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The Flemish town of Ypres in Belgium was the centre of five major and bloody engagements between the allied and German forces during the First World War. Between 1914 and 1918 there were an estimated two million casualties of British, French, Belgian, Canadian, American and German troops as a result of fighting around the area. It is one of a small cluster of streets on the Goresbrook Village Estate which is named after battles that involved the Essex Regiment, which later became the Royal Anglians, now the official regiment of Barking and Dagenham. Nearby is Gallipoli Place, Kemmel Road, Marne Road, and Krithia Road, a sixth road is named after a Second World War hero. Council leader Liam Smith, who announced the road names in 2013, said at the time: “We must never forget the sacrifice that others have made for their country and also the huge contributions and sacrifices made by Commonwealth and former British Empire troops. These street names will remain as a reminder to generations to come.” The Goresbrook Village scheme is part of the Barking & Dagenham’s estate renewal project, which also saw the Gascoigne, Leys and Althorne Way estates demolished and rebuilt. A total of 149 homes are built on the site, which was completed in 2015.
