In the centre the enemy storm-troop waves, after several repulses, finally reached the summit of Kemmel Hill, where a fierce hand-to-hand encounter took place. In spite of their great heroism, the 30th Infantry Regiment, outnumbered and almost surrounded, was forced to abandon the position, but only after a dashing counter-attack by a battalion of the 99th Infantry had failed to extricate them. On the right, the German Alpine Corps, by a daring manoeuvre, made possible by the fog and the broken nature of the ground, succeeded in reaching the artillery positions, which were at once attacked by machine-gun fire. The French and British batteries, under a storm of bullets, were obliged to retreat, saving what material they could and blowing up the rest. The Germans thus reached the village of Locre, which changed hands several times during the day. Finally, after a counter-attack, the 154th Infantry Division remained masters of the village, although the Germans succeeded in holding the "hospice" at the southern end. The situation was now critical and the enemy advance had to be checked at all costs. On the night of the 25th the Allies were reinforced by the 39th Infantry Division (Massenet) at the very moment a fresh German offensive was being launched. The timely arrival of these troops effectually stayed the German thrust. On the evening of the 26th, after much sanguinary fighting, the enemy paused, exhausted. The French took advantage of the respite to consolidate new positions. The 27th was marked only by a violent attack on the extreme left at Voormezele, where the Germans succeeded in obtaining a footing, only to be driven out by a vigorous British counter-attack. As a result of these various battles the new line was as follows: from Locre Château it ran south of Locre Village, followed Kemmelbeek Valley, passed in front of La Clytte Village, then south of Dickebusch Pond and Voormezele Village, joining up with Zillebeke on the south-east. It was against this new front that the Germans were now preparing a new offensive. [Illustration: ON APRIL 29, THE GERMANS LAUNCHED A LAST FURIOUS ATTACK AGAINST THE HILLS, AND FAILED. EXHAUSTED, THEY THEN ABANDONED THEIR PLANS FOR TAKING YPRES] =THE LAST GERMAN ATTACK= (_April 29, 1918._) After an artillery preparation lasting all night, the attack began at 7 a.m. on April 29, along a front about eight and a half miles in length, extending from the Château and Park of Locre to Dickebusch Pond. This attack, by no less than 120,000 enemy troops, resulted in a crushing defeat for the Germans. Both ends of the front stood firm: the British on the left, between La Clytte and Zillebeke, and the French on the right, in the Château and Park of Locre. All attacks were vigorously repulsed, and the Germans did not even reach the Allied lines.