Privat, melted away
under the fire of the French."
Ypres was now but a name. Nothing but a mass of ruins reminded
the world of its previous quaint splendor. For Ypres had been rich
in historic buildings and monuments of past days.
With the fall of Antwerp the Germans had made every effort to push
forward strong forces toward the west and had hastened to bring up
new army corps which had been hurriedly organized, their object
being to drive the Allies out of Belgium and break through to Dunkirk
and Calais. Altogether they collected 250,000 fresh men. Eventually
the Germans had north of La Bassee about fourteen corps and eight
cavalry divisions, a force of 750,000 men, with which to attempt
to drive the Allies into the sea. In addition there was immensely
powerful armament and heavy siege artillery, which also had been
brought up from around Antwerp. But in spite of these strong forces
it became clearly evident by the middle of November that the attempt
to break through to Calais had failed for the time being. The flooding
of the Yser marks the end of the main struggle for Calais. The battle
fronts had shifted. Between them there was a mile or two of mud and
water. The Belgians had lost a quarter of their effectives. The
Germans had evacuated the west bank of the Yser and were obliged
to return to the point from which they had started.
* * * * *
CHAPTER XXVIII
ATTACKS ON LA BASSEE AND ARRAS
While the engagement on the Yser was in progress in October, 1914,
fierce fighting was kept up in the second section of the battle
front, pivoting on Givenchy to the south and running east to the
north of the La Bassee-Lille road.
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