SUMPTON, CHARLES ALFRED. Rifleman. 2982. London Regiment (The Rangers) 1st/12th Bn. Killed in action: Flanders. 25/04/1915. Age 21. Son of the late Charles and Elen Sumpton. Enlisted: London. Residence: Ealing. Memorial: Ypres, Menin Gate. Panel 54.

The Rangers moved up from a bivouac near Verlorenhoek to a position SE of St Juliaan between Hindu Cottage and Schuler Farm, just north of the Ypres-Wieltje-Paschendaele Road and just to the east of where the Langemark-Zonnebeke Road crosses it. They were there from late on the 24th April until relieved on the 26th April and had moved up to take the place of Canadian units much affected by gas. They came under heavy artillery and machine gun fire losing 18 OR killed and 3 officers (inc. the CO, Lt Col A D Bayliffe) and 38 OR wounded.

2.4. The Second Battle of Ypres (22 April - 25 May 1915)

2.4.1. The first German chlorine gas attack (22 April)

German objective : to break through the frontlines which had come to a stalemate, by means of a new weapon (chlorine gas), in order to reach the Channel ports.

Front occupation :

On 21 April 1915 the Allied front occupation was at follows :

• The Belgian 6th Division was alongside the western canal bank from Steenstrate on northward to the Belgian coast.
• South of Steenstrate the Salient began with two French divisions : the 87th Territorial Division (older reserve soldiers), up to north of Langemark ; then the 45th Algerian Division (mostly coloureds) between north of Langemark and the road Ypres - Bruges south of Poelkapelle.
• From the road to Bruges the Canadian 1st Division took over from the French, up to "Berlin Wood" near Graventafel.
• From Berlin Wood the front line was held by three British divisions : the 28th, 27th and 5th.

So this comparatively short front line was held by troops of different nationalities : Belgium, France, the French colonies, Canada and Great- Britain. It is obvious that the differences in language, front construction and command did not facilitate the co-operation among the units.

The German troops had a lot more men at their disposal. From north to south the German …. In the Ypres Salient the position of troops was as follows :

• Opposite the 6th Belgian division was the 45th Reserve Division.
• Opposite the two French divisions : the 46th Reserve Division ; the 52th Reserve Division and the 51st Reserve Division. The 4th Marine Brigade was in reserve.
• Opposite the 1st Canadian Division was the 2nd Reserve Ersatz Brigade and the 38th Landwehr Brigade. The 37th Landwehr Brigade was in reserve.
• Opposite the British 28th Division were the 53rd and 54th Reserve Divisions.
• Opposite the British 27th Division were the 39th and 30th Infantry Divisions (XV. A.K.)
• Opposite the British 5th Division was the 3rd Bavarian Division.

22 april

• Long period of lovely weather.
• Quiet before noon.
• From noon on the Germans first shell Ypres and later the roads round Ypres (42 cm).
• By 5 p.m. sudden quiet.
• Suddenly a green-yellow fog cloud (168,000 kg of chlorine gas) rises from the German trenches between Steenstrate and Halfwege House on the road from Langemark to Poelkapelle.
• Carried by a mild north wind the cloud drifts towards the French troops.
• A hysteric panic : the territorials flee to the bridges across the Yser canal, the colonials flee via St. Julien.
• All the French artillery on the right bank of the canal is neutralized.
• There is a 4 mile gap in the front.
• Shortly after the gas is released the German troops leave their trenches.
• One hour later Langemark is captured and the Germans advance on Pilckem Ridge and Kitchener's Wood near St. Julien.
• The Germans can march into Ypres, should they wish to.
• However they dig in, as had been planned before.
• Thanks to this break the Canadians can close the breach, assisted by a number of French soldiers who had not fled, and at the left at Steenstrate supported by the Belgian troops.

2.4.2. The German troops roll up the Allied front (23 April - 3 May)

23 April

• The Canadian 10th and 16th Battalions (from the reserve of the Canadian 2nd and 3rd Brigades) launch the first allied counterattack to recapture Kitchener's Wood, the only one that will be successful.
• Geddes' Detachment (joined battalions from the reserve) unsuccessfully launches a northward counterattack from St. Jan and Wieltje.
• German pressure truncates the Canadian "apex" south of Poelkapelle.
• On 24 April at 1.30 a.m. the Germans capture the hamlet of Lizerne (north of Boezinge) on the French, which gives them a strong bridgehead on the westbank of the Yser canal. From this position they can threaten the flank of the Belgian troops.

24 April : Battle of St. Julien

• At 4 p.m. the Germans release gas for a second time, on a frontline of 1 km (0.6 mile), southeast of the Brugseweg (Bruges road).
• The density of the gas this time is much higher, as the gas cloud is only a few meters high. Some Canadians stand on top of the parapets and doing so stick their heads over the gas cloud.The Allied troops retreat. The following night St. Julien is not occupied by any troops : both sides thought that the hamlet had fallen in the hands of the enemy!

25 - 27 April : end of the Battle of St. Julien

• In the early morning of 25 April the Germans 'recapture' St. Julien.
• Hull's attack on 25 April, from the south, strands south of St. Julien : German machine guns mow down the attackers from the houses of St. Julien.
• The salient is rolled up further up to 's Graventafel Ridge (26 April), and later up to the eastern arm of the Hanebeek (27 April).