Chapter xv. The crisis of the first battle of ypres.
ON Saturday, 31st October, came the crisis of the fierce
and long-continued struggle. Day by day the enemy’s
attacks had been grow1ng stronger and stronger. Across the
lines the British could hear the Germans singing patriotic songs,
as though they were working themselves up to a berserk rage.*In olden days Norse warriors, or berserks, worked themselves up before
a battle into a fierce madness, known as the “ berserk rage."
An order taken from a prisoner showed that the Kaiser had
ordered the British line to be smashed at all costs. “ Before
the sun was high on that morning," writes an American cor-
respondent, “ a British aviator volplaned down to his own lines
with a wing damaged by shrapnel. He dropped from his seat
pale and shaken. ‘ A close call ’ they asked. ‘ It isn’t that,’
he replied; ‘ it’s what I have seen—three corps, I tell you,
against our First ! ’ So he jerked out his story. He had seen
the roads and ridges like ant—hills and ant—runs with men ; he
had seen new batteries going into position; he had seen, far
away, the crawling gray serpents, which were still more German
regiments going to their slaughter. ‘ And we’re so thin from
up there,’ he said, ‘ and they’re so many.’ ”
The little map on page 131 will show you the British
position against which the Germans were now about to hurl
themselves in vast strength. You see that the 1st Division
held the village of Gheluvelt, and lay to the right and left of
the main road from Ypres to Menin. On the left of the 1st
Division lay the 2nd Division, extending the line as far north
as Zonnebeke. The South Wales Borderers, who were on the
extreme left of the 1st Division, were posted in the sunken
* In olden days Norse warriors, or berserks, worked themselves up before
a battle into a fierce madness, known as the “ berserk rage."
Quoted from Mr. Will Irwin's account of the battle in the Daily Mail. III.
The French and British Commanders in the Field—General Joffre and General Sir John French.
First Battle of Ypres.
part of the road between Gheluvelt and Reutel. The 2nd
Worcesters, who belonged to the 2nd Division, were stationed
in the wood which you will see to the south—west of Zonnebeke.
On the right of the 1st Division, continuing the line up to the
canal from Ypres to the Lys, lay the 7th Division.
At daybreak on the 31st, Von Beimling, with at least Ioo,ooo
Bavarians, attacked the centre of the British line. A heavy fire
was directed against Gheluvelt, and when the way was thus
prepared, the infantry dashed upon the place, but were
repulsed. Again and again the Bavarians advanced, but
nowhere could they make headway. The big guns reduced
Gheluvelt to a heap of blazing ruins ; but the British could not
be shifted from them. The trenches of the Welsh were
searched from end to end
by German shells; but still
they stuck to them. Every
spot in front, and even the
wood in the rear where the
Worcesters were posted, was
raked by the murderous
German fire. But every
time the enemy pushed for-
ward they were beaten back.
Having thus failed to
pierce the British line at Ghe-
luvelt, the, Bavarians were
ordered to fling themselves
against the British to the
south of the Menin-Ypres
road—that is, against the 1st
Queen’s (Surrey) and the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers, the
latter unit being the flank regiment of the 7th Division.
Advancing in force, they got between the village of Gheluvelt
and the Surreys on their left flank, and then, with their great
numbers, were able to get round to the right flank of that
regiment, which was almost surrounded and cut off: Only
some seventy of the Surreys fought their way back into the
woods in their rear. he British line was. broken at last.
What the Germans had now to do was to enlarge
the breach. The retreat of the Surreys had laid open the
flank of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, and the Bavarians tried