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Age-35

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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 17th October, 1914, the 3rd Hussars of 4th Cavalry Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division arrived at Messines and then continued eastwards to the small hamlet of Gapaard to take over some of the front line held by 2nd Cavalry Division. Here they came under sniper fire and later machine gun fire as they tried to cross the canal. On the next day, an attempt to advance on Warneton, held by the enemy, was held up by machine-gun fire and 3rd Hussars then lost both horses and men to shell fire. At 10am on 20th October, the day when John Macnamara was killed, the left squadron was heavily attacked by infantry and had to abandon their forward posts and fall back. This attack was soon extended along the whole of their front. They managed to hold their positions until 4pm when it became clear that the pressure was too great and a withdrawal took place, amid much fighting, to Messines.