Editing Battle of Passchendaele (section)

===Ypres salient===

Ypres is overlooked by [[Kemmelberg|Kemmel Hill]] in the south-west and from the east by a line of low hills running south-west to north-east. Wytschaete ([[Wijtschate]]) and [[Hill 60 (Ypres)|Hill 60]] are to the east of Verbrandenmolen, [[Hooge, Ypres|Hooge]], [[Polygon Wood, Zonnebeke|Polygon Wood]] and Passchendaele ([[Passendale]]). The high point of the ridge is at Wytschaete, {{cvt|7000|yd|mi+km}} from Ypres, while at [[Hollebeke]] the ridge is {{cvt|4000|yd|mi+km}} distant and recedes to {{cvt|7000|yd|mi+km}} at Polygon Wood. Wytschaete is about {{cvt|150|ft}} above the plain; on the Ypres–Menin road at Hooge, the elevation is about {{cvt|100|ft}} and {{cvt|70|ft}} at Passchendaele. The rises are slight, apart from the vicinity of [[Zonnebeke]], which has a gradient of {{nowrap|1:33.}} From Hooge and further east, the slope is {{nowrap|1:60 and}} near Hollebeke, it is {{nowrap|1:75; the}} heights are subtle and resemble a saucer lip around the city. The main ridge has spurs sloping east and one is particularly noticeable at Wytschaete, which runs {{cvt|2|mi}} south-east to Messines ([[Mesen]]) with a gentle slope on the east side and a {{nowrap|1:10 decline}} westwards. Further south, is the muddy valley of the River Douve, [[Ploegsteert Wood]] (Plugstreet to the British) and Hill 63. West of Messines Ridge is the parallel Wulverghem ([[Spanbroekmolen]]) Spur and on the east side, the Oosttaverne Spur, which is also parallel to the main ridge. The general aspect south and east of Ypres, is one of low ridges and dips, gradually flattening northwards beyond Passchendaele, into a featureless plain.{{sfn|Edmonds|1925|pp=128–129}}

Possession of the higher ground to the south and east of Ypres, gives an army ample scope for ground observation, [[Enfilade and defilade|enfilade fire]] and converging artillery bombardments. An occupier also has the advantage that artillery deployments and the movement of reinforcements, supplies and stores can be screened from view. The ridge had woods from Wytschaete to Zonnebeke giving good cover, some being of notable size, like Polygon Wood and those later named Battle Wood, Shrewsbury Forest and [[Sanctuary Wood]]. In 1914, the woods usually had undergrowth but by 1917, artillery bombardments had reduced the woods to tree stumps, shattered tree trunks tangled with barbed wire and more wire festooning the ground, which was full of shell-holes; fields in the gaps between the woods were {{cvt|800|–|1000|yd}} wide and devoid of cover. The main road to Ypres from [[Poperinge]] to [[Vlamertinge]] is in a defile, easily observed from the ridge. Roads in the area were unpaved, except for the main ones from Ypres, with occasional villages and houses dotted along them. The lowland west of the ridge was a mixture of meadows and fields, with high hedgerows dotted with trees, cut by streams and a network of drainage ditches emptying into canals.{{sfn|Edmonds|1925|pp=129–131}}