The Battle of Menin Road

The Battle of Menin Road was the third of seven major British offensives during the Third Battle of Ypres. It was the first one involving the Australian infantry, though Australian artillery had been firing in support of British attacks since the battle began on 31 July.

On 20 September 1917 the Australian 1st and 2nd Divisions of 1st Anzac Corps moved forward on a three kilometre front, with Menin road on their right, capturing the western half of Polygon Wood. Three British Corps advanced on both flanks of 1st Anzac. The attack succeeded along the entire front, though the infantry had to overcome formidable entrenched German positions including concrete pill-box strongpoints. The two Australian divisions sustained 5013 casualties while killing, wounding, or capturing 4200 Germans.

The Battle of Polygon Wood

The battle of Polygon Wood, 26 September 1917, was the second of three notable attacks planned by British General Herbert Plumer. The problem with previous overambitious attempts to advance was that the infantry sometimes went beyond the range at which their own artillery could protect them from German counterattacks. The ground captured was often lost. Plumer was an advocate of 'bite and hold' tactics. This involved a short advance by the infantry behind a heavy artillery barrage followed by the infantry digging in on the position gained, while a barrage placed in front of them prevented the Germans from counterattacking. There would be a several day break to prepare for the next step, then the process would be repeated.

After Menin road there was a five-day pause. The 4th and 5th Australian divisions took over from 1st and 2nd Divisions for the next phase. In spite of a German attack south of Polygon Wood, which coincidentally occurred just as the Australians attacked, the battle unfolded as planned. With the British on either flank, the Australians advanced a kilometre, clearing Polygon Wood by taking two lines of German trenches. After the war the veterans of the 5th Division chose Polygon wood as the site of the Division’s memorial.

The Battles of Broodseinde and Passchendaele

Broodseinde was a large operation, involving twelve divisions attacking simultaneously along a 10 kilometre front. In the centre, I and II Anzac Corps, composed of three Australian divisions and the New Zealand Division, went forward side by side capturing the village of Broodseinde. The attack was executed in the same manner as Menin Road and Polygon Wood; The troops' objectives were only one or two kilometres from the start line and the advance was preceded by a massive artillery bombardment. The infantry then followed a creeping barrage, which was timed to arrive at the German trenches just before the infantry did. Once again concrete pillboxes, such as those captured by the Tasmanian 40th Battalion at Tyne Cot and still visible in the cemetery there, delayed, but did not stop the advance.

After Broodseinde the weather turned against the British. Rain and mud made movement on the battlefield extremely difficult. Artillery was unable to come forward so the barrage for the next two operations was weak and ineffective. The Australians attacked again, towards Passchendaele, on 9 and 12 October. Little ground was gained and the few men who reached the outskirts of Passchendaele were thrown back by German counterattacks. The exhausted and depleted Australians were relieved by the Canadian Corps, which took Passchendaele on 6 November, bringing a close to the Third Battle of Ypres.