▁output ▁was ▁ins u fficient ▁to ▁equip ▁the ▁new ▁divisions ▁and ▁existing ▁divisions ▁which ▁still ▁had ▁two ▁art illery ▁brig ades ▁with ▁two ▁reg iments ▁each , ▁lost ▁a ▁regiment ▁and ▁the ▁brig ade ▁headquarters , ▁leaving ▁three ▁reg iments . ▁Again st ▁the ▁new ▁scales ▁of ▁equipment , ▁British ▁divisions ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁had ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁machine - g uns ▁and ▁the ▁French ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁machine - g uns . ▁ ▁For ced ▁labour ▁The ▁im position ▁of ▁comp uls ory ▁labour ▁for ▁prisoners ▁of ▁war ▁and ▁deport ed ▁Belg ian ▁and ▁Polish ▁workers ▁began ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 5 . ▁Three ▁decre es ▁of ▁increasing ▁sever ity ▁were ▁issued ▁between ▁ 1 5 ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁and ▁ 1 3 ▁May ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁On ▁ 2 6 ▁October ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁ 7 2 9 ▁people ▁who ▁were ▁un emp loy ed ▁or ▁" work - sh y " ▁were ▁picked ▁up ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁time ▁that ▁deport ations ▁ceased ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁February ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁ 1 1 5 ▁deport ation ▁operations ▁had ▁taken ▁place . ▁The ▁hope ▁of ▁O HL ▁to ▁obtain ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁workers ▁per ▁week ▁was ▁not ▁real ised ▁and ▁only ▁ 6 0 , 8 4 7 ▁deport ations ▁were ▁achieved . ▁The ▁army ▁took ▁the ▁Bel gi ans ▁to ▁cam ps ▁where ▁a ▁deliber ately ▁har sh