back, and the French were enabled to hold their lines
without a break. About the same time British troops repulsed a German
raid on their lines north of Arras. During the night and on the day
following, January 22, 1917, the British took a number of prisoners as
the result of patrol and bombing encounters in the neighborhood of
Grandcourt, Neuville-St. Vaast, Fauquisart, and Wytschaete.

German Army Headquarters reported that on this date the British
attacked their lines near Lens and in a hand-grenade engagement were
repulsed with some losses. Near Bezon one of their reconnoitering
detachments brought back several prisoners and one machine gun from
short excursions into hostile positions.

In the night of January 22, 1917, the Germans attempted two raids on
British positions between Armentieres and Ploegsteert. In one instance
the Germans were driven back before they could reach the British
trenches. The second party of raiders succeeded in penetrating a
portion of the British position, but were quickly driven out. The
raiding party while advancing, and again on returning, came under
British machine-gun fire and left a number of dead on the field. On
this date the British lost one aeroplane and drove a hostile machine
down in the neighborhood of Aubigny. About the same time the French
reported the capture of a Fokker, which landed in their lines near
Fismes. Two other German machines were brought down in an aerial
engagement in the vicinity of Marchelpot, and another by the fire of
French antiaircraft guns in the direction of Amy.

A new division, and the sixth to enter the fight, was now flung
against the French with the purpose of cutting through the line and
covering the German occupation on the southern slope of Hill 304. "The
blackened stumps of the shell-swept wood," said an eyewitness,
"offered no protection to the kaiser's legions, and regardless of the
officers' shrill whistles and brandished revolvers the German soldiers
flung aside their equipment, rifles, and hand grenades and raced back
to their former trenches."

During the night of January 26, 1917, French artillery continued to
pound German lines in the sector of Hill 304. At Les Eparges a
surprise attack was attempted by German troops that was repulsed with
considerable losses to the attackers. During the day's fighting in
this sector the French aviators brought down five hostile aircraft,
Lieutenant Guynemer scoring his thirtieth victory.

[Illu