Current Information:

Born-Barking

The Battle of Nonne Bosschen 

The battle of Nonne Bosschen  on 11th November, 1914 was the final German attempt to break through the British lines around Ypres. They threw twelve and a half divisions into an attack against a nine mile front, stretching from Messines to Reutel (close to Polygon Wood). The main thrust of their attack was either side of the Menin Road where two fresh divisions, numbering around 10,000 men were thrown against eleven tired and depleted British divisions of around 4000 men. The attack was launched at 9 am after the heaviest artillery barrage yet seen and was protected by early morning mist. Astride the Menin Road the defenders were forced to give ground but more critical was the attack that penetrated the Guards Brigade line just to the north and allowed the Germans to get into Nonne Bosschen woods and threaten the artillery line. This threat was averted in the afternoon when a counter attack cleared the Germans from the wood. There was now no chance of a breakthrough and although the Germans made a few minor attacks over the next few days the First Battle of Ypres was finished.

On 11th November a very fierce attack began on the centre of the British line where a mixture of battalions, including the 1st Liverpool (Kings) of 6 Brigade, 2nd Division, came under a very heavy bombardment followed by fierce infantry attacks. 1st Liverpool held a mile of the front line along the south face of Polygon Wood where they were attacked by the Prussian Guards and other enemy units. This attack was blunted and then stopped and the enemy withdrew leaving scores of their dead and wounded behind. The battalion was still in these positions on 14th November by which time the trenches were in a terrible state on account of the rain and when they had to extend to one mile the length their line which they held with just 500 men. James Lodge was one of their casualties on this day.