The Third Battle of Ypres – also known as Passchendaele – has shaped perceptions of the First World War on the Western Front. Fought between July and November 1917, both sides suffered heavy casualties and endured appalling conditions. The name Passchendaele has become synonymous with mud, blood and futility.
In 1917, General Sir Douglas Haig planned a major offensive to break out of the Ypres salient, which the Allies had occupied since 1914.
Haig’s vision was for a war-winning breakthrough. He planned to capture the high ground around Ypres, as well as a key rail junction to the east, and then advance on the German-occupied ports of the Belgian coast – critical to the U-Boat campaign.
The battle failed to achieve Haig’s objectives. It lasted over 100 days. In that time, the Allies advanced about 5 miles for the loss of over 250,000 soldiers killed, wounded or missing.
