British, and at several points succeeded in entering
the trenches. But in a short time the British troops by a vigorous
attack drove them out, capturing five officers and seventy-nine of
other ranks. A subsequent attack by the British, delivered on a front
of some 5,000 yards between Schwaben Redoubt and Le Sars, advanced the
British line from 300 to 500 yards. Sixteen officers and over 1,000
German prisoners were taken during this operation, while the British
losses were said to be slight. On this same date British aircraft
showed great activity, bombing German communications, an important
railroad junction, and an ammunition depot, while there were several
air duels in which the British destroyed three machines and drove
others behind their lines. Two British aeroplanes were not heard from
again.

In the afternoon of the following day, October 22, 1916, the British
right wing advanced east of Gueudecourt and Les Boeufs and captured
1,000 yards of German trenches. On the same day British airmen bombed
two railway stations behind the enemy's lines, hitting a train and
working great damage to buildings and rolling stock. The British
airmen in a series of engagements brought down seven German machines,
damaging others and forcing them to descend. At the close of the day
eight British machines were missing.

CHAPTER IX

FRENCH RETAKE DOUAUMONT

On October 24, 1916, on the Verdun front a great victory was won by
the French in the capture of Fort Douaumont. This stronghold, which
had been termed by the Germans "the main pillar of the Verdun
defenses," had been captured by the Brandenburgers in the last week of
February, 1916. The French lost the fort, but they clung desperately
to the approaches, which for weeks were the scenes of bloody
struggles. The fort was retaken by the Allied troops on May 22, 1916,
but after two days of furious bombardment and the attacks of fresh
German troops they were driven from the place. From that time until
the French recaptured it on October 24, 1916, it had remained in
German possession. Shortly before noon of the last date the French
launched their attack on the right bank of the Meuse after an intense
artillery preparation. The German line, attacked on a front of about
four and a half miles, was broken through everywhere to a depth which
attained at the middle a distance of two miles.

General Nivelle had intrusted the plans for the recapture of Fort
Douaumont to General Ma