renches were at once
occupied, and when they were full to capacity, the Germans exploded
the previously prepared mines, and blew up the entire Hindu force.

At daylight on the morning of December 20, 1914, the Germans commenced
a heavy artillery fire along the entire front. This was followed
by an infantry charge along the entire line between Givenchy and
La Quinque Rue to the north. The defense of Givenchy was in the
hands of the India Sirhind Brigade, under General Brunker. At ten
o'clock the Sirhinds became confused and fled, enabling the Germans
to capture Givenchy. The Fifty-seventh Rifles and the Ninth Bhopals
were stationed north of La Bassee Canal and east of Givenchy, and
the Connaught Rangers were waiting at the south of the canal. The
Forty-seventh Sikhs were sent to support the Sirhind Brigade, with
the First Manchesters, the Fourth Suffolks, and two battalions
of French Provincials, the entire force being under command of
General Carnegy. All these mixed forces now essayed a combined
counterattack in order to recover the ground lost by the Sirhind
Brigade, but this failed.

The Allies called up reserves and re-formed the ranks broken by
that day's reverses. With the Seventh Dragoon Guards under the
command of Lieutenant Colonel Lempriere, they began another attack.
This, too, failed. When the Sirhind Brigade fell back, the Seaforth
Highlanders were left entirely exposed. The Fifty-eighth Rifles
went to the support of their left. Throughout the entire afternoon
the Seaforths had made strenuous efforts to capture the German
trenches to the right and left of their position. Upon the arrival
of the Fifty-eighth the fighting redoubled in ferocity, but no
advance was made. Finally word was given to retreat. The Allies
lost heavily in killed, wounded, and prisoners.

The First Brigade was detached, and by midnight it had reached
Bethune, about five miles west of Givenchy. Sir Douglas Haig was
ordered to move also, the entire First Division in support of the
exhausted Indian troops.

Action was begun on December 20, 1914, early in the afternoon by
a simultaneous attack, and was continued until nightfall without
important results. The next morning General Haig in person took
the command, but little ground was gained.

While this contest was in progress around Givenchy, the Germans
took possession of the city of Arras, ten miles to the south.

Between December 23 and 30, 1914, the Belgian army, strongly reenf