The Germans captured it on September 21, 1914, and immediately made several lines of trenches between the summit and the valleys. At some points, five rows of batteries, one above another, were placed, and nowhere were there less than two.
Facing Eparges Crest, the French held the brow of Montgirmont to the north, and below, the village of Eparges, only 600 yards from the German trenches. Between Montgirmont and the northern slopes of Eparges Heights, an earth track crosses the pass between the two hills. It was on the western side that, at the end of October, the French began the attack, sapping step by step, while at the same time they slipped into the woods on the north-east, which cover the side of the ravine.
From February onward, attacks and counter-attacks took place almost daily and only came to an end early in April, after the French had captured the crest. On February 17, the explosion of a mine enabled the French to enter the west sector of the enemy’s first line. Attacks and counter-attacks continued for five days, during which Colonel Bacquet was mortally wounded while leading his troops. The French held the whole of the western bastion, and began to make progress towards the eastern bastion. From March 13 to 21 they renewed their attacks and captured the enemy’s first line.
EPARGES IN 1915. SENTRY IN TRENCH
On March 27, a battalion of Chasseurs made a fresh advance, and on April 5 began the last great attack which was to continue day and night until the 9th.
Two regiments attacked in the rain, but the muddy ground greatly impeded their movements, and it seemed at times as if the attack would fail.