Ypres, 1915

First World War

Sketch of the Battle of Frenzenberg, 8 May 1915.
Credit: Sketch by Nicholson, found in C.E.F. 1914-1919 p.89.

Date

22 April – 25 May 1915

Geographical Parameters

The Comines – Ypres Canal as far as Voormezeele: then road to Vlamertinghe Château – Elverdinghe Château – Boesinghe – Langemarck

Context

A group honour incorporating the “Battle of Gravenstafel Ridge”, the “Battle of St. Julien”, the “Battle of Frezenberg Ridge”, and the “Battle of Bellewaarde Ridge”, formally entitled “The Battles of Ypres, 1915”, and itself being part of the “Summer Operations, 1915 (March – October)”^{Footnote 1}.

Description

This Honour “Ypres 1915” was awarded to Canadian units for their actions defending against German attacks launched in April 1915. In mid-April 1915 the 1st Canadian Division (Lieutenant-General E.A.H. Alderson) took over a section of the front line northeast of the town of Ypres itself. On the 22nd of April, the German Army launched its first gas attack of the war on the Ypres front at Gravenstafel. The gas concentration was directed to the left of the Canadian portion of the front line, where French colonial troops and British artillery held the sector. As the Germans attacked behind and through the gas, the French troops, with the chemical weapon clearly inhibiting their ability to defend the ground and without any defences against it, fell back. The retreat opened up a large gap on the Canadian left flank, forcing the division to protect that flank as well as the line in front of its position. The Canadians maintained a determined defence against the German attacks on their left flank, and several of their counter-attacks were mounted with at least some local success. The largest counter-attack was on the night of 22-23 April against Kitcheners Wood to retake British guns. The actions of the 1st Canadian Division prevented the Germans from breaking through of the British front line. The Germans launched a second attack on 24 April. Directed at the Canadian positions near St.-Julien, this second use of gas fell upon the 2nd (Brigadier-General A.W. Currie) and 3rd (Brigadier-General R.E.W. Turner) Canadian Brigades. Suffering heavily from the gas, the forward troops fought valiantly to hold their positions but the Canadian division was forced back to the south of St-Julien. British reinforcements helped stabilize the situation and the front line was still held forward of Ypres. The next major German assault involved The Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, then part of the British 27th Division. The PPCLI was involved in two actions to fend off fierce German attacks along Belewaarde Ridge on the eastern side of Ypres. Most notable was the PPCLI's determined defence on Frezenberg Ridge on 8 May. German efforts to take the town of Ypres in 1915 ended later that month.

Awarded to:

Currently Serving Units

• 48th Highlanders of Canada
  Awards to the 15th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The 48th Regiment (Highlanders) (GO 110/29)
• 56th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
  Awards to the 4th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Dufferin Rifles of Canada (GO 110/29)
• The Algonquin Regiment
  GO 88/31
• The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada
  Awards to the 13th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Royal Highlanders of Canada (GO 110/29)
• The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own)
  Awards to the 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 71/30), the 1st British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) (GO 110/29), The Irish Fusiliers of Canada (GO 71/30), and The North British Columbia Regiment (GO 110/29)
• The Calgary Highlanders
  Awards to the 10th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29) and The Calgary Highlanders (GO 110/29)
• The Canadian Grenadier Guards
  GO 110/29
• The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's)
  Awards to the 16th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Canadian Scottish Regiment (GO 110/29)
• The Essex and Kent Scottish
  Award to The Essex Scottish (GO 110/29)
• Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal
  Award to Les Carabiniers Mont-Royal (GO 71/30)
• Governor General's Foot Guards
  Awards to the 2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29) and The Governor General's Foot Guards (GO 32/32)
• The King's Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC)
  Award to The Calgary Regiment (GO 110/29)
• The Lake Superior Scottish Regiment
  Award to The Lake Superior Regiment (GO 110/29)
• The Lincoln and Welland Regiment
  GO 71/30
• The Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin and Halton Regiment)
  Award to The Peel and Dufferin Regiment (GO 71/30)
• The North Saskatchewan Regiment
  Awards to the 5th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), the 16th Canadian Light Horse (GO 110/29), and The Saskatoon Light Infantry (GO 110/29)
• The Nova Scotia Highlanders
  Award to The Pictou Highlanders (GO 71/30)
• Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
  GO 123/29
• The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada
  GO 110/29
• The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
  Awards to the 3rd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29) and The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada (GO 110/29)
• The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC)
  Award to The York Rangers (GO 71/30)
• The Royal Canadian Regiment
  Awards to the 1st Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Canadian Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (GO 110/29)
• The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment)
  Awards to the 4th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (GO 110/29)
• The Royal Montreal Regiment
  Awards to the 14th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Royal Montreal Regiment (GO 110/29)
• The Royal New Brunswick Regiment
  Award to The York Regiment (GO 71/30)
• The Royal Regiment of Canada
  Awards to the 3rd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29), The Royal Grenadiers (GO 110/29; GO 19/39), and The Toronto Regiment (GO 110/29)
• The Royal Winnipeg Rifles
  Awards to the 8th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), 10th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29), The Winnipeg Light Infantry (GO 110/29), and The Winnipeg Rifles (GO 110/29)
• The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada
  GO 5/31
• The South Alberta Light Horse
  Awards to the 19th Alberta Dragoons (GO 71/30) and The Edmonton Fusiliers (GO 71/30)

Units on the Supplementary Order of Battle

• 7th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Operations Room, RCA
  Award to the 5th British Columbia Light Horse (GO 71/30)
• 12th Manitoba Dragoons
  GO 71/30
• 14th Canadian Hussars
  GO 5/31
• 50th Field Artillery Regiment (The Prince of Wales' Rangers), RCA
  Awards to the 2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29) and The Peterborough Rangers (GO 110/29)
• 65th Field Battery, RCA
  Award to the 18th Canadian Light Horse (GO 71/30)
• The Perth Regiment
  GO 71/30
• The Royal Rifles of Canada
  GO 71/30
• Victoria Rifles of Canada
  Award to The Victoria Rifles of Canada (GO 110/29)
• The Winnipeg Grenadiers
  GO 110/29

Disbanded Unit

• 3rd (Reserve) Searchlight Battery (Coast Defence), RCA
  Award to the 5th British Columbia Light Horse (GO 71/30)