estubert, the First Gloucestershire
Regiment continuing the line southward along the track east of
Festubert.

The First Brigade had established itself on the east side of Givenchy.

By 3 P.M. the Third Brigade was concentrated at Le Touret, and was
ordered to retake the trenches which had been lost by the Dehr Dun
Brigade.

By 10 P.M. the support trenches west of the orchard had been carried,
but the original fire trenches had been so completely destroyed that
they could not be occupied.

This operation was performed by the First Loyal North Lancashire
Regiment and the First Northamptonshire Regiment, supported by the
Second King's Royal Rifle Corps, in reserve.

Throughout this day the units of the Indian Corps rendered all the
assistance and support they could in view of their exhausted condition.

At 1 P.M. on the 22d Sir Douglas Haig took over command from Sir James
Willcocks. The situation in the front line was then approximately as
follows:

South of the La Bassee Canal the Connaught Rangers of the Ferozepore
Brigade had not been attacked. North of the canal a short length of our
original line was still held by the Ninth Bhopals and the Fifty-seventh
Rifles of the same brigade. Connecting with the latter was the First
Brigade, holding the village of Givenchy and its eastern and northern
approaches. On the left of the First Brigade was the Third Brigade.
Tenth had been lost between the left of the former and the right of the
latter. The Third Brigade held a line along, and in places advanced to,
the east of the Festubert Road. Its left was in communication with the
right of the Meerut Division line, where troops of the Second Brigade
had just relieved the First Seaforth Highlanders. To the north, units of
the Second Brigade held an indented line west of the orchard, connecting
with half of the Second Royal Highlanders, half of the Forty-first
Dogras, and the First Battalion Ninth Gurkha Rifles. From this point to
the north the Ninth Jats and the whole of the Garhwal Brigade occupied
the original line which they had held from the commencement of the
operations.

The relief of most units of the southern sector was effected on the
night of Dec. 22. The Meerut Division remained under the orders of the
First Corps, and was not completely withdrawn until Dec. 27.

In the evening the position at Givenchy was practically re-established,
and the Third Brigade had reoccupied the old line of trenches.

During th