THE GERMAN ADVANCE ON FEB. 24TH, 1916
Vacherauville, entirely destroyed, is reached soon afterwards. Leave on the right the road to Beaumont and take, a little further on, that leading to Champneuville, which brings the tourist to the top of Talou Hill, from where the panoramic view on [pp. 86] [and 87] was taken.
Situated in a long bend of the Meuse, Talou Hill gradually slopes down to the water’s edge. On February 25th the enemy reached this hill which, caught between the fire from both banks, became equally untenable for the French and Germans, and from February 27th was considered as a neutral zone. It was retaken by the French in their offensive of August 20th, 1917, at the same time as the villages of Neuville, Champneuville and Champ.
Samogneux may be reached from Talou Hill, either by continuing, via Champneuville (see outline map, [p. 87]), or by returning to the R. N. 64.
VACHERAUVILLE. THE APPROACHES TO THE VILLAGE ON DEC. 20TH, 1916
Subjected to an infernal shell-fire on February 22nd and 23rd Samogneux had to be abandoned by the French on the evening of the latter date. It was retaken by the 126th D.I. on August 21st, during the French offensive of August, 1917, i.e. two days in advance of the scheduled date (see [p. 23]).
