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{{title-150|text=BATTLE OF NEUVE
{{dropinitial|T}}<small>HE</small> Battle of Neuve Chapelle was fought on the [[10 March|10th]], [[11 March|11th]] and [[12 March|12th of March]], and a description of the operations was published in a dispatch from [[Sir John French]] to the Secretary of State for War, dated [[5 April|5th April]], 1915. The main attack was delivered by [[troops]] of the
==First Occupation of Neuve
<!--[[File:How Lance Corporal O'Leary won the Victoria Cross.jpg|thumb|300px|[[L/Cpl.]] Michael O'Leary, 1st Btn. Irish Guards, was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for conspicuous bravery at [[Cuinchy]] on [[1 February|February 1st]], 1915. When forming one of the storming party which advanced against the enemy's barricades he rushed to the front and himself killed five Germans who were holding the first barricade, after which he attacked a second barricade, about sixty yards further on, which he captured, after killing three of the enemy and making prisoners of two more. O'Leary thus practically captured the enemy's position by himself and prevented the rest of the attacking party from being fired upon. ''<small>Sketch by R. Caton Woodville.</small>'']]-->
[[Neuve Chapelle]] first came into prominence during our eastward advance to the north of [[La Bassée]] in
There was continuous and fierce fighting in this quarter during the next few days, for the Germans were beginning that pressure along our front which preluded their great effort to break through to the sea on our left. On [[26 October|October 26th]] they drove back our troops on the east of the village, and gained a portion of it, which they managed to retain in spite of our strenuous efforts to force them back. Being still more heavily reinforced, especially in artillery, they continued to push on, and by the morning of the 27th were masters of the whole of the village, our line being then to the west of it.
As was reported at the time, the fighting here was of the most murderous nature, and the Germans were made to pay dearly for every step they gained. On [[28 October|October 28th]] we made a last attempt to win back this point, and by a desperate counter-attack some of our Indian troops carried the greater part of the village, only to be driven out by [[flank|flanking]] fire down the streets. They could not maintain themselves; and on [[2 November|November 2nd]] the Germans attacked our line to the west from Neuve Chapelle, which then was entirely in their hands, and drove us back a short distance, to the position in which we remained until [[10 March|March 10th]].
<div class="res-img-1200">[[File:How Lance Corporal O'Leary won the Victoria Cross.jpg]]{{c|{{smaller|L/Cpl. Michael O'Leary, 1st Btn. Irish Guards, was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for conspicuous bravery at [[Cuinchy]] on [[1 February|February 1st]], 1915. When forming one of the storming party which advanced against the enemy's barricades he rushed to the front and himself killed five Germans who were holding the first barricade, after which he attacked a second barricade, about sixty yards further on, which he captured, after killing three of the enemy and making prisoners of two more. O'Leary thus practically captured the enemy's position by himself and prevented the rest of the attacking party from being fired upon. ''<small>Sketch by R. Caton Woodville.</small>''}}}}</div>
The following is [[Sir John French]]'s account of the new battle:
===Considerations that led to the attack===
About the end of
In a former dispatch I commented upon the difficulties and draw-backs which the winter weather in this climate imposes upon a vigorous offensive. Early in
===Object of main attack===
The object of the main attack was to be the capture of the village of Neuve Chapelle and the enemy's position at that point, and the establishment of our line as far forward as possible to the east of that place. The object, nature and scope of the attack, and instructions for the conduct of the operation were communicated by me to
The buildings of the village of Neuve Chapelle run along the Rue du Bois-Fauquissart Road. There is a triangle of roads just north of the village. This area consists of a few big houses, with walls, gardens, orchards, etc., and here, with the aid of numerous [[machine gun]]s, the enemy had established a strong post which flanked the approaches to the village. The Bois du Biez, which lies roughly south-east of the village of Neuve Chapelle, influenced the course of this operation. Full instructions as to assisting and supporting the attack were issued to the Second Army.
===Beginning of the battle===
<!--[[File:Bringing up Ammunition under Shell Fire.jpg|thumb|300px|Bringing up Ammunition under Shell Fire.<br>''<small>Original source:Newspaper Illustrations.</small>'']]-->
The battle opened at 7.30 a.m. on [[10 March|March 10th]] by a powerful [[artillery]] [[bombardment]] of the enemy's position at Neuve Chapelle. The artillery bombardment had been well prepared and was most effective, except on the extreme northern portion of the front of attack. At 8.5 a.m. the 23rd (left) and 25th (right) [[Brigade]]s of the
<div class="res-img-800">[[File:Bringing up Ammunition under Shell Fire.jpg]]{{c|{{smaller|Bringing up Ammunition under Shell Fire.<br>''<small>Original source:Newspaper Illustrations.</small>''}}}}</div>
The 25th and Garhwal Brigades pushed on eastward and north-eastward respectively, and succeeded in getting a footing in the village. The 23rd Brigade was still held up in front of the enemy's wire entanglements, and could not progress. Heavy losses were suffered, especially in the Middlesex Regiment and the Scottish Rifles. The progress, however, of the 25th Brigade into Neuve Chapelle immediately to the south of the 23rd Brigade had the effect of turning the southern flank of the enemy's defences in front of the 23rd Brigade. This fact, combined with powerful artillery support, enabled the 23rd Brigade to get forward between 10 and 11 a.m., and by it a.m. the whole of the village of Neuve Chapelle and the roads leading northward and south-westward from the eastern end of that village were in our hands. Dring this time our artillery completely cut off the village and the surrounding country from any German reinforcements which could be thrown into the fight to restore the situation by means of a curtain of [[shrapnel]] fire. Prisoners subsequently reported that all attempts at reinforcing the front line were checked.
Steps were at once taken to consolidate the position won. Considerable delay occurred after the capture of the Neuve Chapelle position. The infantry was greatly disorganised by the violent nature of the attack and by its passage through the enemy's trenches and the buildings of the village. It was necessary to get units to some extent together before pushing on. The telephonic communication being cut by the enemy's fire rendered communication between front and rear most difficult. The fact of the left of the 23rd Brigade having been held up had kept back the
===German machine guns===
The
The defended bridge over the River des Layes and its neighbourhood immediately assumed considerable importance. Whilst artillery fire was brought to bear, as far as circumstances would permit, on this point,
===Unfavourable weather===
<!--[[File:Ready for the Enemy (The King's Liverpool Regiment).jpg|thumb|300px|The King's Liverpools, a regiment that has won innumerable honours in the war, are waiting with the [[bayonet]] for the Germans, who are seen (in the left hand corner) advancing in mass. Behind the British line the officer is ready to leap forward to lead his men with the most stirring word of command – "Charge!"<br>''<small>Original source:
On the following day, [[11 March|March 11th]], the attack was renewed by the 4th and Indian Corps, but it was soon seen that a further advance would be impossible until the artillery had dealt effectively with the various houses and defended localities whch held up the troops along the entire front. Efforts were made to direct the artillery fire accordingly; but owing to the weather conditions, which did not permit of aerial observation, and the fact that nearly all the telephonic communications between the artillery observers and their [[Battery (artillery)|batteries]] had been cut, it was impossible to do so with sufficient accuracy. Even when our troops which were pressing forward occupied a house here and there, it was not possible to stop our artillery fire, and the infantry had to be withdrawn.
The two principal points which barred the advance were the same as on the preceding day — namely, the enemy's position about Moulin de Petrie and at the bridge over the River des Layes. On [[12 March|March 12th]] the same unfavourable conditions as regards weather prevailed, and hampered artillery action. Although the 4th and Indian Corps most gallantly attempted to capture the strongly fortified positions in their front, they were unable to maintain themselves, although they succeeded in holding them for some hours. Operations on this day were chiefly remarkable for the violent counter-attacks, supported by artillery, which were delivered by the Germans, and the ease with which they were repulsed. As most of the objects for which the operations had been undertaken had been attained, and as there were reasons why I considered it inadvisable to continue the attack at that time, I directed Sir Douglas Haig on the night of the 12th to hold and consolidate the ground which had been gained by the 4th and Indian Corps, and to suspend further offensive operations for the present.
On the morning of the 12th I informed the general officer commanding
<div class="res-img-800">[[File:Ready for the Enemy (The King's Liverpool Regiment).jpg]]{{c|{{smaller|The King's Liverpools, a [[regiment]] that has won innumerable honours in the war, are waiting with the [[bayonet]] for the Germans, who are seen (in the left hand corner) advancing in mass. Behind the British line the officer is ready to leap forward to lead his men with the most stirring word of command – "Charge!"<br>''<small>Original source: Topical Press.</small>''}}}}</div>
===Three days' severe losses===
Line 49 ⟶ 60:
:23 officers and 1,728 other ranks, missing.
But the results attained were, in my opinion, wide and far-reaching. The enemy left several thousand dead on the battlefield, which were seen and counted; and we have positive information that upwards of 12,000 wounded were removed to the north-east and east by train. Thirty officers and 1,657 [[other ranks]] of the enemy were captured. I can best express my estimate of this battle by quoting an extract from a Special Order of the Day which I addressed to
===Advance to L'Epinette===
<!--[[File:Open-air Kitchen in a Quarry at the Front.jpg|thumb|300px|Open-air Kitchen in a Quarry at the Front]]-->
At 12.30 a.m. on March 12th the
The General Officer Commanding the Second Corps arranged for an attack on a part of the enemy's position to the south-west of the village of [[Wytschaete]] which he had timed to commence at 10 a.m. on March 12th. Owing to dense fog, the assault could not be made until 4 o'clock in the afternoon. It was then commenced by the Wiltshire and Worcestershire Regiments, but was so hampered by the mist and the approach of darkness that nothing more was effected than holding the enemy to his ground. The action of [[St. Eloi]] referred to in the first paragraph of this dispatch commenced at 5 p.m. on [[14 March|March 14th]] by a very heavy cannonade which was directed against our trenches in front of St. Eloi, the village itself and the approaches to it. There is a large mound lying to the south-east of the village. When the artillery attack was at its height a mine was exploded under this mound, and a strong hostile infantry attack was immediately launched against the trenches and the mound.
Our artillery opened fire at once, as well as our infantry, and inflicted considerable losses on the enemy during their advance; but, chiefly owing to the explosion of the mine and the surprise of the overwhelming artillery attack, the enemy's infantry had penetrated the first line of trenches at some points. As a consequence the garrisons of other works which had successfully resisted the assault were enfiladed and forced to retire just before it turned back. A counter-attack was at once organised by the General Officer Commanding
<div class="res-img-800">[[File:Open-air Kitchen in a Quarry at the Front.jpg]]{{c|{{smaller|Open-air Kitchen in a Quarry at the Front}}}}</div>
===Successful counter-attack===
The attack was launched at 2 a.m., and the 82nd Brigade succeeded in capturing the portion of the village of St. Eloi which was in the hands of the enemy and a portion of the trenches east of it. At 3 a.m. the
It is satisfactory to be able to record that, though the troops occupying the first line of trenches were at first overwhelmed, they afterwards behaved very gallantly in the counter-attack for the recovery of the lost ground; and the following units earned and received the special commendation of the Army Commander:— The 2nd Royal Irish Fusiliers, the 2nd Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, the 1st Leinster Regiment, the 4th Rifle Brigade, and the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. A vigorous attack made by the enemy on the 17th to recapture these trenches was repulsed with great loss.
In concluding his despatch
In addition to the work of reconnaissance and observation of artillery fire, the Royal Flying Corps was charged with the special duty of hampering the enemy's movements by destroying various points on his communications. The railways at [[Menin]], [[Courtrai]], Don and Douai were attacked, and it is known that very extensive damage was effected at certain of these places. Part of a troop train was hit by a bomb, a wireless installation near
▲In addition to the work of reconnaissance and observation of artillery fire, the Royal Flying Corps was charged with the special duty of hampering the enemy's movements by destroying various points on his communications. The railways at [[Menin]], [[Courtrai]], Don and Douai were attacked, and it is known that very extensive damage was effected at certain of these places. Part of a troop train was hit by a bomb, a wireless installation near [[Lille]] is believed to have been effectively destroyed, and a house in which the enemy had installed one of his headquarters was set on fire. These afford other instances of successful operations of this character. Most of the objectives mentioned were attacked at a height of only 100 to 150 feet. In one case the pilot descended to about 50 feet above the point he was attacking.
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