Kemmel Hill

[BatterySergeantMajor]

Wasn't it first the Belgian 6th Artillery, followed later by the 7th Artillery?

[dah]

I have been told that Mount Kemmel was the hill referred to in the song..........

The Grand old Duke of York

He had 10,000 men

He marched them up to the top of the hill

And he marched them down again,

And when they were up - they were up

And when they were down - they were down

And when they were only half way up

They were neither up nor down

The Duke and his men were fighting in this area in the early 1790's. That bit is certainly true (and they eventually got pushed out of Ypres). As to the association with the song/rhyme, I was told this on a battlefield tour a few years back. Would be interested if anyone else knows it be true

David

[CROONAERT]

I have been told that Mount Kemmel was the hill referred to in the song..........

The Grand old Duke of York

He had 10,000 men

He marched them up to the top of the hill

And he marched them down again,

And when they were up - they were up

And when they were down - they were down

And when they were only half way up

They were neither up nor down

The Duke and his men were fighting in this area in the early 1790's. That bit is certainly true (and they eventually got pushed out of Ypres). As to the association with the song/rhyme, I was told this on a battlefield tour a few years back. Would be interested if anyone else knows it be true

David

No, the hill in this is actually Mont Cassel not all that far away and scene of a famous rearguard action in 1940. (and, apparently the "10,000 men" was a bit of an exageration!)

Dave.

[frie]

German map to show that the battle was more than only the Kemmel hill.

[frie]

Freiwilliger englisher rucktritt = voluntary British retreat

Franzôsisch = French Hilfe = help

Englânder = British

Belgier = Belgian

Armee = army

morgens = in the morning

[Neil Burns]

As Kristof says there was US involvement there, 27 & 30 Divs. which were under British Command their entire time were there at the end of August before moving to the Hindenburg line near Requeval-Bony. There is a monument near Vierestraat.

27 was Tennessee & North Carolina National Guard with some S Carolina, 30 NY NG.

Hi Paul,

You've got your divisions reversed: 27th NYNG, 30th Tenn, NC and SC NG.

Take care,

Neil