href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@36885@[email protected]#Page_9" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">9-11.)

The French Offensive of April, 1917

The French offensive, planned by the then Commander-in-Chief, General Nivelle, and launched in April, between Soissons and Auberive, aimed at piercing the German front and disengaging Rheims.

North-west of Rheims was the 5th Army (Gen. Mazel), of which the 38th Corps (Gen. de Mondesir) held the immediate approaches to the town, followed by the 7th Corps (Gen. de Bazelaire), 32nd Corps (Gen. Passaga) astride the Aisne, and, extending beyond Craonne, the 5th Corps (Gen. de Boissoudy) and the 1st Corps (Gen. Muteau).

East of Rheims the 4th Army (Gen. Anthoine) was engaged only during the second stage of the battle.

At 6 a.m. on the 16th, in drenching rain, the 5th Army attacked all along the front, in conjunction on the left with the 6th Army (Gen. Mangin), which undertook to storm the Chemin-des-Dames. The enemy was expecting the attack, and had concentrated very large forces and powerful artillery. Despite their bravery, the French were unable to break through.

EXPLANATORY MAP OF THE MILITARY OPERATIONS IN 1917

In the Rheims sector, the 32nd Corps advanced three kilometers to the north of the Aisne. The 7th Corps crossed the canal at Loivre and captured Berméricourt in the morning, but was forced to give up part of the conquered ground in the afternoon, in consequence of a powerful German counter-attack. In front of Brimont a brigade of the 38th Corps failed to pierce the enemy's positions.

On the 17th, while the army of General Mazel resisted a violent enemy counter-attack, General Anthoine attacked from the east of Rheims to Auberive with the 8th Corps (Gen. Hély d'Oissel), 17th Corps (Gen. J. B. Dumas), 12th Corps (Gen. Nourrisson). At 4.45 a.m., despite violent squalls of rain and snow, the French infantry rushed forward and carried the first German lines along a front of eleven kilometers. The 34th Division (Gen. de Lobit) carried the Mont Cornillet and Mont Blond hills, which the enemy attempted in vain to recapture.

On April 18 and 19, and May 4 and 5, the fighting was spasmodic and finally ceased. On the whole, the French offensive failed, and Rheims continued to remain under enemy gun-fire.

On the morning of May 27, 1918, the Germans commenced a powerful offensive between Vauxaillon (on the Chemin-des-Dames) and the Fort of Brimont. At the beginning of the attack, the French line passed through Bétheny and along the Aisne-Marne Canal. In the evening, after the loss of the Chemin-des-Dames and the Aisne Canal, Rheims was no longer protected on the north-west, except by the St. Thierry Heights, which were soon turned. The Germans crossed the Vesle at several points, principally at Bazoches and Fismes, and advanced as far as Muizon.

On May 29, the French line passed through La Neuvillette, Châlons-sur-Vesle, Muizon and Rosnay. On the 30th, it extended from Perquin Farm to Méry-Premecy, via Champigny. On the 31st, Tinqueux and Vrigny fell.

Further to the south the Germans advanced along the valley of the Ardre towards the Château-Thierry—Epernay—Châlons railway, threatening Epernay (see the Michelin Guide: "The Second Battle of the Marne").

However, Rheims still held out. On June 1, the Germans attacked simultaneously, without success, to the south-east of the town (between Pommery Park and La Pompelle Fort), and on the west and south-west (between La Haubette and Ormes), while the French recaptured Vrigny. On three separate occasions—in the evening of the 1st, and on June 9 and 18, the enemy's powerful and costly efforts to recapture this important position broke down. On the 18th, they delivered a fresh general attack from Vrigny to La Pompelle, gaining a footing in the Northern Cemetery of Rheims and in the north-eastern outskirts of Sillery, but everywhere else they were repulsed. On the 23rd and 29th, they rushed Bligny Hill, held by the Italians, only to lose it again shortly afterwards. Once again, Rheims had eluded the enemy's grasp.

July 15 to August 9, 1918

EXPLANATORY MAP OF THE MILITARY OPERATIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE

At dawn, on July 15, the Germans began a new offensive from Château-Thierry to La Main de Massiges. It was Ludendorf's much vaunted "Friedensturm" (peace-battle), and was expected by him to prove irresistible and decisive. Its purpose was to complete the encirclement of Rheims, carry the hills surrounding the town, crush the French 4th Army, and reach Châlons-sur-Marne (see the Michelin Guide: "Champagne and Argonne"). However, this time, there was no surprise, and the Allies held out victoriously.

To the west, between Dormans and Rheims, Franco-Italian forces held their ground on the Châtillon-sur-Marne—Cuchery—Marfaux—Bouilly line. To the east, from La Pompelle to the Argonne, the army of General Gouraud, after voluntarily abandoning its first line previous to the enemy's attack, checked and decimated the armies of Von Einem and Von Mudra, on its second or battle-line. On July 16, 17 and 18, the enemy, now exhausted and incapable of resuming their general attack, attempted local attempts only, especially near Beaumont-sur-Vesle, to the north of Prosnes, and in the region of Trigny and Pourcy, to the west, all of which were repulsed. Once more Rheims escaped, and was destined from now on, to be gradually freed from the enemy's grasp. The French counter-offensive began on July 18, on the Aisne (see the Michelin Guide: "The Second Battle of the Marne"), extending shortly afterwards to the west of Rheims. On the 22nd, the army of General Berthelot captured St. Euphraise and Bouilly, and on the 23rd reached a point between Vrigny and the Ardre. A number of German counter-attacks on July 24, 25 and 30 and August 1 failed to check its advance. On August 2, Gueux and Thillois were recaptured. On the 4th, the Vesle was reached to the east of Fismes, and the latter occupied, while a small force crossed to the north bank of the river. On the 7th, after fierce fighting, in which the French and Americans advanced foot by foot, the Vesle was crossed to the east of Bazoches and Braine. On the 9th, Fismette was taken.

September 26 to November 11, 1918

The disengaging of Rheims, which had begun slowly, was now rapidly accomplished. Two French offensives completely effected it in a few days—that of September 26 (see the Michelin Guide: "Champagne and Argonne"), under General Gouraud, and that of September 30, first by General Berthelot and then by General Guillaumat. The first of these offensives, to the east, brought about the fall of the Moronvilliers Heights, after outflanking them; the second, to the west, captured the Saint-Thierry Heights, the French troops crossing the Aisne-Marne Canal from Le Godat to La Neuvillette. This double manœuvre forced the