Current Information:

Enlisted-Warley

Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France

First Battle of Ypres

Between 21^st October and 22^nd November, 1914 a desperate fight took place around the Belgium city of Ypres, the first of three major battles that were to be fought there during the course of the war. British troops entered Ypres in October. The 1^st and 2^nd Divisions plus the 3^rd Cavalry Division had made their way up from the Aisne as part of the “Race to the Sea”, whilst the 7^th Division came west to Ypres after Antwerp had fallen. The Germans knew that Ypres was the gateway to the Channel ports and that these were vital to Britain’s war effort so they poured reinforcements into the area. The fighting fell into three distinct battles; the Battle of Langemarck, 21-24 October, the Battle of Gheluvelt, 29-31 October and the Battle of Nonne Bosschen, 11 November. Ypres did not fall to the Germans but its defence during these two months resulted in the destruction of much of the old regular British Army.

On 27^th October, 1914, the 1^st King’s Royal Rifle Corps battalion of 6 Brigade, 2^nd Division moved from their position in Polygon Wood to the east of Ypres, to a farm in a valley south of Zonnebeke. 6 Brigade then attacked with the French on their left. The French were checked but 2^ndSouth Staffordshire and1^st King’s Royal Rifle Corps gained 1000yards into a dip between the main Passchendaele Ridge and the Keiburg spur. Further forward movement towards Keiberg proved impossible despite bringing up an 18 pounder of 70 Battery, Royal Field Artillery, so they dug in. 1^st King’s Royal Rifle Corps remained in these trenches trying to improve them whilst the Germans shelled them continuously, until they were moved back into divisional reserve on 31st October.  George Wright died from wounds on 1st November after having been taken back to a base hospital on the coast and it is likely that he was wounded during this fighting at Ypres.