Although possessing superior weapons on the battlefield (poison gas on the Western front and the use of the 'Liquid Gas' in July 1915) the Germans were short of manpower to force a decisive breakthrough, however they did push allied lines back enough to concern 2nd Army commander General Smith-Dorrien to recommend a withdrawal to the GHQ line. For this Smith-Dorrien was transferred by Commander in Chief French to the backwater of the African front.

 

The Battle for Hooge in summer 1915 covered two actions; a German assault on the 30 & 31 July 1915 (the first use of liquid gas against the British) and the British "revenge" attack over the same ground on the 9th August, supplementary to this actions was a large mine exploded by the 175th R.E. Company measuring 120 feet wide on the 19 July 1915.

 

On the morning of the 30th July 1915 a German response came. The sector around Hooge was under the command of the 41st Brigade of the 14th Division of the British Army, with the stables around Hooge Chateau blown up and jets of flames directed from the German trenches. The artillery, along with small arms and trench mortars also opened up to signify the beginning of the attack.

 

The British were ousted from their positions around the Chateau with only the 1/8 Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) to the north of Sanctuary Wood being able to hold their positions. The counter-attack went in at 14:45 but was ultimately a failure. Although some progress was made from the north (the capture of G10 trench), no progress was made from the south.

 

At 02:00 the next morning the Germans again tried the use of liquid gas against 9th Battlion King’s Royal Rifle Corps and a battalion from the Durham Light Infantry, but this was repulsed by the successful co-ordination of British artillery.

 

The British would attempt to regain the ground lost during the days of the 30 & 31 July 1915 with a carefully planned offensive over the same ground to begin on the 9th August. Unusually for early-war actions, co-ordination between infantry and artillery was a success rather than the normal failure.

 

At 02:45 artillery began a bombardment on the lost ground along a 1,000 yard frontage that would last 30 minutes. The attack division was the 6th commanded by Major General Congreve, and was almost unique for early war assaults in that it had unlimited artillery ammunition. The leading waves of the battalions followed closely behind the bombardment and over ran the shocked Germans defending. The artillery was then switched to counter-battery work and support suppression. The British used flags so artillery observers could track progress and maintain accurate fire on the enemy.

 

The attack was largely a success with all ground lost during the attack on the 30 & 31 July being recaptured; this would remain in British control until June 1916. Causalities for these two actions numbered 3,700 including Noah Armstrong of 2/Yorks & Lancs part of the left hand attack of 6th Division (supported by 1/Buffs).

 

After the attack on the 9th August, Germans began shelling support areas and arteries leading to the front. The Lille Gate was often targeted as one of the primary routes to and fro from the front lines with supplies going in one direction and causalities and limbers returning in the other.

 

Noah was a victim of an unlucky German strike, surviving the initial assault but a casualty of wounds, he was in the progress of being moved back to the Casualty Clearing Station when the transport he was being carried in was shelled close to the Lille Gate.

He died on the 9th August 1915 and is buried at Ramparts cemetery within the walls of Ypres Town; the cemetery is surrounded by the Moat and reservoir close to where this gallant man took his final breaths - Lest we forget Noah Armstrong!!