The Battle of La Bassée was a battle between British and German forces in northern France in October 1914, and was part of the Race to the Sea. The German 6th Army took Lille before the British force could secure the town, while the 4th Army arrived and attacked the exposed British flank at Ypres. The British were driven back; the German Army occupied La Bassée and Neuve Chapelle. Around 15 October, the British took over the initiative and recaptured Givenchy. However, they failed to reach La Bassée. Meanwhile, the German troops got reinforcements, and retook the initiative. Thanks to the arrival of the Lahore Division of the Indian Corps, the British held off the further German attacks until early November, when both sides focused their interest on the battle of Ypres, so the battle aroun