In 1917 the enemy continued their efforts against Hill 304. They succeeded on January 25th in occupying several of the French advance-positions, which were partly recaptured the next day.
Further enemy attacks on March 18th, 20th and 29th were repulsed after hand-to-hand fighting.
On June 28th and 29th another powerful enemy attack succeeded, with heavy loss, in capturing Hill 304 and advancing between the Hill and the S.E. corner of Avocourt Wood, to a slight hollow known as the Col-de-Pommerieux. This hollow was, however, reconquered on July 17th by the French 51st and 87th R.I., supported by two battalions of the 97th D.I. (335th and 346th Regiments), and one battalion of the 73rd D.I. After a remarkable artillery preparation, the French infantrymen, in half-an-hour, reached the fortified crest, and regained a kilometer of ground, including the famous “Demi-Lune” Redoubt. The 87th R.I., composed of men from the north, Valenciennes, St. Quentin and Lens, went 300 yards beyond the assigned objective and captured an observation-post in front of the crest, which they christened “Le crèneau des Gretchen.” The attack occurred at the time the enemy troops were being relieved, 520 prisoners, belonging to at least three different divisions, being taken. From a single sap the French Grenadiers brought out four German officers, one of whom, on descending the hill, turned back to admire the manœuvre of the French soldiers.
On August 24th Hill 304, the approaches to which had been reconquered on the 20th, was carried by the 139th and 121st R.I. (26th D.I.). This division, which attacked before Hill 304, on the Pommerieux Plateau and at Camard Wood, captured prisoners belonging to five different German divisions. After capturing Hill 304, Equerre Wood and Souvin Redoubt, the division attacked again on the evening of the same day, this time carrying the positions of Palavas, Alsace, Gateau-de-Miel and Lorraine, and advancing the first French line to the Forges stream, i.e. more than two kilometers from its starting-point between Haucourt and Malancourt, the latter still being occupied by the enemy.
On leaving Hill 304, descend to Haucourt and Malancourt.
Haucourt hamlet, on the Fontaine-des-Aulnes stream, was attacked by the Germans on April 4th, 1916, and taken after several sanguinary setbacks on the night of the 5th after a fine defence by three companies of the 79th R.I., which held their ground against a brigade. It was recaptured on September 26th, 1918, by the First American Army.
