LAND & WATER 
beptember 27, 1917 
The Battle of the Menin Road 
By Hilaire Belloc 
^ ■ ^O appreciate the importance of last Thursday's 
I action it is necessary to return to that analysis of the 
I Passchcndaele Ridge which was printed in these 
M columns in the issue of August Jjrd, and Map I which 
I here reproduce from that issue. 
It is there pointed out that the defensive position ujxjn 
which the enemy relies since he lost his commanding observa- 
tion posts immcdiatelyeast and south-cast of Yprcs in the 
tarliir British victories of this summer, is the Passchandaele 
Kidge. 
It IS further pointed out that this position (a long crescent 
foIloA'ing the gradual dechning scries of low heights which 
lorm a hollow curve looking westward towards Ypres) reposes 
upon two pillars, as it were, which are the northern and the 
southern ends of it. The northern pillar is that big forest of 
Houthouest, which is a perfectly secure area and which cannot 
be cleaied bydirect attack. Tlie southern pillar on the Menin- 
Ypres road in front of Glieluvelt, though very strong, is more 
vulnerable, and has therefore been at once the main objective 
of the Allies in their recent si,\ weeks of preparation, and the 
))oint which the en.imy was most determined to maintain, 
it is here that he has attacked again and again in the last hve 
weeks, particularly in his efforts to recai)ture the whole of 
Inverness Wood (the Hercnthagc) which lies across the 
main road and was his chief mainstay. 
That southern pillar consists in the high ground upon the 
Y])rcs-Mcnin road, just west by north of (i'heluvelt. The 
height is indeed insignificant. The highest point at X (on 
Map I) just beyond the bend in the high road, which the British 
.soldiers call " Clapham Junction," overlooks the ruins of 
Gheluvelt by no more than ;;o feet, and the plains of 
Flanders beyond by no more than 60 to 70 feet. It is none the 
less the chief observation post of the whole country side 
and it ha^ features of peculiar value to the defensive 
YPRES 
Contours marked 
Ui/nstres \ 
Treserut Fighting Line ^m^^n 
"Maia T^afuraX^efensa^e Line 
O 1 2 3 
TOIN'T 
HERE 
7^ Fcuschendae^ T^ca^e/vsc^tan •s^t^'u^-^ti/ ^ie recent^ ai^i'ancreJias cajD^ure<f 
