h resulted in the
destruction of enemy works and the capture of a number of prisoners.

The small gains made by the French and British during the first weeks
of February, 1917, were not especially important in themselves, but
each slight advance brought the Allies nearer to important German
positions. The daily trench raids served to harass and bewilder the
common enemy, and while the number of prisoners taken were few in each
instance, in the aggregate the number was impressive. The British and
French were not disposed to squander lives recklessly in these minor
exploits, and it was only when they were within striking distance of
an important objective that they operated with strong forces and the
most powerful guns at their command.

The Canadians, who always displayed a special liking for trench raids,
and were uncommonly successful in such operations, engaged in one on
the morning of February 13, 1917, which merits description in some
detail. The attack was made on a 600-yard front between Souchez and
Givenchy. The Germans under the shell storm that shattered their
trenches had retreated to the depths of their dugouts, and while it
lasted few ventured forth to oppose the raiders. The British
bombardment had been so effective that the German machine-gun
emplacements must have been destroyed or were buried under debris, for
only a few guns spoke out as the Canadians "went over." The Germans in
the dugouts could not be coaxed out. Explosives thrown into their
hiding places must have produced appalling consequences. The sturdy
Canadians did not relish this kind of work, but there was no
alternative. For an hour they searched the mine shafts and galleries
around Givenchy and destroyed them. Some Germans in the depths were
killed before they could explode certain mines they had prepared under
British positions. About fifty prisoners of the Eleventh Bavarian
Regiment were captured who had fought in Russia, at Verdun, and on the
Somme.

Five hours later the same Canadian troops, unwearied by this strenuous
experience, were carrying out another raid farther south, where they
obtained good results.

On this date, February 14, 1917, the steady pressure maintained by
the British forced the Germans to abandon advanced positions between
Serre and the Somme and to fall back on their main fighting position.

[Illustration: One of the strange armoured automobiles or "tanks" with
which the British surprised the Germans in Septe