New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-15

prepared and was most effective, or
/ cept on the extreme northern portion
OF the front of attack.
Indians Assault Front.
AT SOS o'clock the 23d and 25th Bril-
gades Of the Sth Division assaulted the
/ German trenches on the northwest OF
| the village At the same hour the
/ Carnival Brigade Of the Meerut (Brlt-
/ ish India) Division, which occupied
position TO the south OF Neuve Cha
pelle. assaulted the German trenches
/ in its front. The Carnival Brigade ana
the 25th Brigade carried the enemys
/ lines of intrcnchment. where the WIRE
entanglements had been almost entirety
swept away by our shrapnei ire.
"The 23d Brigade. however, on the
/ northeast was held up by wire entan-
clements which were not suhclehuy
cut. At sos o'clock the artillery was
turned on Neuve Chapelle and at $3.50
/ o'clock the advance on the infantry
was continued. The 25th and the Harh,
wal brigades pushed on eastward
and northcastward. respectively, and
rucceeded in getting footing IN the
village. The 23d Brigade was still held
up in front of the enemy's wire en-
tanglements and could not make prog
reSs. Heavy losses were suffered, espe-
Ciallv in the Middlesex Regiment and
the Scottish Rifles.
The progress. however, OF the 25th
Brigade into Neuve Chapelle, lmme-
diately TO the south of the 23d Brigade
had the effect of turning the southern
flank Of the enemy's defences IN 'front.'
Of the 23d Brigade.
Reinforcements Cut on.
This fact, combined with powerful
artillery support, enabled the 23d Brl-
cade TO get forward between 10 and IL
a m. and by II O'Clock the whole OF
the village Of Neuve Chapelle and the
roads leading northward and south
westward from the eastern end OF that
village were in our hands.
During this time our artillery com
pletely cut off the village and surround
ing country from any German rem
forcements which could be thrown INTO
the night to restore the situation by
means Of shrapnel fire. PRISONERS
subsequently reported that all attempts
at reinforcing the front line were
. checked. Steps were at once taken 70
/ consolidate the positions won.
considerable delay occurred after
the capture of the Neuve Chapelle po-
sition. The infantry was greatly dis-
organized by the violent nature or the
attack and by its passage through the
cnemv's trenches and the bull hngs OF
the village. It was necessary to get the
units TO some extent together before
pushing on. The cutting of telephone
communication by the enemy's fire. rem
dered communication between the 'front.'
and the rear most difficult. The fact
Of the left Of the 23d Brigade having
been held up had kept back the 18th d.
vision and had involved portion OF
the 25th Brigade in fighting to the
north. out of its proper direction OF
advance. All this required adjustment:
An orchard held by the enemy north OF
Neuve Chapelle also threatened the
flank Of an advance toward the Aubers
bridge.
II 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 care
fully observed.
"The difficulties above enumerated
might have been overcome earlier IN
the day if the general officer command
ing the 4th Corps had been able to
bring his reserve brigades more
speedily into action. As II was, 1ur-
Their advance did not begin before 3;3O
D. H. The 2lst Brigade was able TO
form up in the open on the left with
out a shot being fired at il, thus show
ing that. at the time, the enemys re-
sistance had been paralyzed.
THE brigade pushed forward in the
direction OF Moulin du Pietre. At first
il made good progress, but was subse-
cuently held up by machine gun IRE
from house. and from a defended work
in the line of ,the German intrench-
ments opposite the right of the 22d Bri-
gade. az,
Further to the south the oath Bri-
gade, which had been directed on Pletre,
was similarly held up by machine guns
i'm houses and trenches. At the road
junction. 600 yards TO the northwest OF
Pietre. the 25th Brigade, on the right
Of the oath. was also held up by ma
chine guns from a bridge held by the
Germans over the River Les Layes,
which is situated TO the northwest OF
the Bots du Biez.
Indian Troops Halted.
"WhIe two brigsdes of the Meerut
division were establishing themselves
on new line the Dehra Dun Brigade,
supported by the Jullunder Brigade, OF
the Lahore Division, moved to the at
tack of the Bots du Biez, but were
held up on the line Of the River Les
Layes by a German post at the bridge
which enfladed them and brought them
to a standstill."
The defended bridge over Les
Lavos ana its neighborhood i'm
mediately assumed considerable i'm
portance. While the artillery fire was
brought to bear as far as circumstances
would permit on this point, General
Sir Douglas Haig directed the first
corps to dispatch one or, more battal..
ions Of the LIST Brigade in support Of
the troops attacking the bridge. Three
battalions were thus sent to Richie
hourP st. Vast.
DARKNESS coming on and the enemy
, having brought up renforcements, no
further progress could be made, and
, the Indian Corps and the 4th Corps
proceeded to consolidate the position
.. they had gained.
while the operations, which ! have
; thus briefly reported, were going on
the 1st Corps. in accordance with or
ders, delivered an attack in the morn
ing from Givenchy, simultaneously with
! that against Ncuve Chapelle, but as the
cncmy's wire was insutliciently cut very
little progress could be made, and the
troops at this point did little more
d. lo1J f.o4 10 Carr1aps IN front