Passchendaele
1. The British offensive in Flanders Launched on 31 July 1917, in order to drive the Germans away from the essential Channel Ports and to eliminate U-Boat bases on the coast.
2. Sir Douglas Haig is the commander-in-chief of the British Expeditionary Force,
3. The commander of the Canadian corps, Sir Arthur Currie carefully planned the attack for he knew he would especially need to plan his artillery and engineers. They were the key to advancing over this shattered landscape.
4. The Canadians arrived in Flanders in mid-October to relieve Australian and New Zealand troops and were shocked by the terrible battlefield conditions.
5. The British lost an estimated 275,000 casualties.
6. The German’s lost 220,000 casualties, making it one of the war’s most costly battles of attrition.
7. Passchendaele is usually remembered as the low point of the British war effort, remains synonymous with the terrible and costly fighting on the Western Front.
8. Currie thought in the first of four phases in a battle he estimated might cost 16,000 Canadians killed or wounded.
9. By mid-November, having captured the ridge, Currie's estimate proved eerily accurate, with 15,654 Canadian fallen.
10.The more populous Allies could better afford the losses,
11. The United States recently joined the Canadian corps,
12. The Canadian corps are a 100,000 strong fighting formation,
13. Sir Arthur Currie, commander of the Canadian Corps, objected to the battle at first, fearing it could not be won without a terrible expenditure in lives, but was forced to battle.
14. Currie had started ordering the construction of new roads, the building or improvement of gun pits, and the repair and extension of tramlines.
15. Currie had also ordered Horses and mules transport hundreds of thousands of shells to the front to prepare for the artillery barrage that would prepare for the infantry’s attack.
1. The British offensive in Flanders Launched on 31 July 1917, in order to drive the Germans away from the essential Channel Ports and to eliminate U-Boat bases on the coast.
2. Sir Douglas Haig is the commander-in-chief of the British Expeditionary Force,
3. The commander of the Canadian corps, Sir Arthur Currie carefully planned the attack for he knew he would especially need to plan his artillery and engineers. They were the key to advancing over this shattered landscape.
4. The Canadians arrived in Flanders in mid-October to relieve Australian and New Zealand troops and were shocked by the terrible battlefield conditions.
5. The British lost an estimated 275,000 casualties.
6. The German’s lost 220,000 casualties, making it one of the war’s most costly battles of attrition.
7. Passchendaele is usually remembered as the low point of the British war effort, remains synonymous with the terrible and costly fighting on the Western Front.
8. Currie thought in the first of four phases in a battle he estimated might cost 16,000 Canadians killed or wounded.
9. By mid-November, having captured the ridge, Currie's estimate proved eerily accurate, with 15,654 Canadian fallen.
10.The more populous Allies could better afford the losses,
11. The United States recently joined the Canadian corps,
12. The Canadian corps are a 100,000 strong fighting formation,
13. Sir Arthur Currie, commander of the Canadian Corps, objected to the battle at first, fearing it could not be won without a terrible expenditure in lives, but was forced to battle.
14. Currie had started ordering the construction of new roads, the building or improvement of gun pits, and the repair and extension of tramlines.
15. Currie had also ordered Horses and mules transport hundreds of thousands of shells to the front to prepare for the artillery barrage that would prepare for the infantry’s attack.
NASH PASSCHENDAELE
The Unknown Soldier
Dear Child from the future,
As I read your letter to me, I thought how amazing it was that you, a 12-year-old child in school, living in peace was thinking about me, wondering what it was like back then. So, if you’re wondering, it was dreadful. I left my family at age 16 with no choice, leaving my parents and two younger sisters, forced to fight. As I said goodbye I watched their faces grow dull and somber as if they knew they would never see me again. Tears rolled down their cheeks as I got sent to war-got sent to fight, got sent to die.
As I sit in this trench, I feel alone, scared, wondering when it'll all be over, so I could go back home. To my family. I watched my closest friend get shot, killed, in front of my own eyes. I can remember it. So vivid. So clear. Right now, I'm famished all I get to eat is a limited amount of food- very little meat stew with a few dry hard crackers to go with it. I really am glad that now you're probably well fed, and have a good education. There was one thing. I don’t really understand why they had to fight. why? Why did we have to kill each other? Couldn’t we talk it out? I know I can't just question, but I really don’t understand why they make us fight like this.
Since I'm talking to a kid from the future, I just want to know... did you really learn about me? The soldiers' who fought? I never would have thought I would be history! Are other countries still at war? Could you be as care free as you wanted? I hope what me and many other soldiers who fought in that war killed or alive payed off. If countries are still at war, I hope it ends soon and so there will be peace and freedom for everyone.
Sincerely, Unknown Soldier.
As I read your letter to me, I thought how amazing it was that you, a 12-year-old child in school, living in peace was thinking about me, wondering what it was like back then. So, if you’re wondering, it was dreadful. I left my family at age 16 with no choice, leaving my parents and two younger sisters, forced to fight. As I said goodbye I watched their faces grow dull and somber as if they knew they would never see me again. Tears rolled down their cheeks as I got sent to war-got sent to fight, got sent to die.
As I sit in this trench, I feel alone, scared, wondering when it'll all be over, so I could go back home. To my family. I watched my closest friend get shot, killed, in front of my own eyes. I can remember it. So vivid. So clear. Right now, I'm famished all I get to eat is a limited amount of food- very little meat stew with a few dry hard crackers to go with it. I really am glad that now you're probably well fed, and have a good education. There was one thing. I don’t really understand why they had to fight. why? Why did we have to kill each other? Couldn’t we talk it out? I know I can't just question, but I really don’t understand why they make us fight like this.
Since I'm talking to a kid from the future, I just want to know... did you really learn about me? The soldiers' who fought? I never would have thought I would be history! Are other countries still at war? Could you be as care free as you wanted? I hope what me and many other soldiers who fought in that war killed or alive payed off. If countries are still at war, I hope it ends soon and so there will be peace and freedom for everyone.
Sincerely, Unknown Soldier.