From January, 1915, the French operations were directed against the western portion, towards Quart-en-Réserve and Croix des Carmes Hill. Four lines of trenches bristling with machine-guns and defences held up the attack. The ground had to be taken bit by bit, and often a counter-attack would win back in the evening the gains of several days’ hard fighting. The first line was carried on January 17, and the second on February 16. At this point aerial torpedoes and hand grenades caused progress to slow down. The third line was captured on March 30. Attacks and counter-attacks followed. Fighting with hand grenades took place in the communicating trenches, behind barrages, and the artillery on both sides covered this narrow strip of ground with projectiles, breaking down the parapets and destroying the communicating trenches. The Germans, who lost heavily, brought up endless reinforcements—in all about sixteen battalions—thus showing the importance which they attached to this position. [Illustration: CEMETERY IN PRÊTRE WOOD] The final attack was launched on May 12. The French carried the blockhouses and the northern slopes beyond the crest, but the enemy still clung to the eastern and western slopes. However, the wood was won, and the splendid observation-post which the hill afforded was thenceforth in the hands of the French. In the little cemetery on the hillside hundreds of heroes sleep their last sleep. The slopes near the road throughout this district are one vast cemetery, while the wood proper hides beneath its soil hundreds of dead entombed by the explosion of mines or the falling-in of trenches. This wood of tragic memories was called by the Germans “_The Wood of Death_,” or “_The Widows’ Wood_.” [Illustration] _Leave_ =Pont-à-Mousson= _by Avenue Carnot, cross the railway (l.c.), leaving N.57 on the left (which follows the railway towards Nancy) and continue along N.58 to_ =Montauville=, _2 km. from Pont-à-Mousson_. This village did not suffer much. _On entering, there are_ several large concrete machine-gun blockhouses _on the right_. The nearest dressing station was at Montauville, in the cellar of a ruined house. First aid was given in the trenches or in the little hut near the big oak tree. From Montauville the wounded were taken in motors to Pont-à-Mousson. There was a constant procession of ambulances, stretcher-bearers and hospital attendants on the road. [Illustration: ENTRANCE TO PRÊTRE WOOD _Motors stop at the fork. The road to the left leads to Fey-en-Haye, Tourists should take the one to the right leading to the Père Hilarion Fountain and the Croix des Carmes._]