ar down their opponents one side had inflicted as
much of a blow as the other, to all intents and purposes, for there
had been an almost prodigal waste of human life and ammunition. The
distinct advantage that Germany had gained was in pushing back and
almost flattening out the prow of the British salient, and they had
demonstrated the superiority of their artillery. Britain, on the other
hand, had lost no strategical advantage by the change of her line. The
knowledge that Germany had a superior artillery acted as a stimulant
in making the British provide a better equipment of big guns. But the
British had demonstrated the great superiority of their infantry over
that of Germany. In fact there was comfort to be derived by the
friends of each side as a result of the second battle of Ypres. The
fighting had to stop, as far as being a general engagement was
concerned. There were other parts of the front in western Europe which
were becoming by far too active for either the Germans or the British
to neglect them. Hence it is necessary to leave Ypres and the brave
men who fell there, and consider what was being done elsewhere.

CHAPTER XVIII

OTHER ACTIONS ON THE WESTERN FRONT

During the time in which the foregoing actions had been taking place,
there was activity on the part of the Allies and the Germans in other
sections of the great western front. It is true that not much was
accomplished in Alsace in either April or May; for the fighting in the
plains had been for the most part what may be termed trench warfare.
The most important engagement had been the effort to take and hold
Hartmannsweilerkopf, the spur of the Molkenrain massif, which controls
the union of the Thur and the Ill. The top of this rise of ground, it
will be remembered, had been won by the Germans on January 21, 1915;
but the heights west of it and their slopes were in the possession of
the French, who desired to add the spur to their possessions. For this
purpose the French artillery bombarded it on March 25, 1915, and
continued their work on the following day, March 26, 1915, when the
Chasseurs stormed the height, and, after fighting for six hours,
gained the top and captured 400 prisoners. But the Germans had no
intention of giving their opponents such a hold on the control of the
valley of the Ill, so there were many counterattacks.

While the Germans were attempting to retake the summit, the French
were making desperate efforts to drive