were brought back a mile behind the line for a rest and refreshments.
The roll was called, and only 47 of the battalion answered."

The worst was over; and Sir John French indirectly, at least, extols
the Irish Guards for helping to avert a disaster, by his praise of
their Brigade Commander, Lord Cavan. In his despatch on the Battle of
Ypres-Armentieres, the Field-Marshal says:--"The First Corps Commander
(Sir Douglas Haig) informs me that on many occasions Brigadier-General
the Earl of Cavan, commanding the 4th Guards Brigade, was conspicuous
for the skill, coolness, and courage with which he led his troops, and
for the successful manner in which he dealt with many critical
situations."

Another Irish regiment to obtain one of these rare and therefore much
coveted recognitions by a Commander of an Army Corps was the Royal
Irish Rifles, who were fighting round the village of Neuve Chapelle,
to the south, from October 25th to October 27th. "During an attack on
the 7th Infantry Brigade," runs an order issued by Sir H.
Smith-Dorrien, the Commander of the 2nd Corps, "the enemy came to
close quarters with the Royal Irish Rifles, who repulsed them with
great gallantry with the bayonet. The Commander wishes to compliment
the regiment on its splendid feat, and directs that all battalions
shall be informed of the circumstances of his high appreciation of the
gallantry displayed." On October 27th the Germans gained possession of
the northern part of the village, but towards evening the British had
partially recovered the lost ground when fresh hostile reinforcements
were brought up, and the entire village was captured by the enemy. The
Germans would have made a bigger advance were it not for the gallant
stand of the Irish Rifles against overwhelming odds.

A sergeant of the battalion supplies some details of the feat:--"One
morning after we had had several days of awful shelling in the
trenches the Germans came to attack us. They advanced into view
through the rain and mist, and though they were ten times our strength
we held our ground until the necessary dispositions could be made in
other parts of the field to withstand their onslaught." As will be
seen from many an incident in the course of this narrative the Irish
fight best when it comes to the real crisis--the two antagonists
engaged in close and relentless contest, man to man and bayonet to
bayonet. At first it was furious smithing, gleaming thrust and parry,
stab and