The First Day of the Battle of Neuve Chapelle

Wednesday 10th March 1915: Our correspondent tells us that today the British army in France has begun a large scale attack designed to break through the German lines around the village of Neuve Chapelle, north-east of Béthune and south-west of Armentières. This will be the first attack our troops have made since last October and the ill-fated advance east from Ypres. The commanding officer, Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Rawlinson of IV Corps, has issued the following order of the day: “The attack which we are about to undertake is of the first importance to the Allied Cause. The Army and the Nation are watching the results and Sir John French(1) is confident that every individual in IV Corps will do his duty and inflict a crushing defeat  on the German VII Corps which is opposed to us”.

We understand that a huge amount of artillery has been brought in to bombard the German defences north and south of the village, where their front line forms a bulge like the letter C, known as a salient. The area being attacked is around two miles in length and it is believed that so great is our concentration of artillery that there is around one gun for every six yards of enemy front line. It is to be hoped such a violent destructive force will rupture the German lines and allow our men to flood through.

We understand that none of the units local to this county will be taking part in today’s main attack but that the 7th Division, which includes the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, is in reserve. It is also understood that the French were due to launch simultaneous attacks but have now refused to do so, citing British failure to reinforce the line further north at Ypres and allow them to move more of their own men south. Despite this breach of promise by our gallant ally we are sure British pluck and determination will carry the day.

The ground around Neuve Chapelle is as flat as the Fens and, just like it, intersected by drainage ditches. A mile beyond Neuve Chapelle, however is a slight rise, just twenty feet higher than the plain, called the Aubers Ridge. Twenty feet in such a flat landscape is a lot and will allow our men to see over German lines further east.

The initial bombardment of an hour’s duration has been followed by attacks by two brigades of 8^th Division and Gharwal Brigade of our splendid Indian Corps. We understand the village will surely fall during the course of the day. What awaits the men of the 2nd Bedfords as they take up the cudgels tomorrow? This morning they are gathered just south-west of a hamlet called la Flinque and are expected to move south-east towards the village of Mauquissart this afternoon to bring them close to the front line.

The commanding officer of the East Anglian Royal Engineers tells us that at 7 this morning the division to which his unit is attached, 2nd Division, made an attack on the extreme right of the main attack which was delivered at Neuve Chapelle  but owing to the wire in front of German trenches being left intact no ground was gained. The EARE was working with the South Staffordshire Regiment, two sections furnishing blocking parties and the other two in reserve. A second attack is to be made at 2 pm but the same result is expected. The weather is misty with rain now just beginning to fall.

Source: X550/3/wd; Bedfordshire Standard 26th March 1915

---

(1) Commander-in-Chief, British Expeditionary Force which, at this stage of the war, comprised 1st and 2nd Armies which comprised five corps between them.