The remains of the French battalion took their stand fifty yards S.W. of the village and prevented the enemy from debouching. On the 3rd two battalions of the 172nd and 174th line regiments retook the village at the point of the bayonet. During the night the Germans counter-attacked twice unsuccessfully with heavy loss, 800 dead being counted in front of one of the French trenches. On the 4th a third and more powerful counter-attack succeeded in driving the French from the village, but broke down against new positions 200 yards to the south. The French were compelled to fall back in May and June, but returned victorious to the ruined village on October 24th. [Illustration: DAME RAVINE. The road from Thiaumont to Bras follows it, ending at Haudromont Quarries (_see Itinerary, p. 57_). The tree-stumps in the foreground formed part of Chauffour Wood.] [Illustration: POSITION OF GERMAN BATTERY DESTROYED IN CHAUFFOUR WOOD.] [Illustration: HAUDROMONT QUARRIES IN SEPTEMBER, 1917.] VI.—From Douaumont Fort to Bras and Samogneux _A down-hill road leads direct from Douaumont Village to Thiaumont Farm, where the tourist will take his car again._ _Follow the road, which turns to the left and passes through Dame Ravine._ On all sides the chaotic waste testifies to the terrible hammering which this region received from the guns (_see photo, p. 78, and map, p. 73_). _The tourist leaves_ =Chauffour Wood= _on his right_ (_photos, p. 78_). This wood extends to the north of the road and approaches to within a few hundred yards of Douaumont on the west. The CVth German Infantry was cut to pieces here on the morning of February 26th, 1916, and on March 2nd the XXIst German Division suffered a similar fate there. During a powerful attack around Douaumont on April 16th the Germans occupied a small salient S. of the wood, but were soon after partially driven out, while on December 17th the wood was entirely cleared of them by the Zouaves and Tirailleurs of the 38th D.I. The enemy’s efforts to retake it and Albain Wood to the S.W. were unsuccessful. _Continue to descend_; =Haudromont Quarries= _will be reached shortly afterwards_. Around these positions, which dominate the ravine debouching at the stream near Bras, furious indecisive fighting took place, more especially on March 18th, April 22nd and May 8th, 9th, 10th, 22nd, 26th and 27th, 1916. They were finally taken on October 24th by the French 11th line regiment. Fighting was very bitter around the quarries, which form a rough oblong 200 to 300 yards long, fifty to sixty yards wide, visible from afar on account of their white colour. The enemy had cut galleries, casemates and shelters in the chalky soil, the whole forming a redoubtable position. After encircling the quarries, the French captured them with grenades. [Illustration: HAUDROMONT WOOD IN MARCH, 1917]