t Metz on May 1, 1915. The great desire to take Alsace and Lorraine,
however, was set aside early in the month. The plight of Russia
at this time made it imperative for the Allies to make a great
movement on the western front to prevent as much as possible the
pressure on the czar's line. Hence the campaign which seemed to
be planned by the French was abandoned for a larger opportunity.
This was the advance of the Tenth Army in the Artois over the plain
of the Scheldt in the direction of Douai and Valenciennes, thereby
threatening the communications of the entire Teuton line from Soissons
to Lille. Hence the French started a vigorous movement against
Lens, while the British sought to take Lille.

* * * * *

CHAPTER VII

CAMPAIGN IN ARTOIS REGION

To understand properly the campaign in the Artois, it is necessary
to have at least a fair knowledge of the geography and the topography
of the territory between La Bassee and Arras.

The valley of the Scarpe is held in on the south by low hills, and
on the north by a low plateau, which descends in long ridges to the
valley of the Lys and the plains about Lens. The greatest altitude
in this section is the ridge known as Notre-Dame de Lorette, running
east and west, and containing numerous ravines. To the south of it,
in a little valley, is the town of Albain St. Nazaire. Carency
is opposite on the next ridge. Next is the Bois de Berthonval in
the middle of a wide depression. Beyond, the land ascends to Mont
St. Eloi. The valley of the Lys is to the north of the Lorette
ridge. To the east the land descends to the long, narrow valley
in which is the highway between Arras and Bethune. La Targette
and Souchez are along the way. Again the land rolls upward to the
hills of Vimy with the Lens-Arras highway beyond them.

The Teutons held a salient in this region at the beginning of May,
1915. The line which bounded this salient ran east of Loos over
the Bethune-Lens road, east of Aix-Noulette, and appeared on the
Lorette plateau considerably to the west of its tallest spur, where
was situated the Chapel of Our Lady; running out to the prow of
the salient, it took in Albain; and then proceeded to Carency;
bending closely, it ran east of the Bois de Berthonval, taking
in La Targette and the Arras-Bethune highway. That part of the
German line was called by the French the "White Works," on account
of the chalk with which the breastworks were constru