7 – 14 June 1917: the Battle of Messines. A brilliantly planned and executed attack that resulted in the capture of the Wytschaete-Messines ridge south of Ypres, a feature that had given the British problems since 1914 and which was important to hold for future offensive operations in Flanders. Commenced with one of the heaviest artillery bombardments of the war and the explosion of nineteen enormous and long-prepared underground mines.
Second Army (Plumer)
IX Corps (Gordon)
11th (Northern) Division
16th (Irish) Division, which captured Wytschaete
19th (Western) Division
36th (Ulster) Division, which also captured Wytschaete.
X Corps (Morland)
23rd Division
24th Division
41st Division
47th (2nd London) Division.
II ANZAC Corps (Godley)
25th Division
3rd Australian Division
4th Australian Division
New Zealand Division.
Links
Battles of the Western Front in France and Flanders
Sir Douglas Haig’s fourth Despatch (II – Bullecourt, Messines, Third Ypres)