Defending the Ypres Front, 1914–1918: Trenches, Shelters & Bunkers of the German Army

Originally published in Dutch in 2016 by the Memorial Museum Passchendaele as Bouwen aan het front, this book examines German field fortifications constructed to defend the Ypres Front between 1914 and 1918. After Falkenhayn's 1915 decision to shift Germany's offensive focus eastward, German forces around Ypres developed their defensive lines for semi-permanent occupation. The local subsoil made deep dugouts impractical, unlike areas such as the Somme where chalk lay near the surface. Consequently, the Germans relied on reinforced concrete construction. The authors, both experienced researchers of the Great War and the German army in Belgium, analyze extensive primary sources to document what the Germans built, their construction methods, and the logistical challenges involved. The book details how bunker designs evolved—including forward medical bunkers, artillery shelters, machine gun positions, and observation posts—in response to changing military conditions. It includes numerous previously unpublished photographs, design diagrams, and maps. The English edition adds a tours section covering accessible remaining structures in the Salient, a glossary of terms, and full-color throughout.