h trenches on a 216-yard front, but at all other points where
they advanced the French counterattacks and barrage fire rolled them
back and wrought disaster among their ranks.

During the last week of May, 1917, the French forces along the
Chemin-des-Dames only fought on the defensive. The Germans attempted
to regain lost positions, but were unsuccessful in obtaining the
slightest advantage, while their losses must have been considerable.

CHAPTER LIX

THE BATTLE OF MESSINES RIDGE--BRITISH SMASH THE GERMAN SALIENT SOUTH
OF YPRES

After an intense bombardment that lasted all day of June 1, 1917, and
part of the night the Germans on the 2d, employing large forces,
hurled five attacks on the French Craonne position; three against the
eastern face of Californie Plateau and two against Vauclerc Plateau.
It seemed as if the Germans hoped to win the coveted position on the
heights by sheer weight of numbers. Advancing in dense masses shoulder
to shoulder they formed an impressive spectacle. But not for long.
Soon great gaps were torn in the solid lines by the famous French
artillery.

The ranks quickly closed up and again surged onward in dense gray
waves, only to be shattered again and again by the splendidly served
French guns. The same process was repeated, the Germans advancing,
their ranks depleting, and then as the French fire became even more
destructive they fell back, leaving the battle ground littered with
dead.

The French rightly called this a victory, for they maintained all
their positions and the Germans had not succeeded in gaining a
foothold at any point. The German headquarters was silent concerning
the fight on this date.

While the French continued to hold their position on the eastern
extremity of the Chemin-des-Dames they threatened to turn the right
flank of the Laon bastion by an advance over the open ground north of
Berry-au-Bac. For this reason the Germans were desperately anxious to
recover the Craonne position, which was the key to the whole tactical
situation in this part of the front.

For about two weeks the British had been bombarding the strong German
salient south of Ypres. On June 7, 1917, they delivered against this
position or series of fortifications an overwhelming blow. It was one
of the most spectacular military operations carried out during the war
and marked a brilliant victory for the Allied arms. By this startling
coup the Germans were forced out of one of the str