‘The First Battle of Ypres came at the end of the strategic ‘race to the sea’ which occurred following the First Battle of the Marne in September 1914, when allied forces halted the initial Axis advance made since the outbreak of the war. Before winter set in, several offensives were launched by both sides to try and outflank the other’s northern flank as they each moved towards the North Sea coast.

From October 25^th until November 13^th, 1914, the Germans mounted sustained assaults on the British lines in the Gheluvelt Sector where the British Cavalry Corps were stationed. Following reversals at the River Yser and Langemarck, both north of Ypres, Belgium, General Erich von Falkenhayn, Chief of the German General Staff, the Oberste Heeresleitung, ordered a new force under General Max von Fabeck to attack towards Ypres beginning on October 29^th.

The German attacks came to within 3km of Ypres and pushed the British forces out of Hollebeke and its surrounds although they then rallied and held the line 1,000 yards to the rear, especially with the help of French reinforcements and six battalions organised by Sir Edward Bulfin, known as ‘Bulfin’s Force’. Renewed attacks by the German forces broke through the thin Cavalry Brigade’s lines again on October 31^st although the Germans were once again forced back by a successful counter-attack from the infantry of the 2nd Worcestershire Regiment.

Among the units stationed in the area were the 129th Duke of Connaught’s Own Baluchis who had had relieved the 4th Queens Own Hussars at Hollebeke on the 29^th. On the 31^st, the Baluchis faced the sustained attacks of Armeegruppe Fabeck severely outnumbered, an action sometimes called the Battle of Gheluvelt, although it is usually considered one of the phases of the wider First Battle of Ypres. Estimates state that the 129th was outnumbered by 5 or 6 to 1. With British and Indian officers, men of the 129th performed acts of extreme bravery; none more so than Sepoy Khudadad Khan.’

This episode was written by Murray Dahm.

Murray is an ancient and medieval military historian from New Zealand, living in Australia. He has written more than 100 articles on various aspects of ancient and medieval military history and other historical topics from all periods. He is the author of Macedonian Phalangite vs Persian Warrior, Athenian Hoplite vs Spartan Hoplite and Leuctra 371 BC, all from Osprey Publishing. He is a regular on the Ancient Warfare Podcast.