The Second Battle of Ypres April – May, 1915

As It Began This was the first major battle for the Canadians This was also the first time Chlorine gas was used on the Western Front.

What did it look like? An observer in a hot air balloon took this photograph of the French part of the front line as it was being shelled with gas canisters by the Germans.

Gas! Gas! Gas! None of the soldiers understood what chemical weapons were or what they could do to a person.

Effects of Gas The acid in the gas would first get into the nose of the victims. This would cause the victims to cough. The coughing brought the gas into the lungs. Now the acid would eat away the linings of the nose and lungs The victim would continue to cough and start to cough up a pink foam which was what was left of his the lining in his lungs

Effects of Gas The acid in the gas would also eat away any exposed skin causing it to blister and form terrible growths and large blood blisters The eyes and ears would also be eaten away and start to bleed If they survived, the victims might have breathing problems for the rest of their lives, they might become blind, or they might have permanent scars on their faces and bodies

Gas! Gas! Gas!

Gas! Gas! Gas! Gas was not really effective for killing soldiers, but it did frighten and demoralize them Only about 4% of battle deaths were the result of gas, but many more were injured Tear gas and mustard gas would not kill the soldiers, but it would blind them, hurt their lungs. These soldiers needed medical help. Often it is better to injure a soldier than kill him, because more people are needed to look after an injured person. Less people would be fighting. Chlorine gas and phosgene gas were meant to kill Men who survived these attacks were often injured for life

Chlorine Gas 57,350 canisters (160 tons) of chlorine gas was released by the Germans The images below show the effects the gas had on the skin of both humans and animals

The Battle British troops were to the right of the Canadians. Algerian and French troops were to the left. The gas attack first hit the Algerians who, not knowing what it was, fled the field.

An Issue of trust The Canadians had a hard time trusting the French troops for two reasons 1. The French troops were really from Algeria, and they had just fought a rebellion against the French and lost. They were in the war, but they didn’t want to serve the French. 2. When the French/Algerian troops retreated, they left a huge hole in the front line. When the Canadians struggled to fill the gap, they asked the French to come back and help, but they refused.

The Battle Seeing the 6.5 km gap left in the line by the fleeing soldiers, the Canadians thinned their own line to cover the gap. They, too were hit with gas, but these men did not retreat. Instead, they soaked their handkerchiefs in urine, wrapped them around their noses and mouths, and held the line. There was fierce fighting in Kitchener’s Woods, but the Canadians pushed the Germans back to their own line. Over the next few days the Canadians pulled back their line. This was because they didn’t have enough men to keep such a long line secure – they had to shorten it.

After the battle Canadian troops earned four Victoria Crosses that day 59,000 allied casualties 6,000 Canadian dead, missing or wounded The Canadian reputation as a tough fighting force was born John McRae wrote the very famous poem, “In Flanders Fields”

In Flanders Fields John McCrae was a 41 year old surgeon when the Great War began He had served in the Boer War (South Africa) Was a popular teacher at McGill University A bit shy. Had lots of friends, but very few close friends When he joined the war, he went to Montreal to prepare for the war He met and made friends with Lt. Alexis Helmer

In Flanders Fields When they were both sent to fight in the 2nd Battle of Ypres, Helmer was on the battlefield leading his men, and McCrae was setting up the surgery. One of the duties of the doctors is to triage patients Green means you can wait Red means you can be saved if you get into surgery fast Black means you are still alive, but there is no hope that you will live

In Flanders Fields Helmer was wounded in battle, and McCrae had to triage him – black After the work was over, he found his friend’s grave, and was very upset McCrae sat in the back of an ambulance and wrote one of the most famous poems in the Western world – In Flanders Fields

In Flanders Fields In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

Ypres Remembers Today a memorial marks the spot of Canada’s amazing stand.

The Crucified Canadian Soldier Canada’s Galgotha The Crucified Canadian Soldier

The story of Canada’s Galgotha According to the story, during a pause in the battle, a group of Canadian soldiers were walking past a farm. When the shelling started again they ran to the barn for shelter. To their shock, they found a young Canadian soldier’s dead body hanging from the barn door. He had been pinned there by several German bayonets. He was in the position of the crucifix. The group of soldiers was horrified as this was Easter Sunday, the holiest day of the Christian year. For someone to have done this, on this day, was to mock

the whole army and the religion too the whole army and the religion too. The young soldiers took the body to the graves detail and went back to their regiments. They told everyone the story of the crucified Canadian soldier, and it made all the soldiers very angry. When they next attacked the German lines, they reminded themselves of the story and got so mad that they fought even harder then before. The Germans were shocked by the ferocity of the attack. Soon other Allied soldiers heard the story, and they got mad too. Soon the Germans were faced with a whole front line that was angry and wanted revenge. The Germans did not believe the story, though. They said that none of their soldiers would do such a thing.