'The Battle of Passchendaele' ... 100th Anniversary

[Selkirk]

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Battle of Passchendaele (the Canadian part) - Oct. 26 to Nov 11, 1917

Historica Canada article ... http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.c...passchendaele/

Battle of Passchendaele vid ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i39Yum5hjuM


No words can truly describe.

Selkirk

[bobtodrick]

If the current generation knew how lucky the are.
We lost what...160 killed in five years of fighting in Afghanistan.
More than 4000 killed in one battle (Passchendaele).
Any loss through battle is tragic...and the thought of warfare is so archaic...but when you look at these kinds of figures...we've come a long way.

[Selkirk]

Originally Posted by bobtodrick

If the current generation knew how lucky the are.
We lost what...160 killed in five years of fighting in Afghanistan.
More than 4000 killed in one battle (Passchendaele).
Any loss through battle is tragic...and the thought of warfare is so archaic...but when you look at these kinds of figures...we've come a long way.

X2

Passchendaele was arguably 'The Worst Horrific Meat Grinder Carnage' of all time.

We have nothing to compare it with today ... Thank God!

Selkirk

[mgvande]

The Canadians arrived in Flanders in mid-October to relieve Australian and New Zealand troops and were shocked by the terrible battlefield conditions. Currie ordered the construction of new roads, the building or improvement of gun pits, and the repair and extension of tramlines (light railways). Horses and mules transported hundreds of thousands of shells to the front to prepare for the artillery barrage that would prepare for the infantry’s attack. The Germans atop Passchendaele ridge fired continuously on these efforts, killing or wounding hundreds.

His preparations ready, Currie launched a deliberate or ‘set-piece’ attack on 26 October, the first of four phases in a battle he estimated might cost 16,000 Canadians killed or wounded. By mid-November, having captured the ridge, his estimate proved eerily accurate, with 15,654 Canadian fallen.

Iron Maiden also has a wicked song telling the story of Passchendaele

[densa44]

This was a case of the military making decisions and the politicians not having the courage to say no.

For example the British army was shooting the enlisted men for various crimes (coming back late from leave, falling asleep at their post etc.) and our government did nothing to protect our troops. On the other hand the Australian government would not let them shoot their soldiers "the fact that a man has volunteered is sufficient evidence of his courage" Haig continually complained that he couldn't shoot Aussies.

Just BTW the first soldier that Currie had shot was a French Canadian volunteer from Quebec. The Conservative couldn't win an election in the PQ for another 50 years.

The land the battle was fought over, to my eye anyway was about 1/4 section of mud.

Never let this happen again.

[Maxwell78]

Please, everybody get your poppies

[decoy]

I was there in September. The people of France keep the memorial in pristine condition, as with all the memorials visited. An incredibly humbling trip.

[densa44]

At the Vimy memorial I too was humbled at how small a graveyard held 17,000 Canadians.

The old vets that made it back all wrote in the guest books "NEVER AGAIN" it was advice for us.