Battle of Festubert facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Festubert |
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| Part of the Second Battle of Artois on the Western Front of the First World War | |||||||||
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Front line following the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, (10–13 March 1915) |
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
 Douglas Haig |
 Crown Prince Rupprecht |
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| Strength | |||||||||
| 6 divisions | 3 divisions | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 16,648 |
c. 5,000 |
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The Battle of Festubert took place from May 15 to May 25, 1915. It was an attack by the British army in France during World War I. This battle was part of a larger series of attacks. These attacks were made by the French Tenth Army and the British First Army. They were all part of the Second Battle of Artois.
Before Festubert, the British tried a quick attack at Aubers Ridge. That plan did not work well. So, for Festubert, they changed their tactics. They decided to use a longer, more careful artillery bombardment. This was meant to clear the way for their soldiers. The goal was to cut enemy wire and destroy German machine-gun posts. The British aimed to advance about 1,000 yards. This was a shorter distance than they tried at Aubers Ridge. This battle was the first time the British tried to wear down the enemy slowly. This is called "attrition."
Contents
Why the Battle Happened
Helping the French Army
The Battle of Festubert was a continuation of the Battle of Aubers Ridge. It was also part of the bigger French Second Battle of Artois. The British wanted to help their French allies. The French were fighting near Arras at Vimy Ridge. By attacking at Festubert, the British hoped to draw German soldiers to their front. This would stop the Germans from sending more troops to fight the French.
Getting Ready for Battle
The British Plan
The attack was led by the British First Army. General Sir Douglas Haig was in charge. They planned to attack German lines between Neuve Chapelle and the village of Festubert. The attack front was about 3 miles wide. Soldiers from India, Britain, and Canada were involved. These included the Garhwal Brigade and parts of the 2nd and 7th Divisions. This was the first time the British launched a night attack in the war. It began at 11:30 pm on May 15.
The Battle Unfolds
The battle started with a very long bombardment. For 60 hours, 433 artillery pieces fired about 100,000 shells. However, this huge bombardment did not damage the German defenses much. The first British advance made little progress. Only one brigade managed to move forward.
The attack continued the next day, May 16, at 3:15 pm. More divisions joined the fight. But progress was still slow, and many soldiers were hurt. On May 17, new troops came in, but they also made only small gains. By May 19, two British divisions had to be pulled out because they had so many casualties. The main targets from May 15 were still held by the Germans.
On May 18, the 1st Canadian Division attacked. They were helped by the 51st (Highland) Division. But they also struggled against strong German artillery fire. Heavy rain made conditions even worse. The British soldiers had to dig new trenches. The Germans brought in more soldiers and made their defenses stronger. From May 20 to May 25, the British kept attacking. But they still made very little progress. In the end, the British only advanced about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles).
After the Battle
Soldiers Lost
The British suffered many losses during the Battle of Festubert. From May 15 to May 25, 16,648 British soldiers were killed or wounded. The 2nd Division lost 5,445 men. The 7th Division lost 4,123. The Canadian Division lost 2,204 soldiers.
The German defenders had fewer casualties. They lost about 5,000 soldiers. This included 800 men who were taken prisoner. In the wider Second Battle of Artois, the French lost over 102,000 men. The Germans lost over 73,000.
Remembering the Battle
The 100th anniversary of the Battle of Festubert was remembered in 2015. Many events took place, especially in the Highlands of Scotland. Many communities there lost a lot of men in the battle. Two Scottish sports clubs, Skye Camanachd and Kingussie Camanachd, held special events. They were joined by the British Forces shinty team. They had lectures, memorial services, and games of shinty. This happened from May 15 to May 17, 2015, in Portree, Isle of Skye.
A week later, the Beauly Shinty Club honored two brothers, Donald and Alasdair Paterson. They were killed in the battle. They had been part of the club's 1913 Camanachd Cup winning team. The club renamed their pavilion after them. Donald's bagpipes were found in the 1980s. They were played at both remembrance events.
See also
- List of Canadian battles during World War I
