14de Linieregiment
Location
Ramskapelle is a village a few kilometres from Nieuwpoort. From Ieper take the N 369 as far as Diksmuide. Turn left onto the N35 towards Nieuwpoort.
Both Diksmuide and Nieuwpoort are worth visiting.
At Perwijze turn onto the N355 as far as Ramskapelle. Turn into the village. On reaching the square turn right onto Hemmestraat. The monument will be on your right.
From here it is but a short walk, continuing along the road, to the railway station that the Regiment were fighting for. There is also a Belgian Military cemetery in the village.
| GPS | N | E | OSM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decimal | 51.110681 | 2.766978 | Map |
History
On the night of the 27th October 1914 the Belgians began flooding the area of the polders between the IJzer River (The Battle of the Yser) and the railway line. The effects would take some time to become apparent and on the 30th October the Germans stormed into Ramskapelle taking the railway station (which is a hundred metres away to your left up the foot path — which is in fact the old railway line).
The Germans managed to take most of the town and from the railway station machine-gun the Belgian and French defenders from the flank.
Near the church men from the 5de and 6de Linieregiment plus Frenchmen from the 151e RI (Régiment d’Infanterie) held as best as they could but the Germans captured a windmill on the outskirts of the village and from here machine-gun fire, again, played havoc amongst the Allied positions.
On the 31st October French soldiers of their 16e Bataillon de Chasseurs à Pied renewed their counter-attack on the mill and French and Belgians finally forced the Germans back across the railway line into the deepening water.
This was the last action of the Battle of the Yser, the inundation securing the Belgian front line.
The plaque
This wall commemorates the participation of the 14de Linieregiment in the defence of Ramskapelle on 31st October 1914.
The Belgian crown sits above the number 14 and on either side is a text, in French and Dutch.
Le 14 de Ligne Belge à participé glorieusement le 31-X-1914 à la reprise de Ramskapelle. Il y a perdu plus de 100 héros.
Het 14e Belgische Linie heeft op 31-X-1914 glorierijk deelgenomen aan de herovering van Ramskapelle. Het verloor hier meer dan 100 helden.
On the 31st October 1914 the 14th Belgian Infantry Regiment took part in the glorious retaking of Ramskapelle. Their losses amounting to a hundred heroes.
There are also small plaques to the Regiment on the wall of No 1 Hemmestraat and at the railway station.