Battle of La Bassée

Battle of La Bassée
Part of the Race to the Sea on the Western Front (World War I)
Date October 10 – November 2, 1914 Location La Bassée Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
United Kingdom British India	German Empire
Commanders and leaders
Sir John French, Horace Smith-Dorrien James Willcocks	Crown Prince Rupprecht
Strength
2nd Cavalry Brigade of 1st Cavalry Division; Lahore Division	The German Fourth and Sixth Armies

The Battle of La Bassée was a battle between British and German forces in northern France in October 1914, and was part of the Race to the Sea.

The German 6th Army took Lille before the British force could secure the town, while the 4th Army arrived and attacked the exposed British flank at Ypres. The British were driven back; the German Army occupied La Bassée and Neuve Chapelle. Around 15 October, the British took over the initiative and recaptured Givenchy. However, they failed to reach La Bassée. Meanwhile, the German troops got reinforcements, and retook the initiative. Thanks to the arrival of the Lahore Division of the Indian Corps, the British held off the further German attacks until early November, when both sides focused their interest on the battle of Ypres, so the battle around La Bassée died out and the line stabilised.

External links

• Rickard, J (25 August 2007), Battle of La Bassée, 10 October-2 November 1914