Halfway Westrozebeke 18th october 1914

[Malte Znaniecki]

Hi

Is anybody out there to give me some links or information about what happened on the Roulers - Westrozebeke road during 18th of october 1914, delivered from british historical sight?

I got lot's of material from german sources, which might tell me half of the story.

with best regards

MZ, Hamburg

[Aurel Sercu]

The book "Van Rousselaere tot Langemarck 1914" (by Robert Baccarne and Jan Steen (1989)) of course pays a lot of attention to what happened in October 1914 in that area. ('Rousselaere' = old spelling for 'Roeselare', in French 'Roulers').

Pages 109-178 are about 'Schuwe Maandag te Roeselare', Monday 19 oct. 1914, focussing on the disastrous events for the civilian population, and the following day.

Right now I can't see what is specifically written about "what happened on the road Roeselare - Westrozebeke on 18 oct." (the day before Schuwe Maandag). But as far as I see in the footnotes no British sources are mentioned...

There are 2 pages (157-158) 'De rol van de Engelsen op 19 oktober' (The part played by the English on 19 Oct).

(All the time I am wondering : were the German troops already on the road from Roeselare to Westrozebeke on Sunday 18 Oct. ? Maybe I should reread these pages.)

And also this : the book only exists in ... Dutch (Flemish)

Aurel

[Malte Znaniecki]

Hi Aurel,

thank you very much for your answer.

What I especially meant was the action on the road to Westrozebeke during 18th of October, happened close to a small place called "De Ruider".

The german sources talk about a big patrol (a mixed "Téte" of a Cavalry squadron and a party of byciclists; both from german 46th and 51th german Reserve-Divisions. The group devided in the outcast of Roeselare and the cavalry and the bicyclist went on different ways into western and soutwesten direction towards Yperlee canal.

At "De Ruider the bicyclists (Jäger and infantry) got into a british ambush and were mostly killed or wounded by british machinegunners who particulary had their positions in trees beside the road and at other topic places. That's what the german sources tell. My interest is on any reports of british or flamish eyewitnesses or historical review.

best regards

MZ

[Aurel Sercu]

MZ,

I had noticed, when browsing through the pages, that mention was made of an incident near De Ruiter, but since this is a hamlet just outside Roeselare on the road to Moorslede and farther on to Zonnebeke, Ieper (Ypres) I had not paid attention to it, for the normal road Roeselare - Westrozebeke is a bit west of it, via Oostnieuwkerke.

In this incident 17 German men were killed (15 in a barn that after being shelled (?) went up in flames. Two (one an officer) when coming out of the farm driving the former in front of them.

I can scan the page (the De Ruiter incident is described in 15 lines) and email it to you, if you let me know off Forum, what your email address is. But ... do you read Dutch ?

Aurel