PREPARATIONS FOR AN OFFENSIVE
During the greater part of the winter of 1914-15, the fighting along
the western front had been almost constant, but had resulted in little
that either side could justly assert to be a success. The rigors
inevitable in such a mode of warfare had become almost beyond human
endurance, and commanders on both sides looked forward to a more
active campaign.
An immense amount of ammunition had been stored by the French in and
around Perthes in anticipation of a forward movement; and, by the
second week of February, a quarter of a million men of the French army
had been assembled near that place. They were opposite a section of
the German trenches which was about twelve miles long, extending from
Ville-sur-Tourbe in the Argonne to the village of Souain. Early in the
year this section had been held by only two divisions of Rhinelanders.
These two divisions had suffered severely from the heavy gun fire
which the French had directed against them by means of the successful
work of the French aviators. The French infantry also had done
effective work in the short rush which they had been making, gaining
on an average about twelve yards a day. Following the concentration of
French troops, the German commanders brought up reenforcements to the
number of 80,000. Some of these were taken from La Bassee, and others
from a contingent which had been intended for a northern offensive
movement.
Because of the chalk formation of the soil in this section of the
front, the excessive moisture of this season of the year drained
rapidly, leaving exposed an undulating section on which were small
forests of fir trees. The nature of the ground made it an easy matter
to move troops even in winter. General Joffre took advantage of this
fact, and assembled a quarter of a million men against the German
lines in Champagne. This caused the German commanders to mass troops
just in front of Perthes. The concentration continued until there were
220,000 German soldiers packed there in close formation. The French
attacked, and quickly a rain of more than a hundred thousand shells
fell upon the Germans.
The Germans sought to reply by bringing up twenty-two batteries of
heavy guns and sixty-four field batteries; but the French gunners kept
command of the field. In the twenty days' battle--from February 16 to
March 7, 1915--the French won scarcely a mile of ground; but they
found and buried 10,000 German dead. The French staff estimated that
60,000 German soldiers had been put out of action. The German staff
admitted they had lost more men in this action than in the campaign in
East Prussia against the Russians, where fourteen German army corps
were engaged. The French lost less than 10,000 men.
In the last week of February, 1915, it had been learned by General
Joffre that General von Falkenhayn of the German forces had withdrawn
from Neuve Chapelle, and the section north of La Bassee six batteries
of field artillery, six battalions of the Prussian Guard, and two
heavy batteries of the Prussian Guard. These had been withdrawn for
the purpose of checking the supposed French advance at Perthes, as
already narrated. Hence it was known that the English, in command of
Sir Douglas Haig, at Neuve Chapelle, were opposed by a thin line of
German troops who were making a demonstration of force for the purpose
of concealing the weakness of their line.
[Illustration: The Western Battle Line, January 1, 1915.]
The British officers in the region of Neuve Chapelle received complete
instructions on March 8, 1915, in regard to an offensive which they
were to start on the 10th. These instructions were supplemental to a
communication which had been sent on February 19 by the British
commander in chief to Sir Douglas Haig, the commander of the First
Army. Neuve Chapelle was to be the immediate objective of the
prospective engagement. This place is about four miles north of La
Bassee at the junction of main roads, one leading southward to La
Bassee, and another from Bethune on the west to Armentieres on the
northeast. It is about eleven miles west of Lille. These roads formed
an irregular diamond-shaped figure with the village at the apex of the
eastern sides, along which the German troops were stationed. The
British held the western sides of this figure.
The land in this part of France is marshy and crossed by dykes; but,
to the eastward, the ground rises slowly to a ridge, on the western
border of which are two spurs. Aubers is at the apex of one; and
Illies at the apex of the other. Both of these villages were held by
the Germans. The ridge extends northeast, beyond the junction of the
spurs, from Fournes to within two miles southwest of Lille. Along the
ridge is the road to Lille, Roubaix, and Tourcoing, all of which are
among the chief manufacturing towns of France. The occupation of the
ridge was a necessary step to the taking of Lille; and Neuve Chapelle
was at the gateway to the ridge. If the Allies could take Lille they
would then be in a position to move against their enemy between that
point and the sea.
The River Des Layes runs behind Neuve Chapelle to the southeast; and,
behind the river, a half mile from the straggling village, is a wood
known as the Bois du Biez. Almost at right angles to the river, on the
west, the main road from Estaires to La Bassee skirts Neuve Chapelle.
There is a triangle of roads north of the village where there were a
few large houses with walls, gardens, and orchards. At this point the
Germans had fortified themselves to flank the approaches to the
village from that section. These trenches were only about a hundred
yards from those of the British. The Germans had machine guns at a
bridge over the river; and they had another post established a little
farther up at the Pietre mill. Farther down the stream, where the road
into the village joins the main road to La Bassee, the Germans had
fortified a group of ruined buildings which was known as Port Arthur.
From there was a great network of trenches which extended
northwestward to the Pietre mill. There were also German troops in
the Bois du Biez, and in the ruined houses along the border of the
wood.
The German trenches were in excellent positions, but were occupied by
only a comparatively few soldiers; it was the German plan to keep
large bodies of troops in reserve, so that they might be sent to any
sector where the need seemed most likely. They have asserted they had
only four battalions in the front line here; but that statement is
denied by the British.
The British plan of attack embraced a heavy bombardment to demoralize
their enemy and prevent reenforcement. This was to be followed by an
infantry attack. It was expected that the Germans would be surprised
to such an extent it would be impossible for them to make much
resistance. Units of the First Army were to make the main attack,
supported by the Second Army. The support included a division of
cavalry. Among the large force of heavy artillery for the opening
bombardment were a number of French guns manned by French
artillerymen.