance lies =Zillebeke Pond=. On the left is another cemetery. _Pass, on the left, the beginning of an impassable road, which formerly led to the main road from Menin. Go past the ruins of Zillebeke Church_, shown in the photographs, p. 104 (before and after the War).

_Return by the same road as far as the railway, and turn to the right._ A large British cemetery, containing 1,500 to 2,000 graves, will be seen on the western slopes of the Hooge Crest. The site of the village of =Hooge=--marked only by a notice board--is next reached. There is no trace whatever left of the chateau or of Bellewaarde Lake. It was here that the battles of July 31, 1917, were fought. On June 2, 1917, the first objectives of the British, in their offensive for the clearing of Ypres, were the Wood and Village of Hooge. They were only taken on July 31, although the chateau itself was captured in June.

_To-day the site of the castle is barely discernable._]

Again lost by the British in April, 1918, these positions were evacuated by the Germans in October.

_Follow the road to the top of the crest_, where the "tank cemetery," containing fourteen broke-down tanks, lies (photo below).

_Now skirt on the right the beginning of_ =Sanctuary Wood=, beyond which is the strategic Hill 60.

Hill 60 was captured by the Germans in 1914, and retaken by the British in 1915. It was the object of frequent attacks, chiefly the German attack of April 27--28, 1916.

_At the place called Veldhoek, opposite Herenthage Wood_ (full of concrete shelters and tanks), _return to Ypres, entering the town by the Menin Gate_.

=From Ypres to Poperinghe=

_Cross the town by the Grande Place, Rue du Beurre, Rue des Stuers, Boulevard Malou, on the right, and Rue Capron, on the left, coming out at the Chaussee de Poperinghe. On leaving the town pass over the level-crossing._

From Ypres to Vlamertinghe, the road runs through devastated country; here numerous trenches and machine-gun shelters can still be seen.

_Take the level-crossing over the Hazebrouck-Ypres railway, then cross the Kemmelbeek by a bridge, still in good condition, and go through_ =Vlamertinghe=. This village suffered greatly from bombardments. In front of the partly demolished church the road turns to the left.

From Vlamertinghe to Poperinghe the aspect of the country changes completely. The road is shaded by large trees, and there are hop-fields on both sides.

_Enter_ =Poperinghe= _by the Chaussee d'Ypres, continue by the Rue d'Ypres. Passing the Hotel-des-Postes and the Hotel-de-Ville, the tourist comes to the Grande Place_.

=Poperinghe=

Poperinghe, a small town of 12,000 inhabitants, is the centre of an agricultural district, where hop-growing is the chief industry.

Of its three churches, two only are interesting from an artistic point of view.

The Church of St. Jean is Romanesque in style, whilst that of St. Bertin contains some remarkable woodwork: the Verite pulpit, the Dean's confessional, and the roof-loft are masterpieces of the Renaissance period.

In the court of the Hotel Skindles there is a tombstone dating from 1171.

Old houses are rare in Poperinghe, the town having several times been destroyed during its history.

=SECOND DAY: POPERINGHE--LILLE=

=Via The Hills of Flanders, Armentieres, Nieppe Forest, Merville and Bethune=

_Visit to the Hills_: Scherpenberg, Vidaigne, Rouge and Kemmel in Belgium; and the Mont des Cats and Mont Noir in France.

_At the Grande Place of Poperinghe take Rue Flamande, then Chaussee de Reninghelst, turn to the left along the Rue des Pretres, and then turn to the right into the Rue Boescheppe, opposite the church of St. Bertin._

_Pass in front of the_ =Diocesan College=, the roof of which was badly damaged by shell-fire. _In the Place Bertel turn to the right._

_Cross the river by a recently restored bridge, then skirt, on the left, the communal cemetery_, where the graves have been destroyed by the shells, and _cross the Hazebrouck-Ypres railway_ (_l. c._).

On the left is an Allied cemetery containing 500 to 600 graves. On the right against the sky is =Cats Hill=. Numerous machine-guns shelters can still be seen along the road. _Cross a narrow-gauge railway_, which serves a military station on the right.

_The road is first undulating, then descends to_ =Reninghelst=. _Here leave on the left the church_, which has not greatly suffered. In the churchyard near by, there are a few French soldiers' graves. _At the cross-roads, turn to the left, then 200 yards further on, at_ =Zevecoten=, take the road on the right to =La Clytte=.

The further we advance the greater the devastation of the ground becomes.

_At the first houses of Clytte Hamlet, turn to the right._ The German rush of 1918 was broken before this village.

After the capture of Kemmel Hill, a violent enemy attack on April 27 broke down before the desperate resistance of the French 28th Infantry Division (Madelin) and the British 9th Infantry Division.

=Kemmel= is seen on the left, and =Scherpenberg= in front.