1917 Battle of Broodseinde

BROODSEINDE


4th October 1917
 

The New Zealand Division won a comprehensive victory and then suffered its single costliest assault in two successive battles in early October 1917.

Dave Gallaher and the Original All Blacks

The New Zealand Division took part in the Battle of Broodseinde on 4 October 1917, tasked with seizing part of the Broodseinde Ridge called Gravenstafel Spur. On that day the New Zealand soldiers overwhelmed German forward positions, captured 1100 prisoners and helped to extend the front line eastwards, as indicated by the thick purple broken line. This was achieved at a cost the Commonwealth War Graves Commission lists 492 deaths on the 4th October.

One of the dead was Dave Gallaher, captain of the 1905 "The Originals" All Blacks. He lies in the Nine Elms British Cemetery, Poperinge, Belgium. 

The British high command mistakenly concluded that the relative ease with which the Broodseinde Ridge had been won meant enemy resistance was faltering. It resolved to make a further push for Passchendaele Ridge on 12 October.

For more information:

Massacre at Passchendaele / Glyn Harper 2000
Passchendaele, the anatomy of a tragedy / Andrew Macdonald 2013

Read more on NZHistory

The Roll of Honour lists the names of those who died in October 1917
A list of those men honoured in a Field of Remembrance at Eden Park may accessed HERE