out 3 o'clock the German infantry attacked. They
succeeded in capturing the first French line, where many soldiers had
fallen half asphyxiated by the gas shells, or were buried under the
debris. Hill 265 was occupied, but the highest summit, owing to the
valor of its defenders, remained in French hands. During the night the
French succeeded in stemming the German advance by executing a
brilliant counterattack which carried them to the slope between Hill
295 and Bethincourt, where they came in touch with the enemy.

The French at once proceeded by daring efforts to improve their
positions, and were so successful that when during the 16th and 18th
the Germans after prolonged bombardments resumed their attack on Hill
295 they were repulsed with appalling losses.

Having failed to capture Mort Homme from the front, the Germans now
attempted to outflank it. They enlarged the attacking front in the
sector of Malancourt and tried to take Hill 304. In order to do this
it was necessary for them to take the southeastern point of the
Avocourt Wood which was held by the French. On March 20, 1916, the
crown prince threw a fresh division against these woods, the Eleventh
Bavarian, belonging to a selected corps that had seen service in the
Galician and Polish campaigns with Mackensen's army. This division
launched a number of violent attacks, making use of flame throwers.
They succeeded in capturing Avocourt Wood, but in the advance on Hill
304 they were caught between two converging fires and suffered the
most appalling losses. According to the figures given by a neutral
military critic, Colonel Feyler, between March 20 and 22, 1916, the
three regiments of this division lost between 50 and 60 per cent of
their number.

This decisive result had the effect of stopping for the time at least
any further attacks by the Germans in this sector. A period of calm
ensued, which they employed in bringing up fresh troops and in
reconstituting their units. Their costly sacrifices in men and
material had brought them little gain. They had advanced their line to
Bethincourt and Cumieres, but the objective they had been so eager to
capture, Mort Homme, was in French possession, and so strongly held
that it could only be captured at an exceedingly heavy price.

CHAPTER XLV

THE STRUGGLE FOR VAUX FORT AND VILLAGE--BATTLE OF MORT HOMME

On the right bank of the Meuse the Germans on March 8, 1916, resumed
their offensive against the Frenc