machines being encountered. During July 23-24, 1917,
British airmen dropped between four and five tons of bombs on enemy
aerodromes, ammunition depots, and railway junctions with good
results. North and east of Ypres the British made several raids during
the 24th, capturing 114 prisoners, including two officers.

On the French front General Petain, commander in chief of the French
armies, found time while the battle was still raging to review the
famous division whose four regiments had won the highest honors at
Verdun, Nieuport, on the Somme, and in the Champagne. The troops which
had been fighting for three years showed outwardly no sign of the
terrible ordeals they had undergone, holding themselves proudly erect
as they passed the saluting base amid the strains of military music
and flying colors. General Petain, who believed in treating his men as
if they were his own sons, commended their bravery and thanked them in
the name of the Republic for the brilliant example they had set to the
other soldiers of France.

The loss of the plateaus north of Craonne continued to rankle in the
mind of the German command, and repeated efforts were made to recover
these precious positions. In the night of July 25, 1917, a ferocious
attack was made on the French lines on a front of about two miles
from La Bovelle Farm to a point east of Hurtebise. In the face of a
murderous fire from the French artillery that wrought havoc in the
advancing masses the Germans pressed on and succeeded in occupying
portions of French first-line trenches south of Ailles. Repeated
attacks made on Hurtebise Farm broke down under French artillery fire.
Attacks on Mont Haut, following an intense bombardment that lasted all
night long, failed to make any progress. North of Auberive the French
carried out a successful operation during which they penetrated German
trenches and continued their advance.

In Flanders in the night of the 25th the town of Nieuport, which had
been in ruins since the first year of the war, was bombarded by the
Germans with guns of every caliber. The British guns replied with
equal violence, so that for miles around the air vibrated day and
night and the ground shook with tremors.

East of Monchy the Germans resumed action, 400 attacking with flame
throwers the line of British trenches that had already been smashed by
artillery fire, and succeeded in occupying some posts of no great
importance.

In the Champagne the sorely trie