New Zealand Division Memorial, Messines

This memorial commemorates the participation of the New Zealand Division in the attack on the town of Messines, during which it suffered some 3,700 casualties, including over 700 dead. The New Zealand and Australian troops are generally referred to collectively as the ANZACs - the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.

They were also active at the hill you can see in the distance across the valley, Hill 63. On the far side of this hill you can visit the site of the Catacombs.

The Australian Tunnelling Company played an important role in the Battle of the Messines Ridge. This ridge, with its dominating strategic position, had been occupied by the Germans since October 1914. It was attacked by the Allies on 7 June 1917. As part of the preparations, more than 6,000 men - many of them mineworkers before the war - had dug 24 huge mines under the German positions, each containing several thousand tons of high explosive. On the morning of the attack 19 of these 24 mines were exploded.

One of the mines that could not be detonated - containing 22,000 kilograms of explosive - was at La Petit Douve Farm, the large farm that you can see in the valley below, next to the road. In 1955, another of the 'lost' mines blew up as a result of being struck by lightning.

But the mines that did work had a devastating effect on the German defenders. After heavy fighting, all across this valley and in the opposite direction as far as Wijtschate and beyond, the Messines Ridge was recaptured. Allied casualties were just over 24,000 killed, wounded and missing, with German losses estimated at 22,000, including 7,000 prisoners of war.

The attack at Messines was intended as a preliminary to a larger offensive in the Ieper Salient. However, this offensive was only launched on 31 July 1917 - allowing the Germans too much time to recover and reorganize.

The photographs show what things were like here during the battle.

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