Belgium Flanders Field - World War I

This post is one of the more difficult to compose. We took a day trip to tour World War I cemeteries and memorials along the old front line. This region of Belgium known as Flanders field and includes many towns that were completely decimated in this war including Iepers (or Ypers). The entry is likely going to be long as we visited 12 sites and I feel it should be one journal and not broken up.

To start some history. Ferdinand was assassinated on Jun 28,1914 . Austria-hungry declares war on Serbia and Russia mobilizes troops (being in treaty with Serbia) July 28. Germany declares war on Russia (being in a treat with Austria-Hungry) Aug 1. Germany invades Luxemburg Aug 2 and Belgium on Aug 4. Because Belgium has a treaty of neutrality with Britain Britain declares war on Germany (basically the treaty said if Belgium is attacked Britain will send aid thankfully they honored this deal). So just over one month and So much happened.

Being that I am in Belgium everything is focused on the Belgian frontline. So from now on we are looking at Belgium. Everywhere there was a major battle there now lies a cemetery. With headstones for all the soldiers buried there. There are literally hundreds of cemeteries and memorials to different countries - including Germany.

To give you an idea of deaths - in the 4 years of the Great War this region had 3 major battles. Battle of Verdun with 700,000 dead, the Battle of the Somme with more than a million casualties, and the Battle of Passchendaele with roughly 600,000 casualties. Pretty much we saw the 'must see' locations.

There are 5 German only cemeteries. The one we visited Langemark is very somber. All the headstones are flat on the ground and black. Oak trees are planted around. And a statue of four soldiers is at the back like they are watching over their fallen comrades.

This being our first cemetery stepping up to the introduction plaque and looking around I was struck by how many people died. Simple and kind of grim.

There are also still pill boxes present. These are concrete guard posts with a dugout below. There was an opening so you could fire out and defend your area. The Germans built tons of these to defend the land they occupied. Here is one on the right. You can no longer enter them but the stay as a memory and marker of where this war took place.

Poppy wreaths and popsicle stick crosses were everywhere. I think a lot of school kid groups come through. We saw a couple groups coming around.

Our next stop was a simple pillar called the brooding Canadian. It is a memorial to the Canadian troops.

Poison gas a weapon that should never have been invented. The Allies had no idea what the cloud was and once they did they had no gas masks. They ran dying and yelling to their fellow soldiers that it was poison gas. Panic ensued thousands died. A few hours later the Germans easily marched forward. They gained 4km and chemical gas warfare was born.

Over the next 4 years both sides ignored the rules of fair play and invented and refined chemical weapons and gas masks to use on each other.

This is also the only memorial mentioning the use of poison gas. The soldier is facing the direction that first chlorine gas cloud came. This marks the spot of the first ever poison gas used on a large scale in war.

Next the Polygon wood cemetery. Named after the forest that was leveled during the war. The forest border was irregular making a more polygon shape. This was on a slight rise thus making it a rather strategic position.

The lone German buried here.

Up until today our weather has been picture perfect. Cool enough to have a light jacket and not always need it. Light fluffy clouds drifting through a sea of sky blue. Simply gorgeous during a time we were told should be gloomy, overcast, Col, windy, dreary rain. The only times it really rained were travel days until today. As if the universe knew I was going to tour such a tragic historical time. I believe it gives more emotion to the photos. One point it was hailing so bad we all huddled in the bus.

Our next stop was Tyne Cot. Another area on a slight rise. In a land so flat any elevation was considered important. For example the highest point here is 54 meters above sea level. This is the largest cemetery of the commonwealth forces for any war. There are almost 12,000 graves 8,000 are unnamed only 4 German but typically the Germans chose to take their bodies home. Originally there were 350 buried here in 1918 they decided to expand and bring in bodies from smaller surrounding cemeteries.

The middle memorial cross is built on the old bunkhouse. It was used as a field dressing station to stabilize the wounded and get them to a more secure medical field. Many of the original 350 buried here died of wounds. Bastian got this photo as I was walking down the steps from the memorial.

The family could pay to write something on the gravestone. These were the most touching and usually parents on a sons grave. The average age was mid 20's. The oldest 57. Things like "fondly missed, always remembered" or "bear my son on wings to your embrace".

The rain on the above memorial made me think of tears and the poppy wreaths the blood spilled.

We then visited a small privately owned museum named Hooge Crater war museum. We had 30 minutes it could have taken me an hour.

The owner must be a real WWI collector. On display was so much era paraphernalia, shells, artillery, personal items, weapons,etc. Even a little documentary made during the war. So moving to see actual footage from so long ago and think everyone in that film is now dead. The stories they told.

A replica of the red baron's plane? No idea but it gave that impression.

I learned so much from this tour. The rains would make the terrain so muddy that it turned into a quagmire. They had boards to make a walkway. If you fell off you soul get stuck in the mud and likely die. Guys stuck would call out asking soldiers to shoot them because otherwise they would drown to death. Many times the tanks would get stuck permanently and become useless. For most of the war the Axis held the high ground but the Allies never gave up. This is where trench warfare started. You made dugouts for protection and to get supplies to the front.

Hill 60 is where the dugouts and trenches became mines and tunnels. This site is considered a mass grave. There is no way to tell how many bodies are under it in tunnels, mines, etc.

The craters are from all the mine explosions from 1915, 1916, and 1917. This is a true battlefield almost 100 years later. Nature comes back but the strain of battle still show on the terrain.

Hill 60 was created in the late 1800's. As the railroad was being built they had to put the spoils somewhere so the place it all here making a rather high point. The Germans held this spot for a long while. With the high vantage point they would always see the Allies coming.

A different tactic was needed. They decided to start tunneling and create mines. Eventually the Germans realized what was going on and they counter tunneled. Often in the darkness they would meet and fight with shovels and pickaxes. They would set off explosions in the mined.

on June 7 1917, 19 mines filled with 450,000 kilograms (990,000 lb) of explosives, were detonated under the German lines. This is the explosion said to have been heard in London. It blew up half the hill. In about a week the Allies had pushed the Germans back. This was also the largest man made earthquake.

This site is surrounded by pillboxes. This photo is actually both German and British Pillboxes. Built on top of each other.

This site was also in WWII the Germans destroyed the original monument here (only two WWI monuments were destroyed in WWII).

After all this the tour continues on. It was a lot to take in on one day at this point I was exhausted. Next was the only USA memorial in Belgium. Simple. We fought more in France.

Next the monument to the missing soldiers. This arch is called Menin gate. It is the entrance to modern day Ypers. Inside engraved is many missing soldiers name. It was built in 1927 and holds almost 50,000 names.

100 years ago this town Iepers/Ypers was devastated by war. Not a building stood. Everyone killed or evacuated. Though no fighting took place in the town of Iepers it was the town fought over. Those who returned were left to rebuild. They rebuilt with recompense money from Germany. The church was the first structure rebuilt. And here it is today as seen from Menin Gate.

The next stop was very impressive. Someone excavated a trench and then recreated ut on the spot with concrete sandbags so people could walk through a trench and get that sense. Unfortunately due to a cave in we could not walk through the trench. Still impressive from above.

Here is looking into where the dugout starts. Just imagine this with bullets flying. At this point 50 meters from the Germans. They could actually hear each other. Always cold, muddy, unsure of anything.

Lastly, Essex farm. This was a medical dressing facility. This is where the famous poem "In Flanders Field" was written by John McCrae a Canadian doctor. His friend was killed in action and later he wrote this famous poem. Because of this poem the Poppy has become the symbol of WWI.

by John McCrae, May 1915 In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

You can walk into the concrete bunker that the medical personnel worked in. It is small and dark and I'm sure was very crowded. I couldn't help but imagine being a nurse, doctor, assistant in this small room trying to save a life or a limb. It is during this war that advances I blood transfusions and other medical aspects were made.

Here is also where the 15 year-old is buried.

This was a beautiful and moving tour. I learned so much and seeing it all in person made it that much more real. Our tour guide informed us that the farmers in the area still pull up artillery. Sometimes even unexploded canisters. These damage their equipment and on rare occasions can still explode. Sometimes when a new building is being put up a body is found. Like she they were excavating the trenches they found 155 bodies in the surrounding area but only one could be identified tho was in the early 2000's. So still today tho war affects the people living here.

I know this has been long but I hope you read it all and learned a little. I know I have and so far this is one of the highlights of the trip. I will always remember this tour the sights seen the emotions felt.