Battle of Mont Sorrel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Mont Sorrel |
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| Part of the Ypres Salient along the Western Front of World War I | |||||||
.jpg) Restored battlefield map of positions occupied on 4 June 1916 |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Julian Byng |
 Erich von Falkenhayn Crown Prince Rupprecht |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 2 Canadian divisions 1 British division |
3 divisions | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 8,430 | 5,765 | ||||||
The Battle of Mont Sorrel (also called Battle of Mount Sorrel or Battle of Hill 62) was an important fight during World War I. It happened near Ypres in Belgium, from June 2 to June 13, 1916. This battle took place in an area known as the Ypres Salient, which was a bulge in the battle lines.
German forces attacked a high area defended by Canadian soldiers. They wanted to take control of these hills, like Mount Sorrel and Tor Top. These hills gave a great view over the battlefield. After the Germans captured the hills, Canadian and British soldiers fought back. They managed to take most of their positions back.
Contents
Why the Battle Happened
The Importance of Mount Sorrel
Mount Sorrel was a key location, about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) east of Ypres, Belgium. It was part of a ridge that included Tor Top (Hill 62) and Hill 61. These hills were about 30 meters (98 feet) higher than the land around them. This meant that whoever controlled them could see far across the battlefield. They could watch the town of Ypres and all the roads leading to it. At the time, these peaks were the only high ground still held by the Allied forces.
The Somme Offensive Plan
Far away in northern France, the British and French armies were getting ready for a huge attack. This big plan was called the Somme Offensive. The German army noticed these preparations. They knew the Allies were building up many soldiers and supplies.
Germany was busy fighting another major battle at Verdun. Because of this, they didn't have many extra soldiers or supplies. So, they decided to launch smaller attacks. Their goal was to make the British move their soldiers away from the Somme. This would make the Somme Offensive harder for the Allies.
New Canadian Commander
Just before the battle, there was a change in leadership for the Canadian soldiers. On May 28, 1916, Lieutenant-General Julian Byng became the new commander of the Canadian Corps. He replaced Lieutenant-General Edwin Alderson.
Getting Ready for Battle
German Preparations
The German army planned their attack very carefully. They wanted to capture the high ground that overlooked the battlefield. They spent six weeks getting ready. They dug new trenches closer to the Canadian lines. They also brought in many extra cannons and trench mortars.
To keep their plans secret, the German soldiers were told they were just improving their defenses before moving to another area. On June 1, they finally learned the real plan. The soldiers moved into their new trenches that night, ready to attack.
Canadian Preparations
General Byng, the new Canadian commander, looked at the Canadian defenses. He saw that the German positions were higher up. This meant the Canadians were always in danger from German fire. Byng ordered a plan to attack some of the most dangerous German spots.
Around mid-May, British planes flying over Mont Sorrel saw something unusual. They noticed that the Germans were digging new trenches that looked a lot like the Canadian ones. This suggested the Germans were planning an attack.
The German Attack Begins
June 2: The First Assault
On the morning of June 2, the German army started a very heavy artillery bombardment. This was a massive shelling of the Canadian positions. Many Canadian soldiers were killed or wounded during this attack.
The commander of the 3rd Canadian Division, Major-General Malcolm Mercer, and the 8th Canadian Brigade commander, Brigadier-General Victor Arthur Seymour Williams, were inspecting the front line when the shelling began. General Mercer was badly wounded and died the next day. General Williams was also wounded and captured by the Germans.
At 1:00 PM, German soldiers set off four large mines near the Canadian trenches. Then, six German battalions attacked. The Canadian defenses were very weak because their leaders were gone. The German forces quickly captured Mont Sorrel and Hill 61. They advanced about 1,100 meters (1,200 yards). Even though the path to Ypres was open, the German officers did not push further. They stuck to their original orders.
June 3: Canadian Counter-attack
General Byng quickly organized a counter-attack for the early morning of June 3. Because the 3rd Canadian Division had lost so many soldiers, two brigades from the 1st Canadian Division were brought in to help.
The attack was supposed to start at 2:00 AM. But it was hard to get all the new units into position. German artillery fire also made things difficult. So, the attack was delayed until 7:00 AM. The signal to attack was six green rockets fired at the same time. However, some rockets didn't work, so the attack was not perfectly coordinated.
The four Canadian battalions attacked across open ground in daylight. They suffered many casualties. They didn't get back the lost land, but they did close a gap in the line. They also moved the Canadian front line about 900 meters (1,000 yards) closer to the Germans.
The Canadian Attack
Canadian Preparations: June 4–8
The British commanders, General Douglas Haig and General Herbert Plumer, believed it was important to push the Germans out of the captured positions. But they didn't want to use too many soldiers, as they were saving them for the Somme Offensive. So, they sent only a few extra artillery units and one infantry brigade to help.
The extra artillery immediately began shelling German lines. They tried to stop the Germans from making their new positions stronger. The Germans surprised the Canadians by exploding four large mines under trenches at Hooge. A Canadian company was wiped out. The Canadians held their ground, but General Byng decided to leave the Hooge trenches to the Germans. He wanted to focus on taking back Mont Sorrel and Tor Top.
The Main Attack: June 9–14
General Byng ordered Major-General Arthur Currie, commander of the 1st Canadian Division, to plan a careful attack. Because of the losses on June 3, Currie combined his stronger battalions into two new brigades.
From June 9 to 12, the Canadians fired four intense bombardments, each lasting thirty minutes. This was a trick to make the Germans think an attack was coming right away, but it wasn't. Then, for ten hours on June 12, all German positions between Hill 60 and Sanctuary Wood were heavily shelled. The Canadians paid special attention to the sides of the German lines, where machine guns could fire across their attacking troops.
The next morning, June 13, the Germans faced another 45 minutes of heavy shelling. Then, the Canadians advanced behind a smoke screen. The Germans were largely surprised and didn't put up much resistance. The Canadians captured about 200 German prisoners. The Germans fell back to their original lines, except for the trenches at Hooge. The attack was over in a little over an hour. On June 14, the Germans launched two counter-attacks, but the Canadians pushed them back.
Aftermath
Battle Results
The Battle of Mont Sorrel was costly for both sides. The German forces suffered 5,765 casualties (killed, wounded, or missing). The Canadian Corps had 8,430 casualties between June 2 and June 14.
After the battle, the Canadian Corps stayed in the Ypres Salient, defending their positions. In September, they were moved to the Somme.
New Leaders and Equipment
After the battle, General Byng had to choose a new commander for the 3rd Canadian Division because General Mercer had died. The Canadian Minister of Militia and Defence, Sam Hughes, wanted his son, Garnet Hughes, to get the job. But General Byng chose Brigadier-General Louis Lipsett instead. Lipsett was a very respected British officer. This made Minister Hughes very angry, but Byng stood firm.
This change in command also led to other important changes. The Canadian soldiers had been using an unreliable rifle called the Ross Rifle. To the relief of the soldiers, this rifle started to be replaced with the more dependable British Lee–Enfield rifle. Their machine guns were also replaced with better models.
Remembering the Battle
- The Canadian soldiers' bravery at the Battle of Mount Sorrel is honored at the Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood) Memorial.
- In 2011, a special memorial was placed for the 15th Battalion. It marks where they fought during the battle.
- The nearby Sanctuary Wood Museum Hill 62 has a preserved section of trenches. You can see what the front lines looked like in 1916 and 1917.
- Soldiers who died in the battle are buried in nearby cemeteries like Sanctuary Wood Cemetery and Hooge Crater Cemetery.
- Those who died with no known grave are remembered on the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium.
- Every year in June, the Royal Regiment of Canada holds a "Sorrel Day" parade at the Fort York Armoury to remember the battle.
