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Born-Notting Hill

The Battle of Nonne Bosschen 

The battle of Nonne Bosschen  on 11th November, 1914 was the final German attempt to break through the British lines around Ypres. They threw twelve and a half divisions into an attack against a nine mile front, stretching from Messines to Reutel (close to Polygon Wood). The main thrust of their attack was either side of the Menin Road where two fresh divisions, numbering around 10,000 men were thrown against eleven tired and depleted British divisions of around 4000 men. The attack was launched at 9 am after the heaviest artillery barrage yet seen and was protected by early morning mist. Astride the Menin Road the defenders were forced to give ground but more critical was the attack that penetrated the Guards Brigade line just to the north and allowed the Germans to get into Nonne Bosschen woods and threaten the artillery line. This threat was averted in the afternoon when a counter attack cleared the Germans from the wood. There was now no chance of a breakthrough and although the Germans made a few minor attacks over the next few days the First Battle of Ypres was finished.

On 11th November, 1914, the 2nd King’s Royal Rifle Corps battalion of 2 Brigade, 1st Division were part of a mixed detachment of British units known as Cavan’s Force and were holding part of the line the line in the southern part of the salient around Ypres. When parts of Cavan’s Force came under extreme pressure a counter attack by some of 2nd King’s Royal Rifle Corps restored the situation and on the following day, when Edward Walsh was killed, two platoons from the battalion successfully breached a gap that had developed in the British line.