Ruins at Ypres Belgium during World War One

Ruins at Ypres Belgium during World War One. Ypres, or 'Wipers' as it became known to the British soldier, was the scene of heavy fighting in spring 1915. For all the expenditure of effort, machinery and above all else men, relatively little was actually gained by either side. Most fighting was concentrated around a small hill just outside the town, deemed to be of immense strategic importance. Not only was the fighting heay, but it also revealed a new menace, gas. For the first time, but sadly not the last, chemical gas, in this instance Chlorine gas, was used by the German army. It's effects were of course terrifying, but in this instance they were worsened because the Allied troops simply weren't prepared. They hadn't been issued with gas masks and instead were advised to go into battle with wet cloths over their mouths. April 1915. (Photo by Mirrorpix via Getty Images)