did not attempt to fight, but surrendered at once. Some of the German
officers attempted to rally their men, and, fighting bravely rather
than surrender, were killed. In the two days' fighting in this sector
the British captured over 300 prisoners. The German version of this
attack stated that "an insignificant trench had been abandoned to the
enemy."

In the night on this date, January 11, 1917, British troops were
reported to have penetrated German trenches north of Arras, where a
number of prisoners were taken at the cost of a few casualties.

Early in the morning of January 13, 1917, German troops forced their
way into a British post northwest of Serre. By a hotly pressed
counterattack the British drove them out and again occupied the post.
Thirteen prisoners, including three officers, were captured in this
area. The British during the night also attacked German trenches west
of Wytschaete, where they were successful in attaining their
objectives and captured a number of prisoners.

[Illustration: This notice was posted in French munitions works by
order of the Minister of Munitions. It contains an aviator's pictures
of Fort Douaumont before and after the artillery bombardment and
proves the importance of immense munitions supplies.]

Owing to the almost continuous bad weather, heavy rains, and snowfall,
there was little fighting along the Somme during the succeeding days,
but the bombardment of enemy positions was continuous, and the British
took some prisoners in trench raids.

In the morning of January 17, 1917, British forces on the Ancre
launched the strongest attack that had been attempted for weeks on a
front of 600 yards north of Beaucourt. Preceded by a heavy bombardment
that shattered the German defenses British troops occupied a line of
enemy posts at the cost of a few casualties. The position won by the
British was especially valuable because it afforded them better
advantages than they possessed for observation in this area. In the
afternoon of this date the Germans attempted a counterattack which was
broken up with heavy losses by the British artillery barrage.

Another daylight raid was successfully carried out by the Canadian
troops northeast of Cite Calonne on the same morning. The Canadians
succeeded in penetrating German trenches on a front of 700 yards and
pushed forward to a depth of 300 yards, or as far as the enemy's
second line. The German dugouts were completely wrecked. The British