War chronicle · July–November · Ypres, Belgium
Third Battle of Ypres
The Allied attack is crippled by terrible conditions.
Morale among the ordinary Allied soldiers is at an all-time high after the victory at Messines Ridge. Their commanders share this optimism – the generals are confident they have the formula to end the stalemate on the Western Front.
The plan is to capture Passchendaele Ridge to the northeast of Ypres. The Third Battle of Ypres begins with a major attack by British troops on 31 July, followed by battles at strategic points around the ridge.
But hopes of a repeat of Messines are quickly crushed. Unseasonal summer rains turn the battlefield into a treacherous muddy quagmire that cripples the British advance. Misled by faulty intelligence, the British keep on attacking, believing the Germans are close to collapse.
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