From 1914 to 1918, Flanders Fields was a major battle theatre on the Western Front during the First World War. A million soldiers from more than 50 different countries were wounded, missing or killed in action here. Entire cities and villages were destroyed, their population scattered across Europe and beyond. The destruction of the city of Ypres and the brutal conditions endured during the Battle of Passchendaele (Third Battle of Ypres) became worldwide symbols for the senselessness of war. Today, the peaceful region still bears witness to this history through its monuments, museums, cemeteries and the countless individual stories that link it with the world.
Polygon Wood is a large wood, which was completely destroyed in the First World War. There you will find a burial ground named ‘Buttes New British Cemetery’ with the ‘New Zealand Memorial’. It commemorates 383 officers and men of the New Zealand Division. On top of the the ‘butte’ (hill) you will find the Memorial of the 5th Australian Division. In Polygon Wood there are still remains of several shelters. Each year on ANZAC Day (25 April), the efforts of the ANZAC soldiers are commemorated during a service called ‘Dawn Service’.
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