 When he took command, the British offensive had stalled, with the troops badly supplied and falling sick in large numbers.Hoskins reorganised the transport and medical services and improved the lines of communication, intending to renew the offensive when the unusually heavy rains ended.Although he achieved much, he did not have the confidence of the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, General Sir William Robertson, who considered that Hoskins "had lost his grip of the operations" and replaced him with the South African Jacob van DeVenter on 23 April 1917.