Neuve Chapelle, Battle of

March 1915

British forces were aiming to break through the German lines at Neuve Chapelle, near Lille in North-East France. The battle commenced with an artillery bombardment from 342 guns followed by an assault by British and Indian troops along 3,500 metres of the front. By the end of the third day and the end of the battle, the British had gained about 1,000 metres and had captured 1,200 German soldiers, but losses were very high with over 11,000 British and Indian casualties.

Artillery had failed to disrupt the German defensive positions and the frontal assaults had little or no chance of success: in one sector where troops advanced to the fully intact German line, not one of a thousand men made it back to his own trenches. Poor communication and bad intelligence only compounded the tactical mistakes of the British command.

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