Norwich bulletin., 1915-04-20
The Eiaht at Les Esparaes.

An "eye witness description of the operations which led to the capture of the crest of the hill at Les Esparges on April ga strong position held by given out by the official bureau. The report follows:-
 Les Esparges crest forms spur 1900 yards long at an altitude of 1850 feet and is a tremendously valuable point for observations, commanding as and the heights of the Mouse. Throughout their occupation the in- vaders were able to command the French roads with artillery and to watch every movement of the French troops. The French victory means ed to their side.
 "The Germans had strongly fortified their positions on the crest and had dug several lines of trenches on the spur. They had 16 batteries of heavy guns hidden in the Woevre plain to check a French advance. The defend- ing force numbered a whole division of the finest German troops, with fVe battalions of pioneers and machine guns from Metz and a great number of bomb throwers.
 ''The French sapping operations were completed toward the end of Oc- tober and the first violent attack was delivered on Feb. IT, when the Ger mans were surprised by the explosion of mines and allowed the French to occupy the first line of their trenches. Four days of terrific fighting ensued, the result of which was that the at taeking forces occupied the western bastion on the spur On the follow ing day the French resumed the at tack and occupied portion Of the In the conflict Maj. Racquet was mor- tally wounded
 "On March IS the operations were resumed, three French battahons talk ing the offensive. On the second Of the four days a continuous battle ragged with heavy losses to the Ger mans. The French left flank gained 360 yards of trenches and the right flank won no yards.
 Their big battle began on March 27, when the Germans brought up the Tenth Division, all fresh troops. A battalion of chasseurs led the princi- pal French attack and made further valuable progress, although the fight ing was so severe that the battalion's Major and all it's company captains were wounded.
 saThe final and decisive battle began on April 5. It was raining heavily and the slopes were slippery, the in fantry sometimes plunging in mud up to their thighs as the advanced trenches were stormed. These were taken after sanguinary bayonet light ing, but to the east the advance was checked by aerial torpedoes, which the Germans threw upon the oncoming foe. All that night from 6 p. m. to 4:30 a. n., the battle continued ceaseless1y, the fresh German troops fighting ad- mirably. Our men resisted well but were forced to retreat. The same eve ming, however, we again attacked, again fighting all night with the bay onet, gaining $50 yards of trenches and capturing 100 prisoners.
 Receiving endorsements the en- erny made violent counter attacks sev- eral times, but our artillery moved them down and held them in check. Our endorsements reached us with difficulty, as the communicating trenches had been demolished. By the morning of the 9th our rifles were choked with mud and we had to at tack with the bayonet again. Fifteen hours of continuous fighting won us almost complete possession of the po- itton, but then fog descended upon the hill, and so it was 10 o'clock the next night before the Esparges spur finally was cleared of the enemy and our gallant troops covered with mud from head to foot were victorious