Battles at Ypres

YPRES First Battle of Ypres During the first battle of Ypres, both sides tried to use the best tactical features possible. Ammunition in this battle was so low that most guns were withdrawn from the line and some of the guns with ammo left were limited to one shot every half of an hour. The City of Ypres was virtually at sea level resulting in a complex drainage system. The Belgians warned the British that …

…on May 7th, 1917, one million pounds of ammonal a very explosive substance) exploded in nineteen miles of 14 mines. These mines killed 23,000 people also resulting in the capture of over 7000 British troops. Shelling quickly transformed the battlefield into a vast evil smelling swamp of quicksands into which men, horses, guns and conventional road making materials would disappear and leave no trace. The majority of the soldiers died from sinking or drowning rather that shelling or gunfire.