The mines were exploded along a ridge on top of which stood the town of Messines (Mesen in Flemish) and Wytschaete, which is south of the strategically positioned town of Ypres. The Ypres salient dominated the surrounding area and it was here that the German advance was finally halted in late Autumn 1914. The front had been relatively quiet - on the surface - although much tunneling had been undertaken below. General Plumer, who had halted the Germans outside Ypres had been sent to the Messines area to organise the attack on the ridge. The surprise victory was so complete that any follow up plans were not drawn up. Seen as the forerunner of the attack on Passchendaele (begun at the end of July 1917), the question remains, what might have happened had the attack on Messines been followed up.