At daybreak the 7th Division, on the night of the 2d, advanced to the
attack, and by 7 A.M. had entrenched themselves on a line running
nearly north and south, halfway between their original trenches and La
Quinque Rue, having cleared and captured several lines of the enemy's
trenches, including a number of fortified posts.
As it was found impossible for the Indian Corps to make any progress
in face of the enemy's defenses, Sir Douglas Haig directed the attack
to be suspended at this point and ordered the Indian Corps to form a
defensive flank.
The remainder of the day was spent in securing and consolidating
positions which had been won, and endeavoring to unite the inner
flanks of the 7th and 2d Divisions, which were separated by trenches
and posts strongly held by the enemy.
Various attempts which were made throughout the day to secure this
object had not succeeded at nightfall in driving the enemy back.
The German communications leading to the rear of their positions were
systematically shelled throughout the night.
About 200 prisoners were captured on May 16.
Fighting was resumed at daybreak; and by eleven o'clock the 7th
Division had made a considerable advance, capturing several more of
the enemy's trenches. The task allotted to this Division was to push
on in the direction of Rue D'Ouvert, Chateau St. Roch and Canteleux.
The 2d Division was directed to push on when the situation permitted
toward the Rue de Marais and Violaines.
The Indian Division was ordered to extend its front far enough to
enable it to keep touch with the left of the 2d Division when they
advanced.
On this day I gave orders for the 51st (Highland) Division to move
into the neighborhood of Estaires to be ready to support the
operations of the First Army.
At about noon the enemy was driven out of the trenches and posts which
he occupied between the two Divisions, the inner flanks of which were
thus enabled to join hands.
By nightfall the 2d and 7th Divisions had made good progress, the area
of captured ground being considerably extended to the right by the
successful operations of the latter.
The state of the weather on the morning of May 18 much hindered an
effective artillery bombardment, and further attacks had,
consequently, to be postponed.
Infantry attacks were made throughout the line in the course of the
afternoon and evening, but, although not very much progress was made,
the line was advanced to the La Quinque Rue-Bethune Road before
nightfall.
On May 19 the 7th and 2d Divisions were drawn out of the line to rest.
The 7th Division was relieved by the Canadian Division and the 2d
Division by the 51st (Highland) Division.
Sir Douglas Haig placed the Canadian and 51st Divisions, together with
the artillery of the 2d and 7th Divisions, under the command of
Lieutenant-General Alderson, whom he directed to conduct the
operations which had hitherto been carried on by the General Officer
Commanding First Corps; and he directed the 7th Division to remain in
Army Reserve.
During the night of May 19-20 a small post of the enemy in front of La
Quinque Rue was captured.
During the night of May 20-21 the Canadian Division brilliantly
carried on the excellent progress made by the 7th Division by seizing
several of the enemy's trenches and pushing forward their whole line
several hundred yards. A number of prisoners and some machine guns
were captured.
On May 22 the 51st (Highland) Division was attached to the Indian
Corps, and the General Officer Commanding the Indian Corps took charge
of the operations at La Quinque Rue, Lieutenant-General Alderson with
the Canadians conducting the operations to the north of that place.
On this day the Canadian Division extended their line slightly to the
right and repulsed three very severe hostile counter-attacks.
On May 24 and 25 the 47th Division (2d London Territorial) succeeded
in taking some more of the enemy's trenches and making good the
ground gained to the east and north.
I had now reason to consider that the battle, which was commenced by
the First Army on May 9 and renewed on May 16, having attained for the
moment the immediate object I had in view, should not be further
actively proceeded with; and I gave orders to Sir Douglas Haig to
curtail his artillery attack and to strengthen and consolidate the
ground he had won.
In the battle of Festubert above described the enemy was driven from a
position which was strongly entrenched and fortified, and ground was
won on a front of four miles to an average depth of 600 yards.
The enemy is known to have suffered very heavy losses, and in the
course of the battle 785 prisoners and ten machine guns were captured.
A number of machine guns were also destroyed by our fire.
During the period under report the Army under my command has taken
over trenches occupied by some other French divisions.
I am much indebted to General D'Urbal, commanding the 10th French
Army, for the valuable and efficient support received throughout the
battle of Festubert from three groups of French 75 centimetre guns.
In spite of very unfavorable weather conditions, rendering observation
most difficult, our own artillery did excellent work throughout the
battle.
As an instance of the successful attempts to deceive the enemy in this
respect it may be mentioned that on the afternoon of May 24 a
bombardment of about an hour was carried out by the 6th Division with
the object of distracting attention from the Ypres salient.
Considerable damage was done to the enemy's parapets and wire; and
that the desired impression was produced on the enemy is evident from
the German wireless news on that day, which stated, "West of Lille the
English attempts to attack were nipped in the bud."
I have much pleasure in again expressing my warm appreciation of the
admirable manner in which all branches of the Medical Services now in
the field, under the direction of Surgeon-General Sir Arthur Sloggett,
have met and dealt with the many difficult situations resulting from
the operations during the last two months.
The medical units at the front were frequently exposed to the enemy's
fire, and many casualties occurred amongst the officers of the
regimental Medical Service. At all times the officers, non-commissioned
officers and men, and nurses carried out their duties with fearless
bravery and great devotion to the welfare of the sick and wounded.
The whole organization of the Medical Services reflects the highest
credit on all concerned.
I have once more to call your Lordship's attention to the part taken
by the Royal Flying Corps in the general progress of the campaign, and
I wish particularly to mention the invaluable assistance they rendered
in the operations described in this report, under the able direction
of Major-General Sir David Henderson.
The Royal Flying Corps is becoming more and more an indispensable
factor in combined operations. In co-operation with the artillery, in
particular, there has been continuous improvement both in the methods
and in the technical material employed. The ingenuity and technical
skill displayed by the officers of the Royal Flying Corps in effecting
this improvement have been most marked.
Since my last dispatch there has been a considerable increase both in
the number and in the activity of German aeroplanes in our front.
During this period there have been more than sixty combats in the air,
in which not one British aeroplane has been lost. As these flights
take place almost invariably over or behind the German lines, only one
hostile aeroplane has been brought down in our territory. Five more,
however, have been definitely wrecked behind their own lines, and many
have been chased down and forced to land in most unsuitable ground.
In spite of the opposition of hostile aircraft, and the great number
of anti-aircraft guns employed by the enemy, air reconnaissance has
been carried out with regularity and accuracy.
I desire to bring to your Lordship's notice the assistance given by
the French military authorities, and in particular by General
Hirschauer, Director of the French Aviation Service, and his
assistants, Colonel Bottieaux and Colonel Stammler, in the supply of
aeronautical material, without which the efficiency of the Royal
Flying Corps would have been seriously impaired.
In this dispatch I wish again to remark upon the exceptionally good
work done throughout this campaign by the Army Service Corps and by
the Army Ordnance Department, not only in the field, but also on the
lines of communication and at the base ports.
To foresee and meet the requirements in the matter of ammunition,
stores, equipment, supplies, and transport has entailed on the part of
the officers, non-commissioned officers and men of these services a
sustained effort which has never been relaxed since the beginning of
the war, and which has been rewarded by the most conspicuous success.
The close co-operation of the Railway Transport Department, whose
excellent work, in combination with the French Railway Staff, has
ensured the regularity of the maintenance services, has greatly
contributed to this success.
The degree of efficiency to which these services have been brought was
well demonstrated in the course of the second battle of Ypres.
The roads between Poperinghe and Ypres, over which transport, supply
and ammunition columns had to pass, were continually searched by
hostile heavy artillery during the day and night; whilst the passage
of the canal through the town of Ypres, and along the roads east of
that town, could only be effected under most difficult and dangerous
conditions as regards hostile shell fire. Yet, throughout the whole
five or six weeks during which these conditions prevailed the work was
carried on with perfect order and efficiency.