Messines Ridge June 1917
Messines, a village set on a ridge due south of Ypres in Belgium, was the site of a battle, which was to act as the prelude to the 3rd Battle of Ypres or Paschendale as it is more commonly known. The aim of the Battle of Messines Ridge was to straighten out the bow in the Ypres Salient and clear the Germans from the ridge.
At 3.10 a.m. on the 7th June 1917 and within seconds of each other, 19 underground mines were exploded beneath the German front line on the Ridge. A number of these huge craters still exist today. The mine detonations were simultaneously accompanied by a tremendous artillery bombardment consisting of well over 2,000 guns of all sizes; being the culmination of over a months' duelling between Allied and German artillery.
Infantry of British, Irish, Australian and New Zealand Divisions left their trenches and began the assault up the ridge, which was taken by early that evening. The attack was a resounding success.
