Battle of Festubert

Battle of Festubert
Part of the Second Battle of Artois on the Western Front of World War I
Date 15 May - 27 May 1915 Location South of Neuve Chapelle, France Result Minor Allied territorial gain
Belligerents
British Empire • United Kingdom • Canada • British India	German Empire
Commanders and leaders
Douglas Haig	Crown Prince Rupprecht
Strength
6 Divisions	3 Divisions
Casualties and losses
16,000 casualties	~5,000

The Battle of Festubert was an attack by the British army in the Artois region of France on the western front during World War I. It began on May 15, 1915 and continued until May 25.

Context

It was part of the larger French Artois Offensive and was undertaken to assist the French near Arras by preventing German reserve troops from being available to move there.

The battle

The attack was made by the British First Army under Sir Douglas Haig against a German salient between Neuve Chapelle to the north and the village of Festubert to the south. The assault was planned along a three mile front, and would initially be made mainly by Indian troops. This would be the first British army night attack of the war.

The battle was preceded by a 60 hour bombardment by 433 artillery pieces that fired about 100,000 shells. This bombardment failed to significantly damage the front line defences of the German Sixth Army, but the initial advance made some progress in good weather conditions. The attack was renewed on the 16th, and by the 19th the British 2nd and 7th divisions had to be withdrawn due to heavy losses.

On the 18th the Canadian Division, assisted by the 51st (Highland) Division, renewed the advance, but this made little progress in the face of effective German artillery fire. The British forces then entrenched themselves at the new front line in conditions of heavy rain. The Germans now brought up more reserves to reinforce their lines.

From May 20 until the 25th the attack was renewed, resulting in the capture of the village of Festubert. However the total offensive had only netted 1 km of advance, at a cost of 16,000 casualties.

The Canadian Division's part in the offensive gained them 900m on a 1.6 km front, and cost 2468 casualties, including 661 dead.

See also

• List of Canadian battles during World War I

References

• General Sir Martin Farndale, History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. Western Front 1914-18. London: Royal Artillery Institution, 1986
• Christie, Norm. For King and Empire: Other Canadian Battlefields of the Great War. CEF Books: Ottawa, 2007. Page 19.

External links

• The Battle of Festubert