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Age-23

59, Old Street, Finsbury

Battle of Frezenberg Ridge (8 May-13 May)

In April 1915 the Germans, using gas for the first time, launched an all out attack on the salient around the Belgian town of Ypres. It became a gargantuan struggle that lasted well into the next month and at the end of it, the salient, though drastically reduced, still stood.

The Battle of Frezenberg Ridge which began on 8th May, 1915 was a further attempt to destroy the Ypres salient. The name is deceptive because the Frezenberg ridge, which lay to the north-east of the town rose to only 50 metres above sea level and was one of a series of low ridges that ran in a generally westerly direction and branched off the main ridge that ran north-easterly from Kemmel to Passchendaele. Nevertheless, it gave a commanding view down on to the town of Ypres and for that reason it was strategically important.

On the night of 12th-13th May, 1915, 1st Cavalry Division and 3rd Cavalry Division relieved the hard pressed battalions of 28th Division just in time to take the full force of the last German attempt to break through on this front and capture Ypres. At 3.30am of 13th May there began an incessant and heavy bombardment of the front and back areas of the British positions which  X Corps diary stated as being the heaviest yet experienced.  The trenches taken over the night before by the Cavalry were in poor condition. Only recently dug they had no communication trenches nor were they wired.  The heaviest bombardment fell on the front between Hooge and the Ypres-St Julien road and this, together with the rain reduced the trenches to a quagmire.  At 8am the enemy broke in on 7 Cavalry Brigade’s front, held by the Leicestershire Yeomanry, 1st Lifeguards and 2nd Lifeguards, all about 300 strong.  Being on a long gentle forward slope it was only lightly held.  The Germans then bombed out the remaining defenders and the Leicestershire Yeomanry were driven into the trenches held by 6 Cavalry Brigade including the 10th Hussars.  Also shelled out of their trenches were the 5th Dragoon Guards in the centre of 1st Cavalry Division front and a squadron of 18th Hussars of 2 Cavalry Brigade on the extreme left, nearest 4th Division. Although hit hard, 4th Division managed to eventually contain this attack as did 80 Brigade to the right of the Cavalry and 2 Cavalry Brigade (4th Dragoon Guards, 9th Lancers and 18th Hussars) held their ground as well. It was only on 7 Cavalry Brigade’s front where there was real concern.  Here communications were very difficult and dense black smoke from the shelling obscured vision.  The extent of the gap caused by the German breakthrough was not known. To the right of this gap the North Somerset Yeomanry of 6 Cavalry Brigade, 3rd Cavalry Division held on as did the 2nd Dragoon Guards of 1 Cavalry Brigade, to the left while  8 Cavalry Brigade of 3rd Cavalry Division (Royal Horse Guards, 10th Hussars and the Essex Yeomanry) were deployed behind this gap. At 2.30pm a counter attack was launched by part of 9 Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (15th Hussars, 19th Hussars and Bedfordshire Yeomanry) and some of the old line was regained. The Germans were evicted and even pursued but heavy fire made it impossible to regain all the lost ground.  By the evening a new line of mainly shell holes on a reverse slope 1000 yards back was occupied extending from Railway Wood on the right to the trenches of 1 Cavalry Brigade (2nd Dragoon Guards, 5th Dragoon Guards and 11th Hussars) on the left. One of the many casualties during this day of heavy fighting was Douglas Christie of Essex Yeomanry, who was killed and although his death of was recorded as 14th May, it was more likely that he was killed in this action on 13th May.