This week Sabine’s battlefield guide Saturday : Lizerne/ steenstraete (the LTA cave part two) 9é regiment de marche de zouaves
As promised part two of some artifacts seen in the LTA cave and a few maps found in the French war diary of the 9th zouave regiment.
The 9th regiment du Zouaves left Hazebrouck ( France) on the 24th of April 1915
and arrived in Poperinge( Belgium) they leave at intervals to West- Vleteren:
the battle rages some twelve kilometres to the east. We learn that the Germans are making extensive use of asphyxiating gas. A line from Langemark, Bikschote to the Yser canal at Steenstraete and het sas was secured, a large number of men were asphyxiated, guns were lost, a counter attack, executed by the 45 division was able to regain part of the lost ground.. They leave West Vleteren give the names of a few locations ‘ den stier cabaret,’ de wippe cabare’t et le poteu indicatoux 16( signpost 16) in the diary, so a local can trace their steps today.
the regiment moves to hoptial farm 2300 M SW of Elverdinge, where it is in army reserve. Battalion Bastien, goes in the wood of ‘Vuile Seule’. Numerous bursts over Elverdinge and Woesten. We see English and Belgian troops passing. We learn that, during a night battle, the enemy has passed Lizerne, and has taken up position to the south of the lock of het sas’.
25/04/1915 The fighting goes on, the terrain is filled with men, wounded and dead everywhere
50 metres from the German trench, a new machine gun breaks up, the leader (Bastien) of the battalion and 3 captains are killed, a quarter of the strength is out of action, 320 men, 60 men are seriously wounded.
50 metres from the German trench, a new machine gun breaks up, the leader (Bastien) of the battalion and 3 captains are killed, a quarter of the strength is out of action, 320 men, 60 men are seriously wounded.
sources :
Postcard my own collection
Visit the LTA cave Thank you Jan for letting me take pictures