MAY, 1915




General Sir John French's Own Story

The Costly Victory of Neuve Chapelle


_LONDON, April 14.--Field Marshal Sir John French, commander of the
British expeditionary forces on the Continent, reports the British
losses in the three days' fighting at Neuve Chapelle last month, as
follows: Killed, 190 officers, 2,337 men; wounded, 359 officers, 8,174
other ranks; missing, 23 officers, 1,728 men; total casualties, 12,811.
The report continues:_

The enemy left several thousand dead on the field, and we have positive
information that upward of 12,000 wounded were removed by trains. Thirty
officers and 1,657 of other ranks were captured.

_The British commander's dispatch concerning the battle is long, and
says, among other things:_

Considerable delay occurred after the capture of Neuve Chapelle, and the
infantry was greatly disorganized. I am of the opinion that this delay
would not have occurred had the clearly expressed order of the general
officer commanding the First Army been more carefully observed.