THE SECOND BATTLE OF YPRES,

1915

By Kailey and Ocean

THE WHO,WHERE, WHEN, OF THE BATTLE.

Who: The battle was between the

Germans 4th army under Albrecht Duke
of Wurttemberg. Two corps of the British
and 1st Canadian Division commanded
by Gen. Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien.

Where and When: From April 22 – May

25, 1915, in Western Flanders in Belgium

By Kailey
W H AT O F T H E BAT T L E

What: the Germans used a new weapon chlorine gas, and the Canadians manned the trenches. The
Germans would do gas attacks and the Canadians would be launching counterattacks. Throughout the
battle more than 6,500 Canadians were killed, wounded or captured. More than 59,000 Germans were
killed, wounded or captured.

By Kailey
 I M P O R TA N T F I R STS I N T E C H N O LO GY
• Chlorine gases, introduced by the Germans, a greenish-yellow cloud that smells of bleach and
immediately irritates the eyes, nose, lungs, and throat of those exposed to it. At high enough doses it
kills by asphyxiation. The battle marked the Germans' first use of poison gas as a weapon.

By Ocean
 The battle was significant because
the battle gave Canada international
recognition for their bold actions and
determination in the battle. The first
THE WHY AND HOW large scale chlorine gas attack from
T H E BAT T L E WA S the Germans on Canada changed the
first world war battlefield.
SIGNIFICANT TO
BOTH CANADA AND
TO THE WAR.

By Kailey
ST. J U L I E N M E M O R I A L
Visible for several miles from its site beside the main road from Ypres to Bruges, the impressive Canadian
Memorial at St. Julien stands like a sentinel over those who died during the heroic stand of Canadians
during the first gas attacks of the First World War. The memorial is 11 metres high and constructed from a
single shaft of granite.

By Ocean

KEY FIGURES
GENERAL. SIR HORACE SMITH-DORRIEN
Commanded the British/Canadian Second Army.
He lived from May 26, 1858-August 12, 1930. He
was the 11th child of Col. Robert Smith-Dorrien.
Educated at Harrow and then started military
training at Sandhurst. Horace spent his entire
career with the Sherwood Foresters. He was
selected by Kitchener to command British Second
(II) Corps. November 1915, he went to East Africa
to operate there but retired a year later through ill.
By Kailey
MAJOR, GENERAL . ARMAND DE CEUNINCK
Commanded the Belgian 6th Division.
27 May 1858 – 12 April 1935. He wanted to
became an artillery sergeant and went to Belgian
Military College to study artillery and engineering.
When world war 1 started he was staff colonel and
head of the staff. Promoted to Major-General on 6
September 1914. French President Poincare and
General Joffre awarded him after the battle
with cross of commander of the Legion
d'Honneur. He won around 27 awards threw out
his career.
General. Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien Major, General . Armand de Ceuninck

By Kailey

KEY FIGURES
GENERAL. HENRI PUTZ
Commanded the French 45th forces and 87th
Territorial divisions. January 26, 1859-February
22, 1925, He went to school at Ecole
Polytechnique in 1879. At the start of world war 1
he received a divisional command. After fighting
in the 1914 Battle of the Vosges, he took
command of the French forces. After the war, he
returned to his hometown of Metz and died.
By Kailey
A L B R E C H T, D U K E O F W Ü R T T E M B E R G
Commanded the Germans Fourth Army.
December 23, 1865-October 29, 1939. He grew up
in Vienna and Gmunden/Upper Austria. In 1884, he
joined the Württemberg army.
He gained experience both cavalry and infantry
forces. At the start of world war 1 he was appointed
commander-in-chief.
 By Kailey

General. Henri Putz Albrecht, duke of Württemberg

QUOTES FROM VETERANS INVOLVED
• One soldier recalled, "I have never been in a battle— and I have been in many— where the
men were suffering in such numbers that their crying and groaning could be heard all over the
battlefield."

• Lester Stevens said, “Two fellows, one on my right and one on my left, dropped. And eventually
they got them to hospital, but they both died.… I was a bit of an athlete in those days and a
good swimmer, and I could hold my breath… as soon as I saw that gas coming, I tied a
handkerchief over my nose and mouth…. That saved my life.”

By Ocean
THE END
QUIZ TIME

1. When did the battle start and end?

2. Where did the battle take place?

3. What was the gas the Germans’ used made out of?

4. Why was the battle significant to Canada?