Battle of Melle [SEP] point in time
Battle of Melle
The Battle of Melle was a encounter battle fought on 9 July 1745, during the War of the Austrian Succession, between forces of the Pragmatic Allies and the French. After their defeat at Fontenoy in May, the Duke of Cumberland, Allied commander in Flanders, was under pressure from the Austrians to defend Brussels. He also wanted to protect the key port of Ghent, a major supply depot threatened by the French advance into West Flanders.
Cumberland compromised by employing his main force to cover Brussels,
:
- Hesterbrink ("Moselerberg"; ca. 232,5 m), highest point in Melle
- Holzhauser Berg (ca. 227 m), source of the River Hunte near Melle-Oldendorf
- Hüggel (226 m)
- Melle Hills (just under 220 m), eastern end of the uplands
- Moselerberg (207.5 m),
- Oldendorfer Berg (203.2 m) with the Melle Observatory in Melle-Oberholsten
- Westerhauser Berg (192.5 m)
- Holter Berg (190.1