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Age-24

1, Steyne Road, Acton

First Battle of Ypres

Between 21st October and 22nd 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 1st and 2nd Divisions plus the 3rd Cavalry Division had made their way up from the Aisne as part of the “Race to the Sea”, whilst the 7th 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.

The 1st Royal Berkshire battalion of 6 Brigade, 2nd Division arrived in Ypres on 20th October, 1914 and on the following day they marched to Wieltje to join in an attack north of the Ypres-Passchendaele road which did not make much progress. On 22nd October they moved to Frezenberg and at 3.30pm on 24th October they took part in an attack that captured the Zonnebeke-Becelare ridge. Here they entrenched. On 27th October, the day on which Walter Jessett was killed, 1st South Staffordshire attacked eastwards across the Zonnebeke-Becelaere road, supported by a company from 1st Berkshire who were ordered to clear the woods on the Stafford’s right rear and cover their right flank.  As this company approached the north-west corner of the wood they came under rifle fire from within it but nevertheless managed to clear the wood. On reaching its southern edge they saw a line of German trenches about 250 yards to the front with a small farm building and enclosure on each flank. These they attacked and occupied but a second line of trenches were now observed behind the first line, held in some strength by the enemy and no further progress was possible. They remained in occupation of the line they had reached and in the evening more troops were sent up to fill the gap which now existed between 1st Berkshire and the 1st South Staffordshire.