1. The Battle of Passchendaele 31 July 1917 – 10 November 1917 This battle was fought for control of the city of Passchendaele. The city was located on a ridge that sat above the rest of the land, offering whoever had control of the city a strategic advantage in the war. The plan was to drive through the German forces and reach the Belgium coast where they would capture the submarine bases located there. Also, by distracting the Germans there would be less pressure on the French, who were suffering from low morale.

2. Where oh where~ Ypres, West Flanders, Belgium Mud soaked, hell ridden, shell molested badlands!

3. When The battle of Passendale was apart of a campaign which is also known as the Third Battle of Ypres. The campaign lasted from July 31 st to November 10 th, 1917 There had been previous battles revolving around the district of Ypres in both 1915 and 1916.

4. The sides! BritainFranceCanadaAustralia New Zealand German Empire

5. Entente Commanders Douglas Haig Hubert Gough Herbert Plumer Arthur Currie Max von Gallwitz Erich Ludendorff Alliance Commanders

6. Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig He was a British soldier and senior commander during World War I. He was commander of the British Expeditionary Force during the Battle of the Somme and the 3rd Battle of Ypres. His tenure as commander of the BEF made Haig one of the most controversial military commanders in British history

7. Hubert Gough Sir Hubert de la Poer Gough Gough was a cavalry officer who, as a favourite of the British Commander-in-Chief, General Sir Douglas Haig, experienced a meteoric rise through the ranks during the war.

8. Herbert Plumer, 1st Viscount Plumer Plumer was an Infantry officer and as a result it could be argued that he understood somewhat better what could reasonably be expected of his troops bearing in mind the terrain, the weather conditions and morale. Plumer, a meticulous planner, would often express the plans of the his superiors as being too ambitous and more often than not, as seen at the third battle of Ypres, Passchendaele he would be proved to be right.

9. Arthur Currie General Sir Arthur William Currie He made sure all troops were able to perform platoon responsibilities, briefing of the frontline troops, the use of counter-battery fire measures and constant patrolling of the enemy defenses all contributed to the effectiveness of the Canadian Corps at Vimy and for the rest of the War. Currie and the Canadian Corps were successful again at Passchendaele (the Third Battle of Ypres) in November, but at the cost of 16,000 men. Currie had accurately predicted these high casualty figures when Haig ordered his troops to attack.

10. Max von Gallwitz Max Karl Wilhelm von Gallwitz Gallwitz began the war as a corps commander on the Western Front, but was almost immediately transferred east to join the Eighth Army under Hindenburg. In 1915 he took command of Army Group Gallwitz

11. Erich Ludendorff General Erich Ludendorff In World War I Ludendorff was first appointed Deputy chief of staff to Germany's Second Army, under Karl von Bülow, as he was knowledgeable about capturing the forts of Liege. This was a crucial part of the Schlieffen Plan. This task accomplished, Ludendorff was sent to East Prussia where he worked with Paul von Hindenburg as his Chief of Staff. Hindenburg relied heavily upon Ludendorff and Hoffmann in crafting his victories in the battles of Tannenberg and the Masurian Lakes.

12. Weaponry Mark IV Tanks were used by the British, mainly in the battle of Messiness Hill – just prior and South of the battle of Passchendaele (Third battle of Ypres)

13. Significance The city of Passendale has strategic significance. You must pass through here in order to reach the coast. The ports located there are a key part shipping equipment and goods. This battle was important to the Belgium people because it was the last city left free of German rule. FACT Upon arriving at Passendale with Canadian Troops, Canada’s Commander-in-Chief General Sir Arthur Currie estimated that 16,000 would die in order to complete this task. Passendale is the current spelling for the city of Passchendaele, and it’s old spelling is used specifically as a reference to the battle.

14. Weaponry Cont’.

15. Strategies “Bite and Hold” : where the attackers were to gain a small portion of front, and hold it against counter-attacks. 1,295 guns were concentrated in the area Germans had artillery accurately aimed in No-Man’s Land.

16. Conditions Ground conditions during the whole Ypres-Passendale action were atrocious. Continuous shelling destroyed drainage canals in the area, and unseasonable heavy rain turned the whole area into a sea of mud and water- filled shell-craters. The troops walked up to the front over paths made of duckboards laid across the mud, often carrying up to one hundred pounds (45 kg) of equipment. It was possible for them to slip off the path into the craters and drown before they could be rescued. The trees were reduced to blunted trunks, the branches and leaves torn away, and the bodies of men buried after previous actions were often uncovered by the rain or later shelling.

17. Casualties First battle of Passchendaele produced 13,000 Allied casualties; which stacked on top of the 100,000 dead already. Germans lost about 270,000 men. British Empire forces lost about 450,000, including 36,500 Australians and 16,000 Canadians - the latter of which were lost in the intense final assault between October 26 and November 10; 90,000 British and Australian bodies were never identified, and 42,000 never recovered.

18. Quotations "I died in Hell "I died in Hell (they called it Passchendaele); my wound was slight (they called it Passchendaele); my wound was slight and I was hobbling back; and then a shell and I was hobbling back; and then a shell burst slick upon the duckboards; so I fell burst slick upon the duckboards; so I fell into the bottomless mud, and lost the light" into the bottomless mud, and lost the light" — Siegfried Sassoon Siegfried SassoonSiegfried Sassoon The man beside him, who had been through the campaign, replied tonelessly, 'It's worse further on up.'" — Leon Wolff, In Flanders Fields "Passchendaele was just a terrible, terrible place. We used to walk along these wooden duckboards - something like ladders laid on the ground. The Germans would concentrate on these things. If a man was hit and wounded and fell off he could easily drown in the mud and never be seen again. You just did not want go off the duckboards." — Private Richard W. Mercer (911016)

20. Iron Maiden: Paschendale In a foreign field he lay lonely soldier unknown grave on his dying words he prays tell the WORLD of Paschendale Relive all that he's been through last communion of his soul rust your bullets with his tears let me tell you 'bout his years Laying low in a blood filled trench killing time 'til my very own death on my face I can feel the falling rain never see my friends again in the smoke, in the mud and lead smell of fear and feeling of dread soon be time to go over the wall rapid fire and the end of us all Whistles, shouts and more gun fire lifeless bodies hang on barbed wire battlefield nothing but a bloody tomb be reunited with my dead friends soon many soldiers eighteen years drown in mud, no more tears surely a war no one can win killing time about to begin Home, far away. From the war, a chance to live again Home, far away. But the war, no chance to live again The bodies of ours and our foes the sea of death it overflows in no man's land God only knows into jaws of death we go... Crucified as if on a cross allied troops, they mourn their loss German war propaganda machine such before has never been seen swear I heard the angels cry pray to God no more may die so that people know the truth tell the tale of Paschendale Cruelty has a human heart everyman does play his part terror of the men we kill the human heart is hungry still I stand my ground for the very last time gun is ready as I stand in line nervous wait for the whistle to blow rush of blood and over we go... Blood is falling like the rain its crimson cloak unveils again the sound of guns can't hide their shame and so we die in Paschendale Dodging shrapnel and barbed wire running straight at cannon fire running blind as I hold my breath say a prayer symphony of death as we charge the enemy lines a burst of fire and we go down I choke a cry but no one hears feel the blood go down my throat Home, far away. From the war, a chance to live again Home, far away. But the war, no chance to live again Home, far away. From the war, a chance to live again Home, far away. But the war, no chance to live again See my spirit on the wind across the lines beyond the hill friend and foe will meet again those who died at Paschendale