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Battle of the Ypres–Comines Canal facts for kids

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Battle of the Ypres–Comines Canal
Part of the Battle of France and the Battle of Belgium
Date 26–28 May 1940
Location
Ypres-Comines Canal, Belgium
Result

Successful British delaying action
Belligerents
United Kingdom United Kingdom
 Belgium		 Nazi Germany Germany
Commanders and leaders
United Kingdom Harold Franklyn Nazi Germany Gerd von Rundstedt

The Battle of the Ypres–Comines Canal was an important fight during World War II. It happened in May 1940. British soldiers, part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), fought against the German Army. This battle was part of the larger Battle of Belgium and the Battle of France. It took place as the British forces were trying to retreat to Dunkirk. The battle helped many British soldiers escape safely.

Why Did the Battle Happen?

This battle happened because of a big decision by a German commander, Gerd von Rundstedt. On May 23, he ordered his powerful tank forces to stop. This order was even confirmed by Adolf Hitler. Because of this, the job of attacking the British, French, and Belgian forces fell to another German group, Army Group B. These Allied forces were trapped in a small area near the coast.

On May 24, the German Army Group B attacked Belgian forces. The Belgians were defending along the River Lys. The German attack was very successful. This made the Germans think about changing their attack direction. They wanted to cut off the British and French from the coast.

The Allies' Difficult Situation

By May 25, the Belgian armies were moving north. This created a gap between them and the British forces. The German plan to change direction could now work. Lord Gort, who led the British forces, had planned to attack south with the French. This was to close the gap between the trapped Allied forces and the main French army.

However, Lord Gort soon learned about the Belgian retreat. This put his forces in danger from the northeast. So, around 6 PM on May 25, Gort made a new decision. He sent the 5th British Division north instead. Their new mission was to defend the Ypres-Comines Canal. This canal ran between the towns of Ypres and Comines.

Interestingly, British soldiers captured German orders on May 25. These orders showed the German plan to attack west. Many people thought these captured orders made Gort change his mind. But it seems he had already decided to send his troops to the canal before seeing them.

Getting Ready for Battle

The British 5th Division arrived at the Ypres-Comines Canal on May 26. This division was led by Major-General Harold Franklyn. It included the 13th and 17th Infantry Brigades. They were also joined by the 143rd Brigade. The 5th Division was part of British II Corps, commanded by Lieutenant-General Alan Brooke.

Another British group, the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division, also arrived in Ypres. They got there during the night of May 26–27. However, they didn't play a big part in this specific battle. Most of the fighting happened south of Ypres. British troops found some Belgian engineers preparing bridges for demolition.

The German forces involved were IV Corps. This group was part of the German 6th Army. It was led by General Viktor von Schwedler. His corps had three infantry divisions (18th, 31st, and 61st). The Germans started with more soldiers than the British. But the British brought in more troops as the battle went on.

The Battle Begins

The Germans started small attacks on the afternoon of May 26. Then, on the morning of May 27, they launched a full-scale attack. By mid-afternoon, the British line was pushed back. The Germans had advanced over a mile in some places.

From late afternoon, the British fought back with several counterattacks. Soldiers from the 2nd Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) fought in the center. Further south, units like the 6th Black Watch, the 13th/18th Royal Hussars, and the 1/7th & 8th Royal Warwickshire Regiment joined in. Royal Engineers also helped.

Later, another counterattack happened in the south. This was led by the 2nd North Staffordshire Regiment and the 3rd Grenadier Guards. Lieutenant-General Brooke had borrowed these units from the 1st Infantry Division. These counterattacks stopped the German 31st Division in the center. They also pushed the German 61st Division almost back to the canal. However, in the north, the German 18th Division continued to advance near Ypres.

On May 28, the German attack started again. But they made little progress in the center and south. They did advance a bit more in the north. But Brooke moved the 10th Brigade to reinforce this area. This helped to stabilize the front line.

Throughout the battle, British artillery played a big role. The artillery was mainly placed on the Messines–Wytschaete Ridge. It helped to break up many German attacks. The British had a lot of artillery, possibly more than the Germans. This strong artillery support helped the British defense.

Why This Battle Was Important

During the night of May 27-28, most of the British forces south of the Lys River moved north. This included four divisions. The 5th and 50th divisions pulled out on the night of May 28-29.

The stand made by the 5th Division was very important. It allowed a large part of the British Expeditionary Force to reach Dunkirk safely. Even though the British had more casualties (including captured soldiers) than the Germans, the battle was a big success for the BEF. Much of this success was thanks to Lieutenant-General Alan Brooke's quick actions. He borrowed troops from other divisions and moved brigades to strengthen the British lines.

British Units in the Battle

Many British units fought in this battle. Besides those mentioned above, here are some others:

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