Current Information:

Age-21

1, Cross Street, Islington

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.

On 25th October, 1st Division pushed up to Bellewaarde Lake in support of 2nd and 7th Divisions and on the following day, 26th October, the 2nd Welch and 1st South Wales Borderers battalions, both of 3  Brigade, were ordered to counter attack Kruiseecke.  They reached the slopes of Kruiseecke Hill without too much difficulty and here they dug in for the night. On 27th October, the day on which Alfred Kirk was killed, the two battalions were withdrawn into reserve at Hooge, Kruiseecke having been evacuated.  They spent the whole morning by Bellewaarde Lake where they raced a punt against a gondola during which the enemy shelled the lake amidst cheers.