Now that there is a lull in the heavy fighting around Neuve Chapelle, we can discern a little more clearly what happened. The British attack on the morning of March 10 evidently came as an almost complete surprise to the enemy. It was admirably planned, was well prepared by terrific artillery fire, and succeeded in its immediate object. The result of the attack was to give a great fillip to the high spirits of the British Army, and it aroused the warmest admiration in France and in Russia.
The original testament of Sir John French that “the losses” incurred were not great in proportion to the results achieved” was entirely justified. The British casualties were even at first considerable, but the punishment inflicted on the foe reached a far higher point. The long lists of casualties among officers which are now arriving, to be followed by far heavier casualties among the rank and file, relate chiefly to the fighting on succeeding days.
The Germans hurried up reinforcements from other parts of their line, and made desperate attempts to retake the important positions they had lost. Although they failed, they fought with great vigour and determination, and their counter-attacks were only repelled at a heavy price. By their resolute response they just, and only just, saved themselves from the possibly larger consequences of the British victory.
On the 14th the Germans delivered a sudden attack on their own account at St Eloi, a few miles south of Ypres. They had probably been preparing for it for some time, and the British offensive at Neuve Chapelle may have disarranged their plans. They rushed the British position after a heavy bombardments but the greater part of the captured area was retaken by the British next morning, again at a considerable cost.
These hard-fought actions, which in any war of less magnitude would have rung throughout the world, give some clue to the character and prospects of the work which lies ahead. It will be noticed that the net result, so far as it went, is almost entirely in favour of the British forces. The positions won at Neuve Chapelle were held and consolidated, and those lost at St Eloi were almost entirely regained.
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The next point to be noted is that in a really well-planned attack under present conditions the enemy suffer very heavily. There is every reason to believe that Sir John French’s estimate, which places the total German Iosses around Neuve Chapelle at from 17,000 to 18,000, is amply justified. The prevalent impression that when the Allies undertake the offensive on a large scale the enemy may be able to offer a resistance which will not cost them dear is emphatically disproved. If they try to hold their own, they must pay in losses on a great scale. The defence has not necessarily a great advantage in this form of warfare, given valorous attacking troops, backed by efficient artillery.
The chief lesson of Neuve Chapelle seems to us to be that the enemy’s line can be broken if the price is paid. Such is, we believe, the general impression at the front, and in due course it will doubtless be put to the test. The attacking troops advance with the knowledge that as a rule the enemy can only make an effective response, and retaliate with counter-attacks, by weakening their line elsewhere. Now that the forces of the Allies are growing in strength the Germans should begin to feel the difficulty of holding such an enormous front in the West, while waging a violent campaign in the East.