Battle Studies The Second Battle of Ypres 1915

Evacuation of Ypres

The War Diary of the Town Major of Ypres, Lieutenant-Colonel Hankey, was written as follows for 21 April:

"21st: Shelling of the town ceased at 7.30am.

Arrangements for counter-signing of all civilian passes by the Town Major came into place.

Nearly all troops had been moved out of the town during the night.

About 2,000 inhabitants left the town and were rendered great assistance along the BRIELEN road by motor lorries supplied by the Canadian Division.

The sanitary arrangements for the town were now at a standstill owing to the fact that the large majority of the civilian contractor's men had left the town.

The Belgian Military Governor of YPRES went to arrange with Colonel [...] (Comdt Belgian Gendarmerie) at POPERINGE that no commune should give passes for anyone in future to return to YPRES.

Bombardment started about 6pm and lasted about one hour." (1)

Acknowledgements

(1) War Diary of the 5th Army Corps, DA & QMG for the month of April 1915 dated 30/4/15: ref. WO95/4048 Public Record Office

[IWM] neg. Q61561 (Norman F Ellison collection): photograph by kind permission of the Imperial War Museum Department of Photographs

Copyright Joanna Legg & Graham Parker © 2002 All rights reserved