f the war at this stage--the
Liverpool Irish. They all had to face the new and most infamous
methods of fighting introduced by the Germans, clouds of asphyxiating
gas and sheets of liquid fire, the opening, literally, of "the mouth
of hell" in warfare. But these horrors were encountered and overcome
by the Irish battalions with the same valour as had previously
rendered vain the more legitimate weapons and methods of the enemy.

Neuve Chapelle is a rural village, with many enclosed gardens and
orchards, four miles to the north of La Bassee, and on the road
between Bethune and Armentieres. Fierce engagements for its possession
were fought in October and November, 1914. The Germans were driven out
of it on October 16th. It was retaken by them at the beginning of
November; and though strongly entrenched and barricaded by the enemy
it was finally captured by the British on March 11th and 12th, 1915.

The 2nd Royal Irish Rifles took part in the severe fighting around the
village at the end of October, 1914, and, as I have already stated,
were highly praised by Smith-Dorrien for their valiancy in holding up
a big German attack. They lost heavily on that occasion, but their
dead were avenged by the help the battalion gave in inflicting so
serious a defeat upon the enemy as the victorious reoccupation of
Neuve Chapelle. The first glimpse we got of the Royal Irish Rifles in
the battle is in a letter written by an officer of a battalion which
was closely co-operating with them, Captain and Adjutant E.H. Impey,
of the 2nd Lincoln Regiment. "The Irish Rifles came through us," he
says, referring to proceedings on March 10th, "and we cheered them
lustily. Lieutenant Graham was rallying his men round him with a
French newsboy's horn, giving a 'view-hallo' occasionally just as a
master collects his pack."

Captain Impey states that on the next day, March 11th, the Lincolns
were ordered to support the Irish Rifles, "Owing to some mistake," he
says, "the Irish Rifles attacked before their time, and so got no
artillery support. They lost very heavily in officers and men." It was
on this day that the battalion suffered the grievous loss of their
commanding officer, Lieut.-Colonel George Brenton Laurie. On the
first day Colonel Laurie seemed to have had a charmed life. "He
deliberately walked up and down, giving orders and cheering the men on
amid a flood of fire," says Sergeant-Major Miller of the battalion.
"He seemed unconscious of th