Defence of Festubert

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Defence of Festubert
Part of First World War
Defence of Festubert 23-24 November 1914.png
Defence of Festubert 23–24 November 1914
Date23–24 November 1914
Location 50°32′39″N02°44′15″E / 50.54417°N 2.73750°E / 50.54417; 2.73750
Belligerents
Flag of the German Empire.svg  German Empire

Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom

Commanders and leaders
Units involved
Infantry Regiment 112 7th (Meerut) Division
France location map-Regions and departements-2016.svg
Red pog.svg
Festubert

The Defence of Festubert was an engagement on the Western Front early in the First World War when Indian and British battalions of the 7th (Meerut) Division of the Indian Army defended the village of Festubert against a German attack from 23 to 24 November 1914. It was one of the first actions in the war in which an attack was made against a prepared defensive position. The British and Indian regiments that took part were awarded the battle honour Festubert 1914.

Contents

Battle

23–24 November

The fighting around Ypres subsided in mutual exhaustion by 22 November and for about three weeks bad weather also inhibited operations apart from artillery-fire, bombing and sniping. At the end of the month the British made several night raids and on 23 November, the German Infantry Regiment 112 captured 800 yd (730 m) of trench east of Festubert in the Indian Corps area. [1] The Indians counter-attacked through the night and recovered the trenches. The Defence of Festubert was one of the first attacks on an organised trench system. Most notably a night attack also occurred, involving mainly the 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis and the Mazhabi Sikhs of the 34th Royal Sikh Pioneers Regiment and the 1st Battalion Manchester Regiment. The battle was a costly British victory, the lost trench was recaptured but there were many casualties in the 129th Baluchis battalion and the 1st Manchesters. [2]

Order of battle

October 1914, 7th (Meerut) Division [lower-alpha 1]

GOC: Lieutenant-General Charles Alexander Anderson
GSO1: Colonel Claud Jacob

Dehra Dun Brigade GOC: Brigadier-General C. E. Johnson

Garhwal Brigade GOC: Major-General Henry Keary

Bareilly Brigade GOC: Major-General F. Macbean

Divisional Mounted Troops

Divisional Artillery

Engineers

Signals Service

Divisional Pioneers

Supply and Transport:

Medical Units:

Notes

  1. All data from Edmonds, Military Operations, 1914, Part II, 1925. [3]

Footnotes

  1. James 1990, p. 6.
  2. Edmonds & Wynne 1995, p. 4.
  3. Edmonds 1925, pp. 482–483.

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References

Further reading