On August 7, part of a trench was taken by the Germans in a night attack at Fille-Morte. During the whole of that month, at Courte-Chausse, Les Meurissons, La Haute-Chevauchée and Bolante, continual fighting took place with artillery, mines, trench-mortars, grenades and bombs. On September 27, during the French offensive in Champagne, the Germans attempted a diversion against Bolante and Fille-Morte. After a heavy bombardment with explosive and gas shells, a force of nearly two regiments attacked in four successive waves. At first they made some slight progress, but were soon almost everywhere repulsed with very heavy losses. From October, 1915, it was in this part of the Argonne that the activity was greatest, though here, as elsewhere, the fighting considerably diminished. In 1916, frequent mining operations gave rise to grenade fighting around the craters at Fille-Morte, Bolante, La Haute-Chevauchée and Courte-Chausse. In 1917, mine warfare was practically abandoned, but both sides frequently made raids into the opposing trenches, for the purpose of taking prisoners and destroying the works and shelters there.
GERMAN CEMETERY ON THE ROAD FROM FOUR-DE-PARIS TO VARENNES (4 km. from the former)
On reaching Four-de-Paris from La Harazée, take G.C. 38, on the left, towards Varennes.
The road follows the valley of Les Meurissons (on the right is Bolante Wood), crosses Hill 265, and passes by the original front lines.
From here onwards, veritable villages built by the Germans may be seen on the sides of the hill, on the left bank of the Meurissons stream.
The forest on the crest of the hill was cut to pieces by the shells.