ey
took what was still in existence at La Targette, and the important
crossroads there. They waged a fierce fight in and around the village
of Neuville St. Vaast, which was stoutly defended by German machine
guns. Here there was house-to-house fighting. The French center,
farther north, charged over the remnants of the White Works, and
went on beyond the Arras-Bethune road. This section of the advance
took more than two and a half miles of trenches in an hour and a
half. On the left the French were unable to maintain such speed,
because of the many ravines. They took the outlying sections of
Carency, and worked their way eastward, cutting the road to Souchez.
At the end of the first day the French had to their credit three
lines of German trenches on a five-mile front, 3,000 prisoners,
10 field guns, and 50 machine guns.

The bombardment was continued all night by the French gunners,
while the men who had taken the trenches did their best to make
such repairs as were necessary for the protection of the victors.
On the morning of the following day, May 10, 1915, the soldiers of
the republic had forced their way into the center of the German
position. North of the plateau of Notre Dame de Lorette a feint
attack was made to hold the German reserves. When the first French
line was about to dash forward to complete their work of the day
before, they suddenly received an order to remain where they were
and seek all cover possible. One of the French aviators had seen
a German counterattack getting under way near the sugar factory
at Souchez. Preparatory to the Teuton advance the German artillery
hurled hundreds of high-explosive shells on the section where the
French would have been had they not received the order to keep
under cover. To be exposed under such conditions would have meant
annihilation. Believing their plans for the counterattack were
working favorably, the Germans advanced, only to be mowed down
by the French guns. Then the French infantry charged and gained
another trench line. So eager were the younger French soldiers
that some of those who charged from the south were not content with
taking the trench which was their objective point, but dashed on
into a ravine that extended in the direction of Ablain. There they
killed or made prisoners of the Germans they found. This dash was
extremely hazardous in the face of a possible German counterattack,
which luckily for the French did not occur as the Teutons retir