The Canadian situation worsened at the Battle of Festubert in May 1915, when it failed to make any headway against the Germans despite suffering nearly 2,500 casualties. Another operation a month later, the Second Battle of Givenchy, cost 366 casualties for no appreciable gain. Despite this, Alderson was promoted to command the entire expeditionary force on the Western Front, now titled the Canadian Corps, when a second division of it arrived at the front late in 1915. However Sam Hughes increasingly opposed Alderson's position in Canadian political circles, taking particular offense at Alderson's refusal to accept promotions made by Hughes or Carson of untried Canadian officers, and instead promoting veteran British officers in their place, and Alderson's opposition to the continued use by the Canadian divisions of the Ross rifle.