Current Information:

Born-Hoxton

Battle of Bellewaarde Ridge (24th-25th May, 1915)

At 2.45am on 24th May, the Germans opened upon this front a tremendous artillery bombardment followed up by the release of gas in greater quantities than had been seen before with dense gas clouds rising to 40 feet. In some places no-man’s land was very narrow and the defenders had little or no time in which to don their gas masks. The centre of the line held firm but at the two extremities, Mouse Trap farm in the north and Bellewaarde Lake in the south, the enemy broke through. Reserves were called up but despite some hard fighting the losses were not made good and the salient around Ypres was further reduced.

At Mouse Trap Farm there were two platoons of the 2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers battalion of 10 Brigade, 4th Division holding the front with only a 30 yard wide no-man’s land. By 4am they were very hard pressed but managed to hold out until noon by which time all their trenches and those of 2nd Royal Irish Regiment, 12 Brigade, 4th Division, on their left, were in German hands and the whole angle of the front had been lost creating a large gap in the British lines.  2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers suffered 583 casualties, most of whom were recent replacements after similar losses a month before. What remained of the battalion were relieved that evening and moved back to bivouacs on the Canal bank. Here, on the following day, they were able to take stock of the situation and record their casualties including William Lee who had been killed.