X Corps would attack north-eastwards from Arras, to cover the southern flank of XXXIII Corps. Artillery support for the offensive would consist of including by 25 December. As a deception, the French sapped forward to reduce the width of no man's land to , at all places on the Western Front where an attack was feasible. Foch ordered Maud'Huy to slow the planned pace of the offensive, of successive attacks on several days, to ensure artillery support for the infantry, which was intended to substitute shells for lives. The offensive was fought from but despite the careful preparations achieved little. Artillery support was insufficient and rains turned the battlefield into a morass. XXI Corps managed a short advance and captured about of the German front trench and X Corps captured a small area of ground near Arras. The XXXIII Corps attack began next day and was equally frustrated by the German defence. Next day the corps concentrated its attack on Carency to little effect until 27 December, when of front-line trench was captured, only for most to be lost to a German counter-attack. Bad weather then delayed the offensive and on 5 January, Joffre decided to reinforce the Fourth Army, where the First Battle of Champagne (), had been more successful, with troops from the Tenth Army, the offensive in Artois being officially ended on 13 January. Notes Footnotes References Books Websites Further reading Books Encyclopaedias External links Battle of Arras 1914 Arras 1 Arras 1 Arras 1 Arras 1 1914 in France Arras Arras October 1914 events France–Germany military relations