THE GARRISON OF YPRES.
At the beginning of June the 49th Division once again staked out its claim to the proud title of “Garrison of Ypres” by returning to the line in front of that city. The trenches had now drawn very close to the town and battalion headquarters were often in the ancient ramparts. An attack was confidently expected and the order was that Ypres was to be “held at all costs.” However for some reason the attack never came off. Delayed by an epidemic of influenza, it was probably finally abandoned owing to the need of troops to meet Marshal Foch in the south. Here the battalion remained for the summer. Heavily shelled with gas on its first arrival, its stay on the whole was not an unpleasant one, in spite of shelling both on the front line and back areas, and constant visits from bombing aeroplanes.
The Belgians were on the left and their soldiers created a very favourable impression. Later the 1st American Division arrived and came into the trenches with the ⅙th Battalion for instruction, before taking over the line themselves in the latter half of August. They appeared to be excellent material, and were very eager to learn all they could.
The outstanding feature of the stay was a very successful raid undertaken one morning by a party of A company under Lieut. C. Lowther, M.C. and Lieut. Farrer. Many Germans were killed and four captured. The following day Company Sergt.-Major Wiseman, D.C.M., led another successful foray, inflicting casualties on the enemy.
The ⅙th Duke’s left Ypres for the last time on August 19th, and with the rest of the Division had gone back to a delightful rest area between Calais and St. Omer. They had just settled down to training in charming surroundings when they were suddenly ordered to move south. The First Army had begun its final offensive and the 49th was required to take a part.