What battle took place at Hill 60?
474199#0
The Battle of Hill 60 () took place near Hill 60 south of Ypres on the Western Front, during the First World War. Hill 60 had been captured by the German 30th Division on 11 November 1914, during the First Battle of Ypres (). Initial French preparations to raid the hill were continued by the British 28th Division, which took over the line in February 1915 and then by the 5th Division. The plan was expanded into an ambitious attempt to capture the hill, despite advice that Hill 60 could not be held unless the nearby Caterpillar ridge was also occupied. It was found that Hill 60 was the only place in the area not waterlogged and a French mine gallery was extended.
Battle of Hill 60 (Western Front)
46720096#19
After the Battle of Hill 60 (April–May 1915), Tunnelling companies of the Royal Engineers (RE) took up mining operations under the hill and the neighbouring ground on a much more ambitious scale. Deep mining under the German galleries beneath Hill 60 began in late August 1915, with the 175th Tunnelling Company, which began a gallery behind the British front line and passed beneath the German positions. The British underground works consisted of an access gallery (Berlin Tunnel) leading to two mine chambers, "Hill 60 A" (beneath Hill 60) and "Hill 60 B" (beneath The Caterpillar), to be loaded with explosives and detonated at the appointed time. The 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company took over in April 1916 and completed the galleries, the Hill 60 mine being charged with explosives in July 1916 and the branch gallery under The Caterpillar in October.
Hill 60 (Ypres)
474199#3
Hill 60 was a spoil heap long and high, made from the diggings of a cutting for the Ypres–Comines railway. The hill formed a low rise on the crest of Ypres ridge, at the southern flank of the Ypres Salient and was named after the contour which marked its boundary. The hill had been captured on 11 November 1914, by the German 30th Division, during fighting against a mixed force of French and British infantry and cavalry, in the First Battle of Ypres. Observation from the hill towards Ypres and Zillebeke was coveted by both sides, for the duration of the war. Hill 60 and the vicinity were held by Saxon Infantry Regiment 105 of the 30th Division, which with the 39th Division formed XV Corps of the 4th Army, at the time of the British attack.
Battle of Hill 60 (Western Front)
46720096#6
After the Battle of Gravenstafel Ridge the British planned a local withdrawal to less exposed positions roughly distant from Ypres. The new line was to run from Hill 60 northwards to Hooge on the Ypres–Menin road, thence to Frezenberg Ridge, Mouse Trap Farm and then back to the Ypres–Yser canal. Large working parties from the 28th Division and the 50th (Northumbrian) Division began to dig the new line under cover of darkness and the retirement from the eastern side of the salient took place on the night of during the Battle of St. Julien The 27th Division took over the area from just west of Hill 60, to about short of the Ypres–Roulers railway. The Germans followed up their success by attacking again at the Battle of Frezenberg Ridge which gained Frezenberg, Verlorenhoek and the vicinity but attacks south of the Menin road gained very little ground.
Hill 60 (Ypres)
46720096#7
In spring 1915, earlier French preparations to raid the hill were continued by the British 28th Division, which took over the line in February 1915 and then by the 5th Division (Major-General Thomas Morland). The Allied plan to attack Hill 60 was expanded into an ambitious attempt to capture the hill, despite advice that Hill 60 could not be held unless "The Caterpillar" nearby was also occupied. A French mine gallery under the hill was extended by experienced miners from Northumberland and Wales, after it was found that Hill 60 was the only place in the area not waterlogged.
Hill 60 (Ypres)
474199#15
Deep mining under the German galleries beneath Hill 60 began in late August 1915 with the 175th Tunnelling Company which began a gallery behind the British front line and passed beneath. The 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company took over in April 1916 and completed the galleries, the Hill 60 mine being charged with of explosives in July 1916 and a branch gallery under the Caterpillar filled with a charge in October. The 1st Australian Tunnelling Company took over in November 1916, led in part by Captain Oliver Woodward and maintained the mines over the winter. At on 7 June 1917, a mines filled with of explosives, were detonated under the German lines. The blasts created one of the largest explosions in history, reportedly heard in London and Dublin, demolishing a large part of the hill and killing soldiers.
Battle of Hill 60 (Western Front)
46720096#20
By October 1916, the mine under Hill 60 held of explosives and that under The Caterpillar , despite water-logging and the demolition by a camouflet of of a German gallery above the British diggings, which endangered the British deep galleries. The 1st Australian Tunnelling Company took over in November 1916 and maintained the mines beneath Hill 60 and The Caterpillar over the winter and months of underground fighting until June 1917, when they were fired along with the rest of the mines under Messines Ridge at the beginning of the Battle of Messines (). When the mines were detonated at on 7 June 1917, of explosives went off under the German positions, demolishing a large part of Hill 60 and killing soldiers between Ypres and Ploegsteert.
Hill 60 (Ypres)
473968#0
Battle of Hill 60 is a name shared by two battles of World War I:
Battle of Hill 60
427025#0
The Battle of Hill 60 was the last major assault of the Gallipoli Campaign. It was launched on 21 August 1915 to coincide with the attack on Scimitar Hill made from the Suvla front by Major-General H. de B. De Lisle's British IX Corps, Frederick Stopford having been replaced in the few days previous. Hill 60 was a low knoll at the northern end of the Sari Bair range which dominated the Suvla landing. Capturing this hill along with Scimitar Hill would have allowed the Anzac and Suvla landings to be securely linked.
Battle of Hill 60 (Gallipoli)
18693626#3
Hill 60 was a low Turkish occupied knoll 60 metres above sea level at the northern end of the Sari Bair range which nevertheless dominated the Allied positions near Suvla bay. It was the location of the Battle of Hill 60, the last major assault of the campaign, launched on 21 August 1915 to coincide with the attack on Scimitar Hill made from the Suvla front by General Stopford's British IX Corps. The battle lasted for 8 days, and although Australian troops reached the top of the hill the vital north facing slopes which overlooked Suvla remained in Turkish hands.
Hill 60 Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery
4648880#4
The Brigade distinguished itself in various battles. One of the most notable was the attack on Hill 60 near Ypres in 1915. Hill 60 was the highest point on what was known as the "Caterpillar Ridge" and as such was an excellent post for observation of the ground area around Zillebeke and Ypres. The 5th Division, composed of 13th, 14th and 15th brigades, had the task of securing Hill 60 and the ridge line. The Hill was taken between 17 and 19 April 1915, with heavy losses, and the subsequent German counterattack in early May was particularly ferocious. The Germans, unable to obtain victory, eventually resorted to the use of chlorine gas and Brigade casualties during the first week in May 1915 were 33 officers and 1,553 men. However, the line was held until reliefs were brought forward and the Brigade withdrawn.
15th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)