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Born-Nunhead

The Battle of Festubert (15–25 May 1915)

This followed quickly on the heels of the Battle of Aubers Ridge and was an offensive operation by the British Army in the Artois region of France in conjunction with a French attack further south. Initial success soon ground to a halt and although there had been an advance of two miles in some places the end result was not the hoped for breakout but merely more muddy trenches which became the front line. British casualties over the ten days amounted to nearly 17,000, three times as many as inflicted on the Germans.

The Battle of Festubert was preceded by a three day bombardment of the enemy positions and  at 11.30pm on 15th May, 2nd Division and the Meerut Division from the Indian Corps  attacked with mixed results. They gained some of their objectives but had met such strong German resistance, that they were unable to participate in a further attack by 7th Division at 3.15am on 16th May.

5 and 6 Brigades of 2nd Division attacked on a 1300 yard frontage with 5 Brigade on the left and beyond them the Meerut Division. Whereas the attack by 6 Brigade on the right had some success, the left hand of the attack, notably that carried out by the Garhwal Brigade of the Meerut Division, did not fare so well. Their attack was led by the 2nd Leicestershire battalion and the 39th Garhwal Rifles and unfortunately the enemy were alerted by the abnormal rifle and machine gun fire in the form of controlled five minute bursts at 8.30, 9.30, 10 & 10.30pm designed to assist the bombardment.  By using light balls and flares the Germans spotted the preparations being made and when the British artillery bombardment lifted at 11.30pm, they opened up with machine gun fire, raking the advancing infantry. At the same time their artillery began firing on no-man’s land and the British front line. 2nd Leicestershire did not reach the German line but suffered 300 casualties in trying to do so. One of these was Joseph Drane who was killed.