Nelson's history of the war. Vol. XI., The struggle for the Dvina, and the great invasion of Serbia

122 HISTORY OF THE WAR.

Tahure the German salient north of Le Mesnil, and including the Butte of Mesnil, remained unconquered, though the French had bitten into its sides. In the south-west part of this salient, which we may regard as a redoubt in advance of the German final position, lay a work called La Courtine. It was a typical German fortress, 1,200 yards long, 250 yards deep, and embracing three or four lines of trenches connected by subterranean tunnels—another such redoubt as the Hohenzollern in the north. On Sunday, after desperate fighting, the French carried Ia Courtine, and found it choked with German dead. On Monday they had to face a counter-attack, which failed. On the Tuesday night there was another German attack, which was also beaten off, and the action left the French with their front in this section appreciably straightened, and a dangerous redoubt on their flank obliterated. The last incident of the month, the last counterstroke of the autumn battles, came on Saturday, Oz. a0 the 3oth. The Germans, strongly rein© 3% forced from the Russian front, attacked all along the Tahure section on a front of four miles, but especially at La Courtine and at the Butte of Tahure. The La Courtine effort, four times repeated, failed, but at the Butte their artillery preparation drove the French from the crest, and the Germans retook the summit, capturing 21 officers and 1,215 men. This forced the French back to the southern side of the hill just below the summit, where they had the advantage of the kind of position which the German reserve lines had enjoyed in the September battles. The German movement

Oct. 24.