The Great War
The Race to the Sea
After the battle of Marne, both the Germans and the Allies extended operations northwards, each trying to work round the others flank. As the series of leapfrogging manoeuvres reached its conclusion, the BEF sought to deny the channel ports to the Germans, crashing head-on into the Germans at Ypres, in West Flanders, Belgium on 20th of October.
Such was the initial confusion among the British high command that the C-inC, Sir John French, believed for at least 48 hours that he was attacking while his heavily outnumbered forces were barely holding their ground. His optimism gave way to something close to panic when he finally grasped the true nature of the BEF's position. The British line held, supported by the French on their right. On the British left the Belgians opened sluice gates to halt the German advance. Bitter fighting on a narrow front continued until the 11th of November when torrential rain and snow halted the final German offensive. British, French and Belgian troops were outnumbered by the Germans, however, it was the Allies that won the battle after 34 days of intense close combat fighting.
The first battle of Ypres was the last chapter in the history of the old British Regular Army, of which nearly 80% had been lost in the fighting. From the Channel to the Swiss frontier, both sides now began to dig in. Trench warfare had arrived.