Last day of Passchendaele - centenary today?

[PaddyO]

Hi, I've seen both 6th and 10th November as the last day of that awful battle. Is there an agreed or 'correct' date for its end?

 

My 53 year old great great great uncle Harry Rattle of 5th Bn. Saskatchewan Regiment was killed 100 years ago today trying to capture high ground to the North of Passchendaele, near Hill 52, although the village itself fell to the Canadians on the 6th. 

 

(I would also like to remember Harry Massey of 1/9 London Regiment, my great great uncle, who was killed on 16/08/17 at Langemarck in this battle and is similarly honoured on the Menin Gate.)

[clk]

Hi PaddyO,

 

I think that it depends on what someone is referring to. Though from 'Statistics of the Military Effort of the British Empire during the Great War', the official end date for the  'Battle' would appear to be the 10th. 

 

 

Regards

Chris

 

 

Edited 10 November , 2017 by clk

[phil andrade]

At the risk of splitting hairs, I've been citing November 12th as the official end of the battle : the famous 105 days, commencing with the attack of July 31st, would take us up to the 12th November .

 

Phil

[Ron Clifton]

The Official Report of the Battles Nomenclature Committee (which is the source for the information in Statistics) definitely says 10th November. I'm not sure where 105 days comes from - although it is 15 weeks.

 

Ron

Edited 10 November , 2017 by Ron Clifton

[PaddyO]

Many thanks Chris, Phil and Ron.  

Summary from 5th Canadian War diary attached. 

Not easy to read though unfortunately 

[PaddyO]

Daily entries from same diary; hopefully more legible.

 

[phil andrade]

For some reason, John Terraine was adamant about the 105 days, and always cited 12 November as the end of the battle.

 

Perhaps it's because it rounded to fifteen weeks, as Ron suggests.

 

Phil