ce in the same methodical manner as
the British command. At half past 7 on the morning of July 1, 1916,
the French infantry dashed forward to assault the German trenches.
During a period of nearly two years the Germans had been allowed
leisure to strongly fortify their positions. At different points there
were two, three and four lines of trenches bounded by deep ditches,
with the woods and the village of Curlu organized for defense. But the
magnificent driving power of the French infantry carried all before
it, and by a single dash they overran and captured the foremost German
works. Mounting the steep ascent of the height that is called
Chapeau-de-Gendarme the young soldiers of the class of 1916, who then
and there received their baptism of fire, waved their hats and
handkerchiefs and shouted "Vive la France!"

The French troops had reached the first houses of the village of Curlu
occupied by Bavarian troops, who offered a most stubborn resistance.
Machine guns and mitrailleuses, which the French bombardment had not
destroyed, appeared suddenly on the roofs of houses, in the ventholes
of the cellars, and in every available opening.

The French infantry, obedient to the orders they had received, at once
stopped their advance and crouched on the ground while the French
artillery recommenced a terrible bombardment of the village. In about
half an hour most of the houses in the place had been razed to the
ground, and the enemy guns were silenced. This time without pause the
French infantry went forward and Curlu was captured without a single
casualty. The Germans later attempted a counterattack, but the village
remained in French hands.

There were found in the ruined houses a large number of packages which
had been put together by the Bavarians, consisting of articles of
dress, pieces of furniture, household ornaments, and a great variety
of objects stolen from the inhabitants of the village. The sudden
attack of the French troops did not allow the Bavarians time to
escape with their loot.

During the three days that followed the French were entirely occupied
with organizing and consolidating the positions they had conquered.

At 7 a. m. on July 5, 1916, they began a fresh offensive. In a few
hours' fighting the village of Hem and all the surrounding trenches
had been captured. About noon the few houses in the village to which
the Germans had clung tenaciously were evacuated.

Thanks to the prudence of the French