The Third Battle of Ypres, known as ‘Wipers’ to the troops, was the Allies major offensive in Flanders in 1917, with the aim of breaking through the strong German defences surrounding the Belgium town of Ypres.

The first and second battles at Ypres were attacks by the Germans against the Allied-controlled land around Ypres–which crucially blocked any German advance to the English Channel.  

This Allied attack, if successful, would create a clear way to enable the capture of the German submarine bases on the Belgian coast. The British commander in chief, Sir Douglas Haig mistakenly believed that the German Army would collapse and be destroyed by an Allied victory.

The attack began on July 31st, with the brutal fighting continuing for more than three months, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides. The fighting took place in difficult waterlogged conditions, partly due to the frequent periods of rain [twice the normal rainfall fell in August] as well as the destruction of the lowlands drainage system by intense artillery bombardment. Australian Divisions participated in the battles of Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Poelcapelle and the First Battle of Passchendaele. During this period, there were 38,000 Australian casualties.

The combined total of British and Allied casualties was estimated to be 310,000(German casualties assessed to be slightly lower -260,000). The town of Passchendaele was finally captured, but, regrettably, there was no significant breakthrough, gaining only a few kilometres.

The Third Battle of Ypres remains one of the most costly and controversial offensives of World War I, illustrating the wasteful and futile nature of trench warfare.

The battles that Australian Divisions participated in were:

- Menin Road, 20-25 September

- Polygon Wood, 26 September to 3 October 

- Broodseinde, 4 October

- Passchendaele (First Battle), 12 October

- Passchendaele (Second Battle), 26 October to 10 November.

More on these conflicts to come.