the following day, Wednesday, May 19, 1915. The Fifty-first Division
and the Canadians took the places of the men who were sadly in need of
relief from active duty. Lieutenant General Alderson received the
command of both divisions together with the artillery of both the
Second and Seventh Divisions. The cold, wet weather hampered
operations and there was comparatively little activity, though
hostilities by no means altogether ceased. Each side needed a little
rest and time to fill in gaps in their respective lines. Hence it was
not until Sunday, May 23, that any fighting on a large scale took
place. On that day the Seventh Prussian Army Corps made a desperate
effort to break through that part of the British line held by the
Canadians near Festubert. The Prussians used their old tactics with
the result that the British shrapnel, rifle, and machine-gun fire
plowed great holes in their ranks. The Teutons in this instance were
without adequate artillery support, for many of their batteries had
been made useless by the British. From then on to May 25, 1915, there
were several small engagements in which the British made gains. Then
Sir John French concluded to end the activity of his men on this part
of the front. In that connection he made the following statement: "I
had now reasons to consider that the battle which was commenced by the
First Army on May 9 and renewed on the 16th, having attained for the
moment the immediate object I had in view, should not be further
actively proceeded with.

"In the battle of Festubert the enemy was driven from a position which
was strongly intrenched and fortified, and ground was won on a front
of four miles to an average depth of 600 yards."

CHAPTER XXII

ATTACKS AT LA BASSEE

The British had discovered the futility of attempting to smash through
the German lines without an adequate supply of high-explosive shells
with which to destroy the heavy wire entanglements. Moreover, in
maintaining a curtain of fire between the German lines and potential
reenforcements, it was necessary to increase the artillery arm of the
service. At this time the Germans could fire four shells to one by the
British. Another very essential equipment in which the British were
lacking was machine guns. The German army had developed machine-gun
warfare apparently to its highest power. They not only used it to
increase their volume of fire, but also as a means of saving their
infantry. When, for any