It seemed that much of the idealism that was associated with War and its outcome was lost in the muck of Passchendaele in 1917. The Canadians were involved in three battles in Passchendaele, on Oct. 26th, 30th, and Nov. 6th. Most described the battle and battle field as “hellish”; a military “cataclysm” , because it is remembered for its dreadful conditions, high casualty rates and Canadian valor. Many Canadians, were committed to battles which they had no chance of surviving and those who survived watched as others died in terrible conditions. While poor organization among troops was not as much of a factor according to primary source evidence, appalling surroundings and lack of effective leadership all contributed to the horrific effects of what is now known as the Battle of Ypres.
Sir Douglas Haig, the British Commander-in-Chief, chose Passchendaele as his new area of offensive; as he believed, the area offered the greatest accessibility to approach the enemy line. The Royal Navy supported him, hoping that the army could capture the ports on the Belgian coast that the Germans were using for a submarine offensive against Britain; the battle began on July 31, 1917. It seemed at the outset that very little was accomplished, and as a result the Canadian Corps, commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Currie, took the place of the front line. On October 26th, the 3rd and 4th Divisions launched the first Canadian attack, which resulted in over 2,500 casualties for a gain of approximately a thousand metres. On October 30th, a second attack took place with another 2,300 casualties, and another thousand meters gained. On November 6, the 1st and 2nd Divisions launched a third attack that captured the village of Passchendaele, despite some troops having to advance through waist-deep water. Finally, on November 10th the rest of the high ground overlooking Ypres was captured, despite heavy German shelling, marking the end of the Passchendaele offensive....