Current Information:

Age-18

4, St. Leonard's Avenue, Poplar

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 16th November, 1914, the 1st Cornwall Light Infantry battalion of 14 Brigade, 5th Division relieved French troops in the front line trenches at Lindenhoek facing the Messines Ridge and the German artillery and remained here until 25th November. They held an extended front line that required all the battalion’s troops to hold it especially as the enemy front line was only 30 yards away in some places. Herbert Mancktelow was killed here on 21st November.