This brings the narrative up to an hour after mid-day of the 20th December, at which time news was received that the left of the Ferozepore Brigade had been driven back and that Givenchy was being heavily attacked. The Artillery was working with a precision that spoke volumes for them, and I felt assured that, come what might, the gunners, most of whom I had known well in India, would answer to any call, and prove as ever that their motto is well called “Ubique.” Of the Indian battalions of the newly-arrived Sirhind Brigade two were Gurkhas and the third was the 125th Rifles. The 1st Gurkhas (King George’s Own) was raised in 1815 from soldiers who took service with the British after the fall of Malaun. It went through many changes of name and shared in many campaigns from Bhurtpore and Aliwal to Tirah. In 1910 it received its present title. A second battalion had been added in 1886. The 4th Gurkhas was raised in 1857 as the “Extra Gurkha Regiment.” Its battle honours date from “Ali Musjid and Kabul, 1879,” to “China, 1900.” A second battalion was added in 1886. The 125th (Napier’s) Rifles was raised in 1820, largely from men who had served in the Peishwa’s Army. The battalion received several titles connecting it with the old Bombay Army from time to time, until in 1903 its present designation was conferred upon it. It had served under Napier at Meanee and last seen service in Burmah 1885–87. My story of the action of the Meerut Division stopped at about this same hour, and it is convenient to take a retrospect and see how the Army Corps stood exactly at this time in order to better follow the battle. Beginning with our right, the Ferozepore Brigade was next to and on the left of the French XXIst Corps d’Armée, the Commander of which had placed two Territorial battalions at the disposal of the Lahore Division. The right battalion of the Ferozepore Brigade, the Connaught Rangers, held the trenches south of the La Bassée Canal. On their left, covering the east of Givenchy, were the greater part of the 57th Rifles and part of the 9th Bhopals; these troops had not so far been attacked. The 129th Baluchis was the left battalion of this Brigade and, as I said, had just then been reported as retiring. Continuing to the left stood the Sirhind Brigade, lately arrived from Egypt, and hence fresher for work than others. The 4th and 1st Gurkhas and H.L.I. held the front; companies of the Highlanders being interspersed in the Gurkha ranks. The machine-guns of the 125th Rifles of this Brigade were also up in the trenches. This ended the line held by the Lahore Division, and the movements of the Divisional reserves have already been explained. As will have been seen from the description of the fighting, this whole Brigade had been driven back and held a now considerably retired line.