The British tactical objective was to capture the German defences on the ridge, which ran from Ploegsteert Wood (Plugstreet to the British) in the south, through Messines and Wytschaete to Mt Sorrel, depriving the German 4th Army of the high ground.

Dec 24, 2017 · A Massive Howitzer firing in the Battle of Messines Ridge. During the First World War, Flanders became some of the most hotly contested ground in military history. Thousands upon thousands of men died in trench fighting, much of which never achieved its aims.

Messines Ridge, located south of Ypres, was captured by German forces in 1914. The ridge granted the German Army a dominant position overlooking the Ypres salient. After years of suffering heavy casualties in the salient , in 1917 the Allies planned to break out.

Battle of Messines, battle during World War I, fought June 7–14, 1917, between German and British forces, resulting in a British victory. The capture of Messines Ridge, in southernmost Flanders, Belgium, was a preliminary operation that took place just prior to the Battle of Passchendaele (Third Battle of Ypres).

Jun 6, 2017 · The detonation of 19 mines at the start of the Battle of Messines in World War I was one of the largest human-made explosions of the pre-nuclear era.

May 3, 2021 · The Battle of Messines began at 3:10 a.m. on June 7, 1917, when 19 of the 22 Allied mines detonated beneath the Messines Ridge.

May 22, 2023 · It was carried out by General Herbert Plumer’s Second Army and launched on June 7, 1917. The target of the offensive was the Messines Ridge, a natural stronghold southeast of Ypres and a small German salient since late 1914.

In the winter of 1916, General Sir Herbert Plumer, began making plans for a major offensive at Messines. His main objective was to take the Messines Ridge, a strategic position just south-east of Ypres, that had been held by the German Army since December, 1914.

Apr 11, 2007 · At 3.10 am on 7 June 1917 nineteen powerful mines exploded under the German trenches along the Wytschaete – Messines ridge. Heavily supported by great volumes of artillery fire the British troops, commanded by General Sir Herbert Plumer, surged forward to capture the enemy positions.

Carried out by General Herbert Plumer's Second Army, it was launched on 7 June 1917 with the detonation of 19 underground mines underneath the German mines. The target of the offensive was the Messines Ridge, a natural stronghold southeast of Ypres, and a small German salient since late 1914.