 The Battle of Messines ( 7 – 14 June 1917 ) was an offensive conducted by the British Second Army , under the command of General Sir Herbert Plumer , on the Western Front near the village of Messines in West Flanders , Belgium , during the First World War . The Nivelle Offensive in April and May had failed to achieve its more ambitious aims , led to the demoralisation of French troops and the dislocation of the Anglo @-@ French strategy for 1917 . The offensive at Messines forced the Germans to move reserves to Flanders from the Arras and Aisne fronts , which relieved pressure on the French . The tactical objective of the attack at Messines was to capture the German defences on the ridge , which ran from Ploegsteert ( Plugstreet ) Wood in the south , through Messines and Wytschaete to Mt . Sorrel , to deprive the German 4th Army of the high ground south of Ypres . The ridge commanded the British defences and back areas further north , from which the British intended to conduct the " Northern Operation " , to advance to Passchendaele Ridge , then capture the Belgian coast up to the Dutch frontier . 
