Volume IX, Issue 1 15 October 2018 THE ASC HISTORY NEWSLETTER

100th Anniversary of World War I: Last Battle of Ypres 28 September 1918—2 October 1918

This month in military history

British GEN Burgoyne 1777 surrenders at Saratoga

1811 Battle of Tippecanoe

1859 Harper’s Ferry seized

1923 Teapot Dome Scandal

1942 Operation Torch

1962 Cuban Missile Crisis The fifth battle of Ypres, or “Wipers” as the which would become known as the Grand October, the Allied advance had begun to Operation Linebacker I British called it, was the last battle in a Offensive. A new series of Allied attacks stall when German reinforcements arrived 1972 ends series of five battles that took place near on the German lines were designed to be and the offensive outran its own lines of the Belgian city of Ypres in the Flanders made over the widest front possible and in logistical support. Due to the state of the Attack on Marine region. The series of battles occurred coordination / supporting each other to devastated ground and distance from 1983 Barracks in Beirut between 18 October 1914 and 2 October overwhelm the Germans. The battle took supply depots, approximately 15,000 rations 1918. The combined battles resulted in an place as the American led Meuse-Argonne were delivered to the front lines by Operation Restore 1994 estimated 810,000 to 1.2 million Allied and offensive was taking place to the southeast parachute using 80 Belgian and British Democracy German casualties. Every major Allied of Ypres. Belgian, British and French aircraft. command had troops involved in fighting in forces were all involved in the attack and 2004 Battle for Fallujah Gunner A. B. Kenway was 23 at the time of the region during the course of the war, and were directed toward the occupied Belgian the battle and described his experience. “A it became well known for the British LTC town of Liege. A total of 28 Allied Divisions day or so previously this road (Menin road) John McCrae’s poem “In Flanders Fields.” were involved in the attack facing against had been held by the enemy and now the 16 German Divisions. In Flanders fields the poppies blow, bodies of Germans and their horses lay Between the crosses, row on row, That The attack commenced at 0530 on the about, the stench from which was fearful. mark our place; and in the sky, The larks, morning of 28 September 1918 without any Some were headless, some limbless, while As A Matter of Fact still bravely singing, fly, Scarce heard amid preceding artillery bombardment. The others looked just asleep. A German gun the guns below. We are the dead, short British front, alone, ran for approximately team had been caught in the open by one of The Rock Island Rapids days ago, We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset 4.5 miles in length. The attacks were our shells as it was getting away.” glow, Loved and were loved, and now we immensely successful with first day were the main natural The battle’s overall cost was light when lie, In Flanders fields. advances of up to 6 miles. This advance compared to the previous years. The British feature of the Mississippi gained more ground in a single day than in Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you sustained 4,695 casualties while the River near Rock Island the entire Passchendaele offensive of the from failing hands we throw, The torch; be Belgians sustained and additional 4,500 prior to the roller dam in year before which lasted 100 days and yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with casualties. The Allies advanced up to 18 sustained a combined 400,000 to 600,000 1931. One of the Corps us who die, We shall not sleep, though miles. In total the Germans lost 10,000 casualties. By the end of the first day’s of Engineers officers to poppies grow In Flanders fields. soldiers, 300 guns and 600 machine-guns fighting, rain began to fall which did not survey the rapids was captured. LTC McCrae was a Canadian Doctor and slow the advance, but complicated the then Captain Robert E. was commanding a Canadian Hospital at logistical support for the Allies. The offensive would continue with the Battle Lee. In 1836-37 Lee Boulogne when he died of pneumonia on of Courtrai taking place 14-19 October The combined Allied armies had finally was sent to chart both 28 January 1918. 1918. It was during the battle of Courtrai broken through the German front to the the Rock Island and Des that a German Corporal named Adolf Hitler The Allied attack during the fifth battle of north, east and south of the city of Ypres had been temporarily blinded due to a Moines rapids and Ypres was designed as the Northern pincer and were rapidly pushing the German Army British mustard attack and was invalided out recommend ways to in Marshal Ferdinand Foch’s strategy, back by approximately 6 miles a day. By 2 of the war. improve them. From the Archives October Trivia! Taken from the 29 October 1918 edition for quite some time. In continuing to do What was the first building of the Arsenal Record, “Kaiser Bill’s so, the cat has scared the Kaiser once to be completed at the Halloween!!!” presents one of thousands again. arsenal? of satirical depictions of World War I. By The Moon on the tree line behind the In what conflict did Fort October 1918 the Allies had pressed into Kaiser appears to be laughing at him. An Armstrong serve as the Belgium, and the Battle of Meuse- disembarkation point? Argonne continued to rage. The Armistice implication that with the aid of the Americans in the ranks with the Allies, the Who was the last known would follow in just two weeks time. rest of the world was, in fact, laughing at casualty of World War I? In the comic, Kaiser Wilhelm II is being the Germans as they continued to falter on startled by a black cat. Incidentally, that the western lines. For answers, go to the cat is labeled with “RIA”, indicating the announcement section on the Rock Island Arsenal. The cat is described At the time that this cartoon was created, ASC History SharePoint site. as moving at “some speed”, attributing to the Rock Island Argus along with newspapers across the nation had been Last Month’s Answers: the rapid pace that arsenal employees were able to ramp up production and running headlines indicating the Central Davy Crockett sustain war efforts. “Dot damn cat”, Powers’ desire for peace talks. With the World War II implies that Rock Island Arsenal had a collapse of the western front, a foreign The RIA Museum history of supplying Allied forces with force ready to take Berlin, and a well armament, ammunition, and equipment supplied foe, Germany knew its defeat was inevitable.

Brought to you by your friendly ASC History Office. For more copies or any history related needs email Kevin Braafladt [email protected] For answers to trivia visit: https://asc.aep.army.mil/sites/Historian/SitePages/Home.aspx