New York Times Current History: The European War, Vol 2, No. 2, May, 1915 | Page 2

follows: Killed, 190 officers, 2,337 men; wounded, 359 officers, 8,174
other ranks; missing, 23 officers, 1,728 men; total casualties, 12,811.
The report continues:_
The enemy left several thousand dead on the field, and we have
positive information that upward of 12,000 wounded were removed by
trains. Thirty officers and 1,657 of other ranks were captured.
_The British commander's dispatch concerning the battle is long, and
says, among other things:_

Considerable delay occurred after the capture of Neuve Chapelle, and
the infantry was greatly disorganized. I am of the opinion that this
delay would not have occurred had the clearly expressed order of the
general officer commanding the First Army been more carefully
observed.
_Field Marshal Sir John French's report, which covers the battles of
Neuve Chapelle and St. Eloi under date of April 5, was published in the
official Gazette today. The Commander in Chief writes:_
The event of chief interest and importance which has taken place is the
victory achieved over the enemy in the battle of Neuve Chapelle, which
was fought on March 10, 11, and 12.
The main attack was delivered by the troops of the First Army under
command of General Sir Douglas Haig, supported by a large force of
heavy artillery, a division of cavalry, and some infantry of the General
Reserve. Secondary and holding attacks and demonstrations were made
along the front of the Second Army, under direction of its commander,
Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien.
While the success attained was due to the magnificent bearing and
indomitable courage displayed by the troops of the Fourth and Indian
Corps, I consider that the able and skillful dispositions which were
made by the general officer commanding the First Army contributed
largely to the defeat of the enemy and to the capture of his position.
The energy and vigor with which General Sir Douglas Haig handled his
command show him to be a leader of great ability and power.
Another action of considerable importance was brought about by a
surprise attack made by the Germans on March 14 against the
Twenty-seventh Division holding the trenches east of St. Eloi. A large
force of artillery was concentrated in this area under the cover of a mist
and a heavy volume of fire was suddenly brought to bear on the
trenches.
At 5 o'clock in the afternoon this artillery attack was accompanied by
two mine explosions, and in the confusion caused by these and by the
suddenness of the attack the position of St. Eloi was captured and held
for some hours by the enemy.
Well-directed and vigorous counter-attacks, in which the troops of the
Fifth Army Corps showed great bravery and determination, restored the
situation by the evening of the 15th.

_The dispatch describes further operations, saying:_
On Feb. 6 a brilliant action by the troops of the First Corps materially
improved our position in the area south of La Bassée Canal. During the
previous night parties of the Irish Guards and the Third Battalion of the
Coldstream Guards had succeeded in gaining ground from which a
converging fire could be directed on the flanks and rear of certain brick
stacks occupied by the Germans, which had been for some time a
source of considerable annoyance. At 2 P.M. the affair commenced
with a severe bombardment of the brick stacks and the enemy's
trenches.
A brisk attack by the Third Battalion of the Coldstream Guards and
Irish Guards from our trenches west of the brick stacks followed and
was supported by the fire from the flanking position which had been
seized the previous night by the same regiments.
The attack succeeded, the brick stacks were occupied without difficulty,
and a line was established north and south through a point about forty
yards east of the brick stacks.
The casualties suffered by the Fifth Corps throughout the period under
review, and particularly during the month of February, have been
heavier than those on other parts of the line. I regret this, but do not
think, taking all circumstances into consideration, that they were
unduly numerous. The position then occupied by the Fifth Corps had
always been a very vulnerable part of our line. The ground was marshy,
and trenches were most difficult to construct and maintain. The
Twenty-seventh and Twenty-eighth Divisions of the Fifth Corps had no
previous experience in European warfare, and a number of the units
composing the corps had only recently returned from service in tropical
climates. In consequence, the hardships of a rigorous Winter campaign
fell with greater weight upon these divisions than upon any other in the
command.
Chiefly owing to these causes the Fifth Corps, up to the beginning of
March, was constantly engaged in counter-attacks to retake trenches
and ground which had been lost. In their difficult and arduous task,
however, the troops displayed the