The Battle of Givenchy was an inconclusive Great War battle between British and German forces in December 1914. In early December 1914 an Allied force was opposing strong German defences around Givenchy, a French village in the Pas-de-Calais. In order to relieve pressure on the French, then fighting at Arras, orders were given to attack and pin down the Germans so that they could not reinforce Arras. Indian troops of the Lahore division attacked on the 19th of December and captured two lines of German trenches but were then driven out by a fierce counterattack.
On the 20th of December the Germans, strongly reinforced, mounted a sudden attack against the Indian trenches which were inundated due to rain, and broke through to occupy part of the village. Two British battalions in reserve were called up and recaptured the village in the evening. The battle continued and several salients were driven into the British line, until Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig brought up reinforcements from the 1st Army on the 21st of December, relieved the Indian division, and forced the Germans back to their original line. The battle died out the following day with all participants back where they had started, at a cost of about 4, 000 British and 2,000 German casualties. Research Battle of Givenchy
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