-fifth Brigade, to the south, had the good fortune to turn
the flank of the Germans north of Neuve Chapelle. Then the entire
Twenty-third Brigade forced its way to the orchard northeast of the
village, where it met the Twenty-fourth Brigade, which included the
First Worcesters, Second East Lancashires, First Sherwood Foresters,
and the Second Northamptons. The Twenty-fourth Brigade had fought its
way through from the Neuve Chapelle-Armentieres road. As soon as this
had been accomplished by the British, their artillery proceeded to
send such a rain of shrapnel fire between the village and the Germans
that a counterattack was quite impossible. This gave the victors an
opportunity to intrench themselves practically at their leisure. The
plans of the British commander had embraced a forward movement when
the troops had reached this point, but they had not included a means
of keeping communication with the various units intact. The telegraph
and telephone wires had been cut by the shot and shell of both sides;
and there was no opportunity to repair them until it was too late to
take advantage of the demoralization of the Germans. Moreover, the
delay of the Twenty-third Brigade had so disarranged the plans of the
British that it is doubtful if they would not have failed in part even
if the means of communication had not been destroyed. Nevertheless,
Sir John French wrote: "I am of the opinion that this delay would not
have occurred had the clearly expressed orders of the general officer
commanding the First Army been more carefully observed."

There was also an additional delay in bringing up the reserves of the
Fourth Corps. Thus it was not until 3.30 p. m. that three brigades of
the Seventh Division, the Twentieth, Twenty-first, and Twenty-second
Brigades were in their places on the left of the Twenty-fourth
Brigade. Then the left moved southward toward Aubers. At the same time
the Indian Corps, composed of the Garhwal Brigade and the Dehra Dun
Brigade, forced its way through the Bois du Biez toward the ridge.
Strong opposition was met with to such an extent, however, that the
Thirty-ninth Garhwals and the Second Leicesters suffered severe losses
on reaching a German position which had practically escaped the heavy
artillery fire. A German outpost at the bridge held the Dehra Dun
Brigade, which was supported by the Jullundur Brigade of the Lahore
Division, in its attack farther to the south on the line of the River
Des Laye