With the French under heavy pressure at Arras the order was given that the British force would provide relief by attacking the Germans around Givenchy, thus preventing German reinforcement of Arras from that quarter. Sharp fighting broke out on 19 December when Indian troops from the 3rd (Lahore) Division launched an attack, successfully capturing two lines of German trenches. However their success was short-lived: a prompt and aggressive counter-action pushed the Indian troops back out again.