Until March 1917, the opposing lines underwent no further important
modifications. Here and there, however, their defences had been
considerably strengthened by redoubts, concrete machine-gun
emplacements and very formidable barbed-wire entanglements.
_The second itinerary (pp. 52–64) will enable those interested to
inspect parts of these lines, which form a rough semi-circle around
Soissons and are quite close to the city._
The German retirement in March 1917 along both banks of the Oise,
covered only a very small extent of ground in the neighbourhood of
Soissons, which formed the pivot of the manœuvre.
The new front was less than five miles behind the old one and, though
the town remained within easy range of the German heavy artillery,
bombardment was less frequent than before.
From March 17, the Germans abandoned their trenches at Crouy and on
Hill 132, but tried to stem the French forward push. They launched
violent counter-attacks between Vregny and Margival, and the French
advanced only step by step to the first trenches of the redoubtable
Hindenburg line. By the end of the month, they had scarcely advanced
beyond Neuville-sur-Margival and Leuilly. On April 1, they attacked
along the line of the Ailette-Laon road, and reached the outskirts
of Laffaux and Vauxaillon. The French occupied this last village and
Vauxeny during the following days, but their advance went no further.
On April 16, the 6th Army under General Mangin attacked in conjunction
with the 5th Army on the east. This offensive was only partly
successful. To the north-east of Soissons, where the first Colonial
Corps was in action, the French made but little progress, and failed to
take the Moisy Farm Plateau. Laffaux was alternately taken and lost,
and was only definitely occupied on the 19th. At dawn on May 5, a new
offensive was started along the whole front south-east of Vauxaillon.
Moisy Farm and Laffaux Mill were taken by the French Colonials and
Cuirassiers on foot, and held despite numerous fierce counter-attacks.
The next day, they advanced yet further north of the mill. The Germans,
who could not resign themselves to the loss of these key positions,
made repeated endeavours to retake them, and the Soissons sector became
“a new Verdun.” On October 23, 1917, General Maistre ordered a vigorous
offensive, and while the 38th division (General de Salins) captured
the Malmaison fort, the 21st Corps (General Degoutte) captured with a
single rush the villages of Allemant and Vaudesson. On the 25th, the
French occupied the village and forest of Pinon and reached the line
of the canal between the Oise and the Aisne. Soissons was now quite
cleared.
[Illustration: FRONT 1915–1917.]