Messines
Belgium
Mentioned: 1916, 1918
Ypres / Belgium Sector A Belgian village immediately next to Wulverghem, where Robertson did much of his own engineering work in spring 1916: close enough that the two names appear together constantly in that stretch of the diary (gas-attack frontage, artillery fire, the "Wytschaete-Messines ridge"). Captured by the British in the Battle of Messines that June 1917. Changes hands again during the German Spring Offensive: "back" in German hands by mid-April 1918, prompting Robertson's own comment that "the ownership of Wulgm and Messines should be changed during the last two years": ground he once worked on, fought over again a year on.
View on the map →Mentioned in the diary · 3 entries
1918
- 10 April 1918… did something up there. – Skipper & I were over to V Sqdn this eve. & found them packed up. – It seems he has Messines back & some talk or Armentieres. – He dropped a few in the vicinity but not so much as ye …
- 16 April 1918… s is that we advanced a few kilos down south & took two divs. – Skipper says that Fritz now has Paschendaele, Messines, N. Eglise & a few more places. Lots of strafing going on to-night. – The “MAIL” says he’ …
- 19 April 1918… The bosch now has Wulverghem so I guess old “Ring 35” is being used. – Funny that the ownership of Wulgm and Messines should be changed during the last two years. 14th had a nasty knock. – McCombe, Powell, P …