Battle for Messines, Belgium: 6-19 Apr 1916
Soon after being formed under the command of General Edwin Alderson, the Canadian Corps-a force comprised of the 1st Canadian Division and the newly arrived 2nd and 3rd Canadian Divisions-took its place in the line near the Messines Ridge south of Ypres. On 4 April, the Canadian Corps moved into the trenches opposite Messines Ridge with orders to hold the area, which had been gained by British assaults in March. Two days later, the Germans unleashed a furious counterattack against the untried Canadians.
A desperate battle ensued, and, over the next two weeks, the German troops slowly pushed the Canadians back. By 19 April, the combat-hardened German soldiers had driven the Canadian Corps from its positions, and the hard-won British gains had been lost. Although the Allied defence had suffered from poor artillery support and inadequate aerial reconnaissance, the British commander-in-chief, General Sir Douglas Haig chose to blame Alderson for the defeat. On 28 May, Lieutenant-General Julius Byng, a British officer, replaced Alderson as commander of the Canadian Corps.
