The Story of the Great War, Volume 6: History of the European War from Official Sources
History
The Story of the Great War, Volume 6: History of the European War from Official Sources
World War, 1914-1918
On the last day of the month French troops in the Champagne made a new
attack on both sides of Mont Carnillet, a commanding peak southeast of
Mauroy. To the west the French captured several fortified lines of
trenches from the heights as far south as Beine. East of the mount
General Nivelle's men forced their way up the northern slopes of Mont
Haut; and northeast of this position to the approaches of the road
from Mauroy and Moronvilliers. This advance widened on the west and
deepened the salient driven into the German lines between Prunay and
Auberive, rendering exceedingly precarious their hold on ground east
of Rheims.
There was no important fighting on the British front on April 30,
1917, and General Haig's troops were not ungrateful for the brief
respite afforded them. The Germans did not attempt any important
attacks owing to a shortage of ammunition and military supplies. From
documents found on prisoners the British learned that there was a
dearth in all war material and that the supply of new guns to replace
those worn out was very limited. During the night General Haig's
troops improved their positions between Monchy-le-Preux and the Scarpe
River, repulsing a feeble German attack on the new positions.
While comparative quiet reigned in the fighting area on the last day
of April, 1917, British airmen were active, and in the course of
twenty-four hours a number of highly dramatic battles were fought in
which the British brought down twenty German aeroplanes and lost
fifteen machines themselves.
During the night of May 1, 1917, the French consolidated their new
positions on the wooded hills east of Rheims. In the course of the
following day the Germans delivered two strong attacks against French
lines northeast of Mont Haut, but were rolled back by the French
barrage fire and machine-gun fire which broke the waves of assault and
scattered the attackers.
The report for the month of April, 1917, issued by the British War
Office stated that in the course of the offensive operations in France
19,343 prisoners had been taken, including 393 officers. In the same
period the British had captured 257 guns and howitzers, 227 trench
mortars, and 470 machine guns. The French during the same period had
captured over 20,000 prisoners. It was estimated that the Germans had
143 divisions in France, but only ninety-nine of these were in the
actual line, the rest being held in strategic reserve.
During the month of April, 1917, more aeroplanes were lost by the
combatants than in any month since the fighting began. A careful
compilation from British, French, and German communiques shows a
total loss of 717 during this period. The Germans lost 369, the French
and Belgians 201, and the British 147.
On May 2, 1917, the French in the Champagne began to push their way
slowly through the great forest south of Beine, which covers
considerable territory from south of Mont Carnillet to La Pompelle
Fort, the most easterly fortification of Rheims.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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