Ganzepoot (Goose Foot) - Nieuwpoort

This lock complex, also known as the Goose Foot (because of its shape when viewed from above) played a crucial role in stopping the German advance and stabilizing the IJzer Front. By mid-October, the Belgian Army was exhausted. It had received little support from its Allies and its supplies of ammunition were running short. The army's commander-in-chief, King Albert, wanted to withdraw to Calais. But his own General Staff, supported by the British and the French, opposed this plan. They wanted to stand and fight on the IJzer. On 15 October the king issued the necessary orders, although he believed the situation was hopeless.

It was at this point that a local historian, Emeric Feys, recalled that during the Siege of Nieuwpoort in 1600 the town had been protected by flooding the plain of the River IJzer. Unfortunately, by mid-October1914 the lock-keepers had already been sent to France, but eventually two civilians were found who had sufficient knowledge of the lock system to open the sea gates and flood the plain: the supervisor of the Northern Waterways, Karel Cogge, and a local barge-master, Hendrik Geeraert. They became the heroes of the hour.

The Goose Foot was in no-man's-land, so their mission was a dangerous one. However, the Germans temporarily halted their advance, so that they could plan a final breakthrough offensive, to be launched on 30 October. Cogge and Geeraert were able to open the lock gates on 28 October, and the IJzer plain was slowly submerged.

The German offensive ground to a halt in mud and water. And throughout the rest of the war, the Belgian engineers expertly kept the flood levels high, so that a stalemate resulted on this part of the front.

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