The Battles of Festubert and Ypres End

Saturday 29th May 1915: News from France is that the Battle of Festubert is at an end. General Rawlinson, commanding IV Corps, has called a halt to further attacks and is well pleased to have advanced by about a mile and a half and to have taken the village and held all gains in the course of the fortnight’s fighting. German counter-attacks now seem to have ended and so, presumably, the line will solidify at this point for the foreseeable future.

We understand from a source in high command that casualties have been severe, but an inevitable cost for such a victory. We understand that they break down as follows:

·       - 2nd Division (which includes 1st East Anglian Field Company, Royal Engineers): 582 killed; 3,845 wounded; 1,018 missing – total 5,445

·       - 7th Division (which includes 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment): 731 killed; 2,726 wounded; 666 missing – total 4,123

·     -  Meerut Division: 224 killed; 2,037 wounded; 260 missing – total 2,527

·     -  47th (2nd London) Division: 233 killed; 1,535 wounded; 597 missing – total 2,365

·     -  Canadian Division: 381 killed; 1,606 wounded; 217 missing – total 2,204

This gives a combined total of 2,151 killed, 11,749 wounded and 2,758 missing or 16,658 casualties in full. It is thought that the enemy have lost about 5,000 men including 800 prisoners-of-war.

The struggle around Ypres also seems to have ended. We have had our eyes fixed on Hill 60 where the 1st Bedfords fought so bravely but there have been German attacks in many places. Our forces hold a large salient, essentially a bulge like the mirror image of the letter C around the city of Ypres and the enemy has succeeded in pushing our lines back in places but nowhere have they achieved the coveted breakthrough. We seem to have suffered just under 60,000 casualties, our French allies about 18,000 and the Canadian troops, who then went on to fight at Festubert, around 6,000. It is believed that the enemy lost around 35,000 men(1).

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(1) Private Edward Warner of the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, would receive a posthumous Victoria Cross. Nine other VCs were awarded: Lance Sergeant D. W. Belcher (London Rifle Brigade); Captain E. D. Bellew (7th Battalion, British Columbia Regiment); Jemadar Mir Dast (55th Rifles, attached 57th Rifles, Ferozepore Brigade); Lance Corporal F. Fisher (13th Battalion, Royal Highlanders of Canada); Company Sergeant Major F. W. Hall (8th Battalion, Winnipeg Rifles); Private J. Lynn (2nd Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers); 2nd Lieutenant W. B. Rhodes-Moorhouse (2nd Squadron, Royal Flying Corps); Captain F. A. C. Scrimger (Canadian Army Medical Service and 14th Battalion, Royal Montreal Regiment) and Corporal I. Smith (1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment).

The Battle of Festubert Begins

Sunday 16^th May 1915: last night and this morning the new British offensive at Festubert opened with attacks by 2nd and Meerut Divisions. This attack has, we believe, had mixed results. On the left, furthest north, the Garhwal Brigade of Meerut Division was to advance and then form a defensive flank, facing north, to prevent the Germans outflanking the two advancing brigades of 2nd Division (5th and 6th Brigades in that order, north to south). In the event, the Garhwal Brigade, under Major-General C. G. Blackadder could not advance very far because troops of the Jullundur Brigade on its left had been shooting at the German lines since last evening, mitigating any chance of surprise. The attack began half an hour before midnight and the Germans, using flares, were able to see 39th Garhwal Rifles and 3nd Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment as they crossed into No Man’s Land and, suffering heavy casualties, they were unable to advance.

The same was true of 5th Infantry Brigade and we understand with sadness that one of our local units, 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, has suffered numerous casualties. To the south of this, 6th Brigade of 2nd Division was able to achieve surprise and take the enemy’s front and support trenches, which they are now consolidating.

Around 3.15 this morning, London time, it was the turn of 7th Division, immediately south of 2nd Division, who thus began their attack just over three hours after the battle began. The adjutant of the 2nd Bedfords tells us that his brigade, 21st, is in reserve and that the other two brigades (20th and 22nd) made the initial attack after an intensive bombardment of half an hour. This was quite successful. 22nd Brigade, under Brigadier-General S. T. B. Lawford(1) took heavy casualties from machine-guns but pressed on and took the German front and support lines. 20th Brigade, north of them, was less successful. They took the front line but a strong point called The Quadrilateral, from its shape, prevented them going any further and strong counter-attacks nearly drove them out, though they managed to hold firm. This lack of progress exposed the flank of 22nd Brigade, which had got further, causing them to stop too.

We believe that the machine-guns of two companies of 2nd Bedfords, under Lieutenant George, are just moving up to occupy the old German front line. What the rest of the day will bring is unsure, though any further attacks look unlikely.

Source: X550/3/wd

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(1)  “Swanky Syd” Lawford, father of actor Peter Lawford, who was brother-in-law to American president J. F. Kennedy

A New Offensive at Festubert

Saturday 15th May 1915: We learn that, less than a week after the last attack made by our troops in northern France, at Aubers Ridge, the High Command has decided on another offensive in the area, this time between Neuve-Chapelle and the small town of Festubert to the south. The decision has been taken to try to support our French allies in their offensive further south around the city of Arras.

As may be imagined, so close to the attacks in March at Neuve-Chapelle and a few days ago, the ground is no different – flat and intersected by wide drainage ditches. As with the attack at Aubers Ridge there are to be two main assaults, from the north and the south in a pincer movement. Unlike the previous two attacks there has been a continuous bombardment of the German trenches going on since 13th. This is, we understand, now standard French practice. The longer bombardment time negates any element of surprise but this disadvantage is felt to be offset by the greater destructive power inflicted on the enemy’s trenches and lines of supply, leaving him less able to respond to our attacks.

Given that the struggle at Aubers Ridge was terminated, in part, due to lack of ammunition for the artillery it will be imagined that the commissariat has been working feverishly to get shells from England and up to the guns for such a prolonged bombardment. We can only applaud their efforts(1).

The attack is being made by 2^nd Division on the left and the British and Indian troops of Meerut Division on the right. It is believed that this battle will include the innovative tactic of beginning after sunset, the initial advance taking place in the dark. It is hoped that this will make up for the fact that the Germans know an attack is coming because of the long bombardment and thus regain an element of surprise. This is a bold move. Our men will not be able to see one another, nor the obstacles over which they must pass, but the Germans will not be able to see them so well either, to shoot at them and the two assaulting divisions are felt to know the ground well enough that the obstacles they face should not be so daunting. The moon is new so it should be very dark.

The 1st Bedfords are still up near Ypres and so are unlikely to take part in this attack but 2nd Bedfords may well do so at some stage. The adjutant tells us that they were expecting to attack today but that it has now been decided that their division, 7th, will probably not go into action tomorrow. This is probably because they are new to the area and so a night attack over such unknown ground could throw them into confusion. Whether their brigade (21st) will be part of things he does not yet know. They were in reserve for the push at Aubers Ridge and have not fought an action since Neuve-Chapelle in March so they will be rested and, no doubt, up for the fight.

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(1)  In fact very few high explosive shells were available for destroying enemy barbed wire, leaving this task to shrapnel shells of small calibre which were known not to be up to the task. A lot of shells fired were duds and are still being dug up today.

2nd Battalion at Aubers Ridge

Monday 10th May 1915: We understand from the adjutant that the 2nd Bedfords, in reserve for the attack on Aubers yesterday are under orders from IV Corps commander, General Rawlinson, to move at short notice. Yesterday’s attacks by 1st and 8th Divisions and the Meerut Division of the Indian Army were not all that had been hoped. We believe that the southern attack has not made progress and has cost many lives because, if scattered reports reaching us are to be believed, the artillery failed to cut the German barbed wire in front of their trenches or do much damage to the machine-gunners who were giving our units casualties even as they climbed out of their trenches.

The attack from the north, which 2nd Bedfords were to exploit if successful, was undertaken by 8th Division. It met with more success as no man’s land at this point was quite narrow though many British guns seemed to drop their shells short, on our own front line and our men going forward. We believe that some of the 8th Division captured parts of the German front line. It is disappointing to learn that those men who had reached the German front line have been ordered to withdraw as they cannot be supported.

It looks as if both attacks have met with less success than was desired. Following the success at Neuve-Chapelle in March this must be disappointing to our men and their commanders. Nevertheless, it is understood that the French have captured Vimy Ridge to the south so perhaps the sacrifice of our boys helped in this effort by diverting German reinforcements(2).

Any hope that more attacks today or tomorrow will snatch victory from the hands of frustration seems unlikely. The adjutant tells us that word in the trenches is that there is little or no artillery ammunition left and without artillery support any attack is doomed to failure. Thus, it seems, must end the Battle of Aubers Ridge(3).

Source: X550/2/wd

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(1)  1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment was in the first wave of the 1st Division attack and 2nd Battalion in the first wave of the 8th Division attack. 1st Battalion lost 560 dead and wounded, more than any other unit attacking that day. 2nd Battalion lost 426. Total British casualties were around 11,000.

(2)  The Battle of Aubers Ridge was a complete failure and seems to have had no bearing on French success, itself limited, further south.

(3)  British industry at this point in the war was just not geared up to produce the large number of shells necessary for large scale offensive operations. To make matters worse, Secretary of State for War, Lord Kitchener had ordered significant stockpiles of shells to be diverted for the forthcoming operations

The Battle of Aubers Ridge

Sunday 9th May 1915: We understand that another British offensive is under way in northern France. Our French allies are attacking the area around Arras, in order to push back a large area where the German lines bulge westward. In particular they want to capture the high ground north of Arras at a place called Vimy. Not only, it is hoped, will there be a breakthrough but the attack will divert German troops away from Ypres in Belgium where heavy fighting is still going on.

Our offensive is designed, naturally, to break through the German lines and send them retreating back towards Berlin. Such a feat, however, as the attack at Neuve-Chapelle in March demonstrated, is no easy matter and a less exulted, but perhaps more realistic expectation is to draw German reinforcements away from the French attack and thus aid its chances of success.

The 1st Bedfords are currently still near Ypres but the 2nd Battalion is near the village of Aubers, a few miles east of Neuve-Chapelle. The British attack is designed to size the ridge at this place. The high ground will allow us to overlook the German lines, get a better understanding of their movements and allow us to shell them more effectively.

The main French attack is to the south. The ground at Aubers, as at Neuve-Chapelle, is very flat, the ridge itself only being twenty feet or so high, and the fields are intersected by drainage ditches which can be as much as ten or fifteen feet across. This, of course, hampers attackers. There are two attacks going on, one to the south by the 1st Division and our gallant Indian troops of the Meerut Division. They are heading due east towards Aubers. The other attack is to the north and will be made by 8th Division attacking due south towards Aubers. It is this attack which, we understand from the adjutant, the 2nd Bedfords are to help exploit if things go well, currently the are being held in reserve. Once Aubers itself is taken both prongs of the attack are to advance on the Haute Deule Canal some five miles away.

It is understood that the French have been bombarding German positions for a few days. General Haig however, we understand, is very short of ammunition and so has had to adopt a different approach. As at Neuve-Chapelle there has been a short but heavy bombardment and the troops are attacking as we write this. We wish them the best of British luck.