Battle of Malmaison (Vaudesson)

The French 13th, 43rd and 38th Divisions simultaneously advanced forward towards their objectives. The 13th attacked Vaudesson village and the Belle Croix woods. The 38th entered the Garenne woods and drove the Germans from Orme Farm, while to the east …

1917-10-23

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The French 13th, 43rd and 38th Divisions simultaneously advanced forward towards their objectives. The 13th attacked Vaudesson village and the Belle Croix woods. The 38th entered the Garenne woods and drove the Germans from Orme Farm, while to the east the 43rd advanced on Montparnasse Quarry. Tank support for the 13th and 38th would assure that these objectives were taken.

Vaudesson, France

The Battle of La Malmaison from 23 to 27 October, was the final French action of the 1917 campaign in the First World War, which had begun with the Nivelle Offensive. The French captured the village and fort of La Malmaison and took control of the Chemin des Dames ridge. The German 7th Army had discovered French preparations for the attack and also identified the date and time. Boehn chose to defend the front positions, rather than treat them as an advanced zone and to conduct the main defence north of the Oise–Aisne Canal. The German artillery was outnumbered three-to-one and on the front of the 14th Division, 32 German batteries were confronted by 125 French, which silenced most of the German guns before the attack. Gas from French bombardments on low-lying land near the Oise–Aisne Canal in the Ailette valley, became so dense that it was impossible to carry ammunition and supplies forward or to remove the wounded.

Wikipedia: Battle of La Malmaison

German

French