Walking The Battle of Passchendaele : First World War Battlefield Tour

Today we're walking the battlefields of Passchendaele
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[@jammyscouser2583]

October 12 1917. New Zealands darkest day. 0.1% of the countries entire population died there that foggy morning. "They came from the uttermost ends of the earth"

[@hipster-somme977]

Yet another absorbing video, you can imagine the troops finally capturing Passchendaele and thinking “Have just lost all my mates and hundreds of thousands of men for this”?

[@VloggingThroughHistory]

Great stuff Rob! This battlefield is, to me, one of the most tragic in human history.

[@historyinyourhand1787]

Thanks Chris 👊

[@TonyBongo869]

My wife and I visited in May 2024. My grandfather (7th Battalion Canadian expeditionary force) and his mates served in the salient. We’d visited many sites before making our way to Tyne Cot. Grandad lost a mate at Passchendaele, obliterated by an incoming shell. By the time we got to the Canadian memorial my wife was tired and stayed in the car as I paid my respects. Heading back to the car, I snapped a quick photo of Canada Gate, before heading back to Ypres. Looking at the photo a few weeks afterwards I saw what can only be described as an Angel, above the maple leaf. To me this is Alfred Castleman telling me he’s at peace.

[@Zoydian]

The idea that they're men still buried in those field in their unknown tombs gives me goose bumps. Always the common people who pay the ultimate price so that others can line their pockets.

[@russbillington6291]

My Great grandfather, fought here also with the 2/5 Kings Liverpool regt. Wounded (Gassed) on the 2nd of November, lucky for me he survived the war becoming a POW on April 16th 1918. Rest in piece all those who didn't return.

[@benmurphy7934]

My grandfather was there as a stretcher bearer, he never spoke to my dad about it, only a few stories to my aunt 😢

[@sbishop6450]

Wonderful video Rob. Can’t get over the flatness of all the fields and the openness. Can see why my grandfather used to say the shrapnel wound to his knee saved his life as he was taken behind the line at Passchendaele and returned home to recover. I’m getting a real sense of the topography and destruction these men had to fight in. Thank you for these videos.

[@historyinyourhand1787]

Thank you watching them 👊

[@michaeldenesyk3195]

Thank you. Sir Arthur Currie was asked what his estimated casualties would be in taking Passchendaele, He replied, 16,000. He was just a couple hundred short in his estimate.

[@peteryeatman1904]

We visited this site in August this year . All of a sudden both my legs went heavy and I struggled to walk until we got back onto the coach then the feeling disappeared. Had a few strange things on our visits around the battle fields. One was as we walked through trees I spotted a German soldier. Will go again just to see if this happens again.

[@Blackfoxparadox]

Let me guess. Polygon woods.

[@peteryeatman1904]

@@Blackfoxparadox I've had a few strange things happen in most places we visited.

[@Blackfoxparadox]

@ I attract that stuff as well. I have a pic of a ghost from chillingham castle. Was thinking of going to polygon woods and hill 60

[@peteryeatman1904]

@Blackfoxparadox . Have you been before?

[@Blackfoxparadox]

@ years ago. Like 20

[@davidallison2112]

Very, very powerful and moving. A reminder of the futility and horror of war, a lesson we never seem to learn. Thank you for doing this.

[@jay76ny]

I love that you showed the mud. Just seeing how boggy a well irrigated field is there puts some perspective into how awful it must have been during the battle. I just started listening to The Old Front Line pod a few weeks ago and am really enjoying it. Groom's A Storm in Flanders does a great job describing the fighting in the salient throughout the war.

[@mrmeowmeow710]

I tip my hat to all who fought there God love and bless them all

[@la_old_salt2241]

Thanks for sharing Rob. Just heart breaking. God bless, Rob, USNR 1987-1995

[@adriaanvankammen8375]

Again a well performed video, good info and and a story told with compassion. I like it.

[@everettrhay4855]

Meat grinder is a great descriptor, young men go in, burger comes out. My Great Granddad saw action in Belleau Wood in a U.S. Army unit operating in support of the U.S.M.C. advance there. Cheers .

[@robmisener2786]

Great work Rob and thank you from 🇨🇦.

[@pianoboy3225]

Passchendaele 1917: Landscape of War by Lee Ingelbrecht goes into great detail about the landscape and how it influenced the fighting during the offensive

[@loafersheffield]

..and we lay in the mud, and the guts and the blood And I wept as his body grew colder And I called for my mother and she never came Tho it wasn't my fault and I wasn't to blame The day not half over and ten thousand slain And now there's nobody remembers our names And that's how it is for a soldier. OK. It's Paschendale. 1917. I still can't get that song out of my head. Motörhead 1916. It's not your usual headbanging stuff. Very sad. Thank you! 💔

[@la_old_salt2241]

Thanks for sharing.

[@nnoddy8161]

My great uncle was killed on 4th Nov, supporting the Canadians on their final push to Passchendael. He was in the 19th Battalion of the AIF. While buried, his grave was subsequently lost.

[@alex4833]

Hey Rob, how are you? Great intro. That was chilling. Helpful overview of the battlefield. The terrain is so difficult to traverse. Nice overview of the objectives of the allies too. To have to go through the mud and heavy enemy fire...I cannot imagine how horrifying and tough that was. You gave good information about the waterways and the floods (the images were helpful too). It's sad how many are unidentified and lost. The Canadian Memorial is well maintained. Beautiful and great memorial for the troops who were killed. The plaque is informative and helpful too. Wow, I didn't know there was also a Last Steps gate.I would like to visit it. The photos are incredible. There is such a huge contrast. (Before and after photos). So much destruction. The church has been rebuilt well. It's beautiful. Wonderful memorial within the church too. Great video, Rob. It is very informative. Take care. Have a great Friday! .

[@historyinyourhand1787]

Cheers Alex

[@thenoworriesnomad]

Another great video from Rob, the WW1 guru..👍👍

[@Sambo77261]

Fantastic video. Cheers from Nz

[@historyinyourhand1787]

Many thanks!

[@peterncox1963]

Great video, you are a really good presenter, thanks

[@historyinyourhand1787]

Thank you

[@martinkuller]

Thanks ........... it was a great video again.

[@historyinyourhand1787]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@jennforster8772]

Excellent video. Thank you.

[@WharfSomewhere]

Thank you on behalf of the dead. Awesome work

[@ANotSoBoringGuy]

Wow Rob I think this is your best video yet!

[@historyinyourhand1787]

Thank you I appreciate that

[@johnross2924]

Passchendaele by iron maiden is a bangin powerful tune 🎸

[@everettrhay4855]

“Laying low in a blood filled trench, killing time till my very own death, on my face I feel the falling rain, never see my friends again” -S.Harris

[@nigelcoleman1503]

Love your videos. Thanks

[@historyinyourhand1787]

Glad you like them!

[@MarkDavies-s3g]

Fantastic video and thanks. Would like to visit the area one day..

[@historyinyourhand1787]

You should!

[@billmccarthy9689]

I attended the festival in Ypres on 30July 2017. Shook the hand of Teresa May our Prime Miniister as she walked past the crowds lined the Market street. The next day commorations at Tyne Cot was beamed to large screens in the Market Square. Readings from descendants at Tyne Cot were quite moving and knowing the casualty rate made me question what on earth was Haig thinking?

[@loafersheffield]

Theresa May wept as she announced her resignation outside of 10 Downing Street. "For the counrty that I love" were her departing words. I'm not entirely sure whether the next two PM's and also our present PM have the same level of devotion.

[@billmccarthy9689]

@@loafersheffield Agreed.

[@scottcannings2746]

Another great video ❤

[@historyinyourhand1787]

Thank you 🤗

[@chrishallam602]

Great video well told

[@historyinyourhand1787]

Glad you liked it

[@paulqueenan178]

How could the powers send these poor men to die in this ..heart breaking 😢

[@jasoreed]

And for those who wonder how to pronounce the towns in Flemish if you’re English speaking Passchendaele is - Passendulla. and Ieper is - Eeperr. And I might also add when soldiers fell into the shell holes they weren’t allowed to be helped out by other soldiers as they could be dragged in as well, the shell holes went straight down not gentle sloped sides , also the water was so polluted any scratch or mark on your body would become infected .

[@pauldouglas8986]

My grandfather was injured by shrapnel there and sent home

[@Bastille1789]

My both grandfathers were also in France in WW1. But on the other side of the trenches. We're Germans. Does it matter what nation? Those poor suffering soldiers of all nations. Every man wanted to come back to the loves at home. Peace from Germany.

[@NoOneUNo]

Hi Rob, I am inquiring about a Western Front visit. I would like to follow my grandfather's tour of duty KOSB 2nd battalion from January 1915 until end of war. Badly wounded a few times but he survived. Any suggestions? Appreciate you and your channel very much..

[@historyinyourhand1787]

Thank you. Feel free to private message me. Happy to try to help

[@timothycrawford1630]

How accurate does the movie depict the battlefield rob? Was it full of pretty gruesome hand to hand combat as they show?

[@historyinyourhand1787]

@timothycrawford1630 I would imagine that was fairly accurate yes. In situations where enemy trenches were captured there was definitely hand to hand fighting

[@timothycrawford1630]

@@historyinyourhand1787 I take it because of the mud it was a regular occurrence?

[@vmax42dave]

✝