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Passendale Passchendaele | |
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  Passendale | |
| Coordinates:50°54′1″N3°1′14″E / 50.90028°N 3.02056°E /50.90028; 3.02056 | |
| Country |  Belgium |
| Province |  West Flanders |
| Municipality | Zonnebeke |
| Area | |
• Total | 22.22 km2 (8.58 sq mi) |
| Population (1999) | |
• Total | 2,928 |
| • Density | 131.77/km2 (341.3/sq mi) |
| Source:NIS | |
| Postal code | 8980 |
Passendale (Dutch:[ˈpɑsə(n)ˌdaːlə]) orPasschendaele (English:/ˈpæʃəndeɪl/PASH-ən-dayl,French:[pasœndal];West Flemish:Passchendoale) is a ruralBelgian village in theZonnebeke municipality ofWest Flanders province. It is close to the town ofYpres, situated on thehill ridge separating the historical wetlands of theYser andLeie valleys. It is also commonly known as a battlefield and the name of a campaign duringWorld War I, theBattle of Passchendaele.
In the pre-Roman and Roman times the area of the town was located along the border between theMenapii andMoriniBelgic tribes of northernGaul and later the border between thebishoprics ofTournai andThérouanne. The town is first recorded in 844 as Pascandale, and may be named after an individual by the name of Paulus or Pasko.[1] In the Middle Ages, most of the region was ruled by theAugustine abbey of Zonnebeke and theBenedictine convent of Nonnebossen. Both the abbey and the convent were destroyed during aniconoclasm (Beeldenstorm) of 1580.
Passchendaele Ridge 60 m (200 ft) gives its name in common parlance to abattle of the First World War, officially the Third Battle of Ypres. It was a British-led offensive against the Germans, lasting from 31 July to 10 November 1917. Distinguishing features included the extensiverain leading up to it, as well as the relative absence of French troops. The government of France faced amassive mutiny at the time, having lost nearly four million troops to this point against theCentral Powers. In addition to British,Canadian, Belgian,New Zealander,Australian and Indian troops fought on the side of theAllies, under the command ofField MarshalDouglas Haig.
The combination of a field littered with shell hole craters and relentless rain led to a battlefield having the consistency of porridge. The holes in the earth filled with water, debris, and bodies, causing nearly everything to be coated with a slick layer of slime. Despite the rain, contamination of the water supply led to massive dehydration and sickness amongst the troops on both sides during the long months of battle. Guns sank into the earth and troops drowned in the soft mud as they tried to charge the line.
Finally, after sixteen weeks of fighting in conditions which varied from rain, mud, and slime, to hot and dry weather with great clouds of dust, the initial objective of Passchendaele Ridge had been gained at a cost of 270,000 Allied casualties, including 17,000 officers. German casualties were likewise staggering, with 217,000 German casualties; the village was levelled.[2][3]
Different nations' war cemeteries are found in Passendale:Tyne Cot Cemetery (the largestCommonwealth cemetery in the world), the New British Cemetery, the Canadian Memorial, and the New Zealand Forces Memorial. The town also hosts a war museum as well as numerous memorials dedicated to the different nationalities that participated in the epic battle.
Every year, Passendale hosts a number of commemorative events and exhibitions. Those of 2008 were the 90th memorial commemorations of the end of the First World War.Passchendaele (2008) was a Canadian film directed byPaul Gross about theBattle of Passchendaele.
Passendale is also known forPassendale cheese, and hosts an annual cheese festival every August. A blonde beer named Passchendaele is brewed by theVan Honsebrouck brewery inIngelmunster.
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