The Story of the Great War, Volume 3: History of the European War from Official Sources
History
The Story of the Great War, Volume 3: History of the European War from Official Sources
World War, 1914-1918
The bombardment of Rheims was continued on March 4, 1915, and lasted
all day, a shell falling about every three minutes. While the
bombardment was in progress the Germans captured an advanced trench
from the French to the north of Arras, near Notre Dame de Lorette; but
in the Argonne the French made fresh progress in the region of
Vauquois. On the following day, March 5, however, the French made
successful counterattacks in the region of Notre Dame de Lorette. The
Germans lost the advanced positions which they had taken from the
French and held them for two days. At Hartmannsweilerkopf, in Alsace,
the French captured a trench, a small fort, and two machine guns. They
also repulsed a counterattack opposite Uffholz, and blew up an
ammunition store at Cernay. On the same night, the French drove back
the German advanced posts which were trying to establish themselves on
the Sillakerkopf, a spur east of Hohneck.
The French continued to gain ground, on March 7, to the north of Arras
in the region of Notre Dame de Lorette, where their attacks carried
some German trenches. The German losses were considerable. During this
first week in March, 1915, the French carried successively, to the
west of Muenster, the two summits of the Little and the Great
Reichaelerkopf. The Germans made two counterattacks starting from
Muehlbach and Stossweiler; but they were unsuccessful. On the right
bank of the Fecht the French captured Imburg, one kilometer southeast
of Sultzern. This success was completed farther to the north by the
capture of Hill 856 to the south of the Hutes Hutles. Finally, at
Hartmannsweilerkopf the French repelled a counterattack delivered by a
German battalion which suffered heavy losses and left numerous
prisoners in the hands of the French.
On March 8, 1915, the French gained two hundred meters on the ridge
northeast of Mesnil which they added to the gains of the previous
day. Here the French carried a German redoubt, took a revolver gun and
three machine guns, and made some prisoners. The Germans had armored
shelters supplied with revolver guns and very deep subterranean
chambers. In the Argonne, between Four-de-Paris and Bolante, the
French delivered an attack which made them masters of the first line
of German trenches of more than two hundred meters in length.
To the north of Rheims in front of the Bois de Luxembourg, the Germans
attempted, on March 14, to carry one of the French advanced trenches,
but were repulsed. On the same day, between Four-de-Paris and Bolante
in the Argonne, the French gained three hundred meters of trenches,
and took some prisoners. Two counterattacks which the Germans made
were unsuccessful.
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