This frontal attack presented many difficulties, for even if the French arrived as far as the railway line which runs along the bottom of the valley, and were able to take cover under the embankment, they would be mown down when they attempted to scale the bare slopes. The woods which appear on the right in the above view afforded shelter to the troops up to the main road, but when they attempted to advance into the open they were met by a murderous fire. Being unable to force the frontal defences, the commandant of the First Corps ordered the Second Division to make a considerable detour to the east, under cover of the woods, in order to take the positions on Esternay Plateau in the flank. On the evening of the 6th, a first attack failed, but next morning the Second Division carried the position which covered the German flank, and combining its efforts with those of the First Division on the front, entered Esternay about 10 o'clock in the morning.

PANORAMA OF THE CHÂTILLON POSITIONS

Once more on the N. 34, turn to the right. The slope served as a protection for the Germans, who dug many individual shelters there. One of these may be seen in the foreground of the preceding photograph. We begin to realise the difficulties which the French had to surmount when we remember that after the battle, on the front of a single battalion, 11 officers and 4 non-commissioned officers lay dead, killed while leading their men.

COMMON GRAVE AT ESTERNAY

Leaving behind, on the left, the park which adjoins the road, we perceive on the right the great common grave of Esternay (view above), where lie buried the heroes of the 73rd who fell during the attack. The turning movement mentioned on page [152] led across the road at about 3 km. from this spot, at the other extremity of the wood. The village of La Noue, to the north of the road, was carried, and the Second Division then turned back towards Esternay.

(Sézanne is only 10 km. from this point by N. 34, but the tour indicated hereafter, which leads across part of the line where the direct attack on this town was broken, makes a circuit of 34 km. The remainder of the line will be explored to-morrow.)