sunflower Posted 5 February , 2005 Share Posted 5 February , 2005 Can any forum members give me information on how the trench system operated right at the beaches? I am not even sure where the trench line went at this point, but I must admit I am intrigued. Was it a quiet sector of the front? Or was there always the threat of breaking through and creating a flanking move by both sides? I just wondered how the soldiers felt in the trenches with the sea as a view as compared to other parts of the Western Front. sunflower Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 5 February , 2005 Share Posted 5 February , 2005 The line reached the sea at Niewpoort in Belgium at the mouth of the Ijzer, where it stayed more or less static. The Belgian army manned this sector and by careful control of the lock system on the area, often under fire and very heroically, they managed to create flooding which kept the armies separated, but they then had trenches also. There are a number of monuments to this part of the Belgian defence at Niewpoort and it is worth a visit, which can easily be done as a "tag on" to visit to Ieper or Popperinge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ypresman Posted 5 February , 2005 Share Posted 5 February , 2005 Hi Here is a pic from one of my stereoviews that depict this scene. Trenches in the sand. They held this sector well during the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 5 February , 2005 Share Posted 5 February , 2005 The Belgian army manned this sector ...but not all the time. The British 66th Division was here in the summer of 1917 until 26th September, when the British 42nd Division releived them. The 42nd Division was in turn relieved here by the French 133rd Division on November 19th 1917. In reality, it was quite an internationally held sector!! Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 5 February , 2005 Share Posted 5 February , 2005 Can any forum members give me information on how the trench system operated right at the beaches? I am not even sure where the trench line went at this point, but I must admit I am intrigued. You can see the trenches as they were on 25th July 1917 on this trenchmap (12 SW1 ed. 3).... Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisharley9 Posted 6 February , 2005 Share Posted 6 February , 2005 As a matter of curiosity what about the other end of the Western front on the Swiss border All The Best Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 6 February , 2005 Share Posted 6 February , 2005 I didn't realise that British and French divisions held the line. Did this mean that Belgian engineers remained to control the locks because of the knowledge and expertise while they were there? I certainly thought that this part of the defence was exclusively Belgian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunflower Posted 7 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 7 February , 2005 Thanks everyone, the info is a big help. I am heading to Flanders in March to the Ypres Salient and if I can, I certainly will visit this area. I remember seeing a photo somewhere about a soldier (Belgian, I think) who was shot at dawn on a beach in front of big dunes. If I recall, it was really late on the war. Does anyone know if this was near Niewpoort? I reckon that if the Belgians held this part of the front, then that would explain the locale of the photo. Thanks again for all your excellent info, forum members never cease to amaze me with their knowledge. sunflower Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gem22 Posted 7 February , 2005 Share Posted 7 February , 2005 Sunflower If your trip to Ieper is by car why not drive up the coast to Nieuwepoort on your way? You can then get to Ieper via Dixsmuide and Boezinghe. It's a much more interesting drive than the route via Poperinghe especially if the weather is dry. Plenty of things to see on the way, such as, the lock system, the trenches at Dixsmuide, and the Yser toren. Enjoy your trip. Garth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 7 February , 2005 Share Posted 7 February , 2005 Did this mean that Belgian engineers remained to control the locks because of the knowledge and expertise while they were there? A specialist unit of Belgian Engineers was formed in 1915 to perform these tasks.They remained there throughout the war. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTS Posted 7 February , 2005 Share Posted 7 February , 2005 Just carrying on from an earlier post, has anybody got any info on the Swiss End of the line ? I'm struggling to think of a river on which to anchor the trench flanks, so can I assume that the trenches ran down to the Swiss Border fence and stopped ? If that is the case did patrols sneak around the ends through Swiss territory, or did the trenches just peter out ( unlikely I would have thought ) and no one bother to attack here . Strangely enough , I have never really considered this before ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domsim Posted 8 February , 2005 Share Posted 8 February , 2005 The Australian War Memorial web site has some good photos of the beaches and dune areras around Nieuport as the 2nd Australian Tunnelling company was stationed there as well as a battery of artillery. The photo shows the beach at Nieuport in 1917 looking from the allied side towards the mole of the entrance to the Izer. If you get to Nieuport head along the coast towards Ostend and visit the excellent Atlantic wall museum at Raversijde where there is a preserved WW1 German shore battery. Cheers Dominic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunflower Posted 9 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 9 February , 2005 Will take on board all comments on the area and will definitely consider Garth's route to Ieper and also Dominic's suggestions. Thanks again, and if I do manage to Nieuport will post a couple of photos of the area and of anything interesting I come across. Will be going to Tynecot and Ramparts Cemetery, so if any forum members want any fotos, just let me know. Planning trip for last week March. sunflower Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkristof Posted 9 February , 2005 Share Posted 9 February , 2005 Sunflower, if you need locals to help or a guide... just yell! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
De Petrowski Alexander Posted 12 November , 2005 Share Posted 12 November , 2005 Just carrying on from an earlier post, has anybody got any info on the Swiss End of the line ? I'm struggling to think of a river on which to anchor the trench flanks, so can I assume that the trenches ran down to the Swiss Border fence and stopped ? If that is the case did patrols sneak around the ends through Swiss territory, or did the trenches just peter out ( unlikely I would have thought ) and no one bother to attack here . Strangely enough , I have never really considered this before ! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The Swiss Army made sure nobody would sneak into their territory. Check this link http://homepage.sunrise.ch/homepage/schwitte/1914-18_ww1.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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