It is quite a wet day on the Salient and we have been to the In Flanders Museum this afternoon. I was a little surprised by one comment I read on a display - that the city of Ypres was not occupied by the German Army during the Great War (fine so far) - except for 1 day in 1914

Is this right? Which day are they talking about?

Thanks

Alan

In the old Cloth Hall Museum they even had photos of the German cavalry in Wipers on reconnaissance.

I can't remember the reference, or the date, but i seem to remember reading somewhere that German cavalry occupied the town for a day, before trotting out again.
I would also be interested in finding out exactly when.

Bruce

Now that you are out of IFF, get into the Zonnebeke Chateau, also out of the rain, and enjoy a really, really good museum!

I seem to remember that Ypres and Arras were similar cases. Entered for a day but never occupied.

German cavalry (22nd cavalry brigade if i'm not wrong) was in Ypres on 07/10/1914

Carl

THE 3rd CAVALRY DIVISION OF THE GERMAN IV CAVALRY ENTERED YPRES ON 13 OCTOBER 1914 THEN RETREATED

DAZ

Martin Gilbert in "First World War" (London: Harper Collins 1995).

"On October 3, in the race to the sea, German forces entered the Belgium town of Ypres." p90
"Also, on October 18, Ypres was recaptured from the Germans." p91

No sources unfortunately as to where this came from. I too have seen a reference somewhere to a one day "visit" by a cavalry unit but can't remember where.

Brian

This photo was believed to have been taken on the same day (from a similar vantage point to that of the photo of german cavalry on the Grote Markt (I've got a copy of that pic somewhere...but exactly where is another matter!). Poperinge was also entered on the same day.

The german cavalry apparently also took all the cash (65000 belgian Francs)in the towns treasury

I think it could be classed as a raid rather than an occupation

funny how a large number of the crowd in Post 8 are looking the other way. wonder what was more interesting out of shot.

cheers Martin B

I think they are the Northumberland Hussars, one of their MC's, can't recall his name, a major or captain is in the Photo.

That photo too was enlarged in the old cloth hall museum, and in the 80's he once identified himself to a group of amazed American Tourists.

In his book The Salient: Ypres 1914-1918 , Alan Palmer gives that the German 4th Cavalry Corp, which was being deployed by Falkenhayn on a northwards sweep intending to cut off any French or British troops heading for the Flanders coastal plain, passed through Ypres on October 7th with the majority of the force carrying on towards the railway junction at Hazebrouck. A force of about a hundred men remained at Ypres overnight to rest their horses and to await clarification of orders. Palmer says that they replenished supplies by confiscation, with the money from the treasury being taken 'as a guarantee of the citizens' good behaviour'; In Addition to that, 'the post office till was rifled though it yielded little', a jeweller lost watches worth over £1K, and drapers complained about loosing 'suits, trousers and underwear'. After destroying the town's telegraph system, Falkenhayn, who feared his cavalry corps might become trapped by the advancing allied forces, pulled them back the following day (8th), as it was 'roaming large stretches of the Flanders plain' and had become 'dangerously detached from the main German sixth army, attacking down a long front from Armentieres southwards to Arras. Although the population had feared there might be a lengthy occupation, there were, apparently, 'no atrocities or acts of punitive vandalism' during Germany's overnight 'occupation'.

NigelS

It was GB Jameson, who was then just a trooper. He was later commissioned into the artillery and, if I remember correctly, won his MC during the 1916 Battle of the Somme.

Nigel yes it was!

From Chronicle Of The First World War ( Randal Gray & Christopher Argyle) Volume I

Saturday October 3 1914 Germans briefly occupy Ypres
Thursday October 8 German IV Cav Corps passes through Ypres

Phil