Current Information:

Born-Brentford

First Battle of Ypres

Between 21st October and 22nd November, 1914 a desperate fight took place around the Belgium city of Ypres, the first of three major battles that were to be fought there during the course of the war. British troops entered Ypres in October. The 1st and 2nd Divisions plus the 3rd Cavalry Division had made their way up from the Aisne as part of the “Race to the Sea”, whilst the 7th Division came west to Ypres after Antwerp had fallen. The Germans knew that Ypres was the gateway to the Channel ports and that these were vital to Britain’s war effort so they poured reinforcements into the area. The fighting fell into three distinct battles; the Battle of Langemarck, 21-24 October, the Battle of Gheluvelt, 29-31 October and the Battle of Nonne Bosschen, 11 November. Ypres did not fall to the Germans but its defence during these two months resulted in the destruction of much of the old regular British Army.

On 16th November, 1914, the 1st Liverpool (Kings) battalion of 6 Brigade, 2nd Division were relieved by French troops from their positions near Polygon Wood where they had been heavily involved in the defense of the salient since the Battle of Nonne Bosschen and moved back through Westhoek to a farm to reorganise and get what rest they could. However they were still within artillery range here and although the battalion diary makes no mention of any casualties, it was probably this that caused the death of Charles Hancock on 19th November.