WOBJJD WAR 486 WORLD WAR important ridge overlooking Bapaume from the N, W. On March 15, 1917, the French in the Champagne sector intensified their at- tacks, and the Germans were forced to abandon their whole line of about fifteen miles from the Oise to Andechy, giving up positions which they had held for two years against repeated attacks. Two days later they drove the Germans out of Roye and took it. N. and N. E. of Lassigny the French made further gains, occupying the town and consider- able territory beyond. On March 18, the Germans were in retreat over a front of approximately eighty-five miles from the S. of Arras on the N. to Soissons on the Aisne, evacuating numerous towns and villages, including the important towns of Peronne, Chaulnes, Nesle and Noyon. At this latter point the French and British together pushed on to a depth of twelve miles. The famous Noyon sal- ient, marking the nearest point of ad- vance toward Paris, was now a danger of the past. Of still greater importance, however, was the occupation of Bapaume by the British, for here the Germans had erected defensive works of the most elaborate description. Still the advance continued. The French, under more favorable con- ditions, were able to push onward at a faster rate than the British, advancing twenty-three miles during three days. Over 120 towns were recovered by the French alone. During the following week the whole department of the Somme was cleared of the invaders. On April 1, 1917, the British were within three miles of St. Quentin. The steady pressure of the Allies fin- ally culminated in a terrific attack de- livered by the British, on April 9, 1917, N. and S. of Arras. German posi- tions were taken to a depth of two and three miles, but most notable was the capture of the famous Vimy Ridge, which dominated the coal fields of Lens. During two days over 11,000 Germans were taken prisoners. With unabated energy, however, the British pushed on, reaching a point within five miles of Arras. Within the following week they advanced another three miles, and were now within striking distance of Lens, an important mining center, which had been held by the Germans since the autumn of 1914. On April 14 the British guns took up positions which enabled them to hurl tons of explosives into the middle of the city. On that same day the British infantry pushed its way into the suburbs of Lens, the Germans resisting with the utmost vigor. The object of Field Marshal Haig in attacking Lens was to turn La Bapsee from the S. for La Bassee and Lens formed the principal outworks of Lille, which was the key to the whole German position in Flanders. With these two places in their possession, the British would practically have Lille at their mercy. On April 16, 1917, the French launched a general attack on a front along twenty- five miles, between Soissons and Rheims. Everywhere they met with success, cap^ turing the German first line positions along the entire front. This victory was achieved along the historic line of the Aisne, to which the Germans had re- treated after the battle of the Marne. Within a few days the French had ad- vanced on both sides of Rheims, so that that city now formed the point of a salient. For a week or more the Allied offen- sive slowed down. But when it was again resumed, on April 23, progress was achieved more slowly. The Ger- mans had brought heavy re-enforce- ments from the eastern front. They now launched some heavy counterattacks against the French in the Champagne sector, but the few gains they at first made cost them dearly in their heavy losses of men. Early in May the French struck back, and again gained ground, notably the village of Craonne, on a height on the E. end of the Chemin- des-Dames. On May 9, 1917, severe fighting began again in the neighborhood of Bullecourt. Three days later the British entered this important town and partially occupied it. In their attempt to retake this British gain, the Germans precipitated some of the deadliest fighting which had as yet taken place on the western front. The Germans fought desperately, for here was their Hindenburg line, which they determined must remain intact at all costs. Battle of Messines Ridge. — Early in the morning of June 7, 1917, there oc- curred one of the most spectacular events which had ever taken place in any theater of the war. For about two weeks the British had been bombarding the strong German salient S. of Ypres. Here the Allies had, for two years, been at the mercy of the German guns on Messines Ridge, one of the strongest points held by the Ger- mans along the entire western front. For nearly two years the British engi- neers had been patiently boring under this position. Early in the morning of June 7 the nineteen miles which had been planted under the ridge were ignited, and almost the entire top of the eminence
