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

COUNTER-STROKES IN THE WEST. 123

was a resolute attempt to break the French line at Tahure by a frontal advance, combined with a flanking attack from the Mesnil salient. It failed in its main purpose, but by driving the French from the top of the Butte it gave a further lease of life to the Bazancourt-Grand Pré railway, and eased the German position in the coming winter stagnation. We have said little of the fighting of D’Urbal’s roth Army in the Artois, because in that section there was no incident which stood out from the local attacks and counter-attacks on the Vimy Heights and their wooded fringes. The situation at the end of October did not differ materially from that of the end of September. But from the Artois struggle we may select one episode which is a proof, if proof were needed, of the stoical gallantry of the armies of France. On the morning of the 3oth of October, in the Labyrinth area, the Germans exploded a mine between the two fronts, thereby blocking a sap which the French were digging towards the German trenches, and entombing two French sappers. These men—their names were Mauduit and Cadoret—were at first stunned by the shock. Their candles still burned, and the watch of one of them showed that it was five minutes to ten. They tried to dig back along the sap, but the earth, packed by the explosion, was hard to pierce, so they resolved to cut a gallery obliquely towards the surface in the direction of the French lines. Presently the air became so bad that their candles went out, and matches would not burn. In black darkness they struggled on, encouraging each other with Breton songs, and after an eternity they felt a whiff of fresh air which eased

Oct. 30.