New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-15
Confusion and Delay After
Victory, Says Official
Report.
LOSSES OF BRITISH
FIXED AT 1851
Slaughter on German Side Was
Heavier-High Officer Ac-
cuSed of DiSobedience.

London. APRIL 12.-Field Marshal Sir
John French ia an official report to-
day tells a story of disobedience by
British officer, evidently OF high rank,
and the consequent Reorganization o.
the infantry in the 1st Army Corps
at the battle Of Neuve Chapelle. The
field marshal, however. praises highly
the work Of the corps commander, SIR
Douglas Haig.
The censure directed al the unnamed
officer and the admission OF the plight
IN which the troops found themselves
seem 10 confirm many rumors from
the front that all has not gone we'll
with the British. Two general officers,
who had important commands at Neuye
Chapelle, are said to have returned 10
England General Sir Horace Smith
Dorrien, hero of the cavalry covering
movement during the retreat from
Mons, is also home, but mis- absence
from the front is said to be due 10
illness. One of the most serious OF
these reports has been that, owing 20
the confusion, British artillery fred
into a large body of their own men,
and that large proportion Of the
heavy casualties resulted from this.
Disobedience Blamed.
Following is Sir John Erench's state
ment explaining what seems 20 be
military error Of great Importance:
Considerable delay occurred after
the capture Of Neuve Chapelle. and the .
infantry was greatly disOrganized.
am of the opinion that this delay would
not have occurred had the clearly eX-
pressed order of the general officer
commanding the First Army Corps
been more carefully observed
The British losses at Neuve Chapelle,
the commander in chief says, were i2,-
81, divided as follows:
Killed. 1870 officers. 2,337 men
Wounded, 359 officers, 8,l1i other
ranks.
Missing % officers, 1,72S men.
The total loss is 1929 men and 572
officers.
The Germans left several thousand
dead on the field, and upward Of 10000
wounded Germans were removed by
trains, the Field Marshal says. Thirty
officers and 1867 OF other ranks were
captured.
Sir Johns report. which also covers
the battle of st. Eloi, under date Of
April 3, was published in The Ofhcia.
Gazette" He writes:
The event OF chief interest and NJ
portance which has taken place r. he
victory achieved over the enemy % the
battle Of Neuve Chapelle. wh 10 was
fought on March 10. ii and la.
Sir Douglas IIaig Pr sed.
THE main attack wa- delivered ny
the troops Of the Fi.s Army, under
command of Genera SIR Douglas Haig,
supported by la.~e force of heavy ar
tillery. a division Of cavalry and some
infantry Of lie general reserve Sec
ondary and holding attacks and demon
strationa were made along the front -
the second Army, under direction Of its
commander, Sir Horace Smith-Dorricn.
While the success attained was due
10 the magnificent bearing and indomi-
table courage displayed by the troops
of the 4th and Indian corps. / consider
that the able and sklful dispositions
which were made by the general officer
commanding the lst 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 COM
mand show him TO be a leader of great
ability and power.
Another action of considerable i'm
portance was brought about by sur
prise attack made by the Germans on
March Il against the 9th Division
holding the trenches east Of S. Eloi.
A large force Of artillery was concen-
trated in this area under the cover Of
a mist and a heavy volume Of fire Vas
suddenly brought 10 Lear on the
trenches.
Fierce Fight al st. Eloi.
AT 3 o'clock IN the afternoon this
artillery attack was accompanied by
two mine explosions, and in the con-
fusion caused by these and by the sud-
denness 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 5th
Army Corps showed great bravery and
determination. restored the situation
by the evening of the 10Th.
"On February a brilliant action by
the troops of the lst Corps materially
improved our position in the area south
of La Bassee Canal During the pre-
vious night parties Of the Irish Guards
and the third battalion Of the Cold
stream Guards had succeeded in gain
ing ground from which a converging
fire could be directed on the hanks and
rear of certain brick stacks occupied
by the Germans, which had been for
some time a source of considerable an
nOyance. Al , p. m. the affair com
menced with severe bombsrdment OK
the brick stacks and the enemy's
trenches
British Retake Position.
"A brisk attack by the Sd Coldstream
Guards and Irish Guards from our
trenches west Of the brick stacks fol-
lowed, and was supported by the ire
from the hanking 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 aud
south through a point about forty
wards east Of them.
"The casualties suffered by The 5'h
Corps throughout the period under
review. and particularly during tua
month Of February, have been heavier
than those on other parts Of the luc.
( regret this, but do not think, taSiug
all circumstances into cons ldcra' on,
that they were unduly numerous.
The position then occupied by tNe
5th Corps always has beer very
vulnerable part Of our line The
ground was marshy and trenches were
most difficult TO construct and main
tain. The 27th and 28th Divisions OF
the 9TH Corps mad had ~ previous eA-