Division and 28th Division, both composed of Regular Army battalions brought back from various Imperial postings. Order of Battle February 1915 General Officer Commanding (GOC): Lt-Gen Sir Herbert Plumer Brigadier-General, General Staff (BGGS): Brig-Gen Hugh Jeudwine Brigadier-General, Royal Artillery (BGRA): Brig-Gen S.D. Browne Colonel, Royal Engineers: Col R.D. Petrie 27th Division 28th Division 1915 fighting The two infantry divisions had taken over French trenches in front of the Messines-Wytschaete Ridge, south of the Ypres Salient. These trenches were wet and poorly protected, and the Indian-issue boots worn by many of the men were inadequate. They had to endure shelling and occasional trench raids as well as bad weather. V Corps played a peripheral part in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle to the south, and then 27th Division took part in the action at St Eloi (14–15 March 1915). In April 1915, V Corps shifted northwards, taking over the sector from St Eloi to St Julien from the French Army. Now, with three divisions under command (first the 5th Division and then the newly arrived 1st Canadian Division were added), V Corps held the whole south-eastern and eastern part of the Ypres Salient. Between 17 and 22 April, 5 Division succeeded in capturing Hill 60 after underground mines had been fired. On 22 April, the Germans launched the Second Battle of Ypres with the first cloud gas attack, which virtually destroyed the French divisions in the north of the salient and drove in the flank of 1st Canadian Division. Over the following days, V Corps struggled to plug the gap and hold the line. On 28 April, the BEF was subjected to renewed Germans attacks and Plumer was given an enlarged command – 'Plumer's force', comprising the Cavalry Corps, 3rd (Lahore) Division, 50th (Northumbrian) Division and brigades from 4th and 5th Division in addition to V Corps – and was ordered to organise a withdrawal to the 'Frezenberg Line'. As a result, Second Army was reduced to a single corps and its commander, Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien, resigned. Plumer was appointed to succeed Smith-Dorrien, and V Corps reverted to Second Army control, with Lt-Gen Edmund Allenby transferred from Cavalry Corps to take command. During the Battle of Frezenberg Ridge (8–13 May), the Germans shelled the 27th and 28th Divisions off the untenable ridge. V Corps lost 456 officers and 8935 other ranks during this battle. The following Battle of Bellewarde Ridge (24–25