cal ▁attempts ▁by ▁the ▁Franco - B rit ish ▁and ▁German ▁arm ies ▁to ▁en velop ▁the ▁northern ▁fl ank ▁of ▁the ▁oppos ing ▁army ▁through ▁the ▁provinces ▁of ▁Pic ard y , ▁Ar to is ▁and ▁Fland ers , ▁rather ▁than ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁advance ▁north wards ▁to ▁the ▁sea . ▁The ▁" race " ▁ended ▁on ▁the ▁North ▁Sea ▁coast ▁of ▁Belg ium ▁around ▁ 1 9 ▁October , ▁when ▁the ▁last ▁open ▁area ▁from ▁D ix m ude ▁to ▁the ▁North ▁Sea ▁was ▁occupied ▁by ▁Belg ian ▁troops ▁who ▁had ▁retre ated ▁after ▁the ▁Sie ge ▁of ▁Ant werp ▁( 2 8 ▁September ▁– ▁ 1 0 ▁October ). ▁The ▁out fl ank ing ▁attempts ▁had ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁encounter ▁batt les ▁but ▁neither ▁side ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁gain ▁a ▁decis ive ▁victory . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁oppos ing ▁forces ▁had ▁reached ▁the ▁North ▁Sea , ▁both ▁tried ▁to ▁conduct ▁off ens ives ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁mut ually ▁cost ly ▁and ▁inde cis ive ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Y ser ▁from ▁ 1 6 ▁October ▁to ▁ 2 ▁November ▁and ▁the ▁First ▁Battle ▁of ▁Y pres ▁from ▁ 1 9 ▁October ▁to ▁ 2 2 ▁November . ▁After ▁mid - Nov ember , ▁local ▁operations ▁were ▁carried ▁out ▁by ▁both ▁sides ▁and ▁prepar ations ▁were ▁made ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁off ensive ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 5 . ▁Er ich ▁von ▁Fal ken h ay n , ▁Chief ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁General ▁Staff ▁() ▁since ▁