Hooge Crater

Hooge stood on a slightly higher ridge of ground along the Menin Road. Any piece of high ground, however insignificant, was of strategic importance. Before the war, it was the site of a chateau and stables, owned by Baron De Vinck. It was also the site of two new military 'innovations' at the end of July 1915.

Since the beginning of 1915, small mines had been dug and exploded under the enemy lines by both sides, most notably at Hill 60 in April 1915. Since February of that year, professional miners had been employed at the front. It was here at Hooge that the first large scale mine was dug by men of the 175th Tunnelling Company of the British Army.

To charge the mine, Captain G. R. Cassels of the 175th actually had to 'borrow' explosive from other mining units, since his own supply had been 'lost in transit'. He managed to get together about 600 kilograms of explosive, which were detonated under the German front line trenches on 19 July 1915. Since when this spot has been known as Hooge Crater.

The attack was initially a success and the German defenders were driven back. However, 11 days later the Germans launched a fierce counter attack, using flame-throwers for the first time. And so a new horror of war was born.

On the opposite side of the road from Hooge Crater Cemetery there is a small museum with numerous artefacts and some interesting visual material. It is one of the few surviving museum-cafes set up after the war to promote war tourism in the so-called Devastated Zone.

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