PASSCHENDAELE, a small village in northern Belgium, near Ypres, around which centered some of the most impor tant military operations on the western front, during the World War. The village gives its name to a ridge, on whose slopes it stands, which was of great strategic value and the object of severe fighting, especially during the fall of 1917.
Beginning on Oct. 4, 1917, Field Mar shal Haig, in command of the British forces based on Ypres, delivered a strong attack on the German lines, east of the city. The ground covered by the British assault was from the N. of Langemarck, on the Ypres-Staden railway, to a point S. of Tower Hamlets, a height S. of the Ypres-Menin high road.
On the north wing the British pushed on to within a short distance of Poelcap pelle, and gained a footing on Gravens tafel Ridge, projecting from Passchen dwIe Ridge on the W., along which the Germans had constructed a very elabo rate system of works. This advance into the enemy country had been preceded by a heavy artillery fire, which forestalled an attack which had been in preparation by the Germans that morning. Three whole German divisions were here ad vancing against the British, when they were caught in the barrage, and almost annihilated.
By the dashing advance which fol lowed, the British were able to penetrate the German lines to a depth of 2,590 yards. To the S. the British were thus able to overlook parts of the main Pas schendaele Ridge, and in places they had descended into the valley beyond. For several days the fighting raged furiously back and forth, the Germans defending their positions with a keen sense of their importance. The French troops, advanc ing on the left of the British line, N. of Ypres, penetrated the German lines to a depth of over a mile, along a front of nearly two miles. From the S. the Brit ish pushed N. E. from Grafenstafel Ridge, to a point about a thousand yards S. W. of the village of Passchendaele, up to the main heights.
It was a notable success on the part of the Allies, in that it gave the British command of the surrounding region and established a foothold in Belgium. In this important advance the Allied troops gained possession of most of the obser vation points that commanded a view of the great, plain of Flanders.