Gouraud--Pa Gouraud we called him--did: He knew the Boche artillery would at the appointed hour start firing on our front lines, believing as was natural, that they would be strongly held.

So he withdrew all his forces including the old 15th, to the intermediate positions, which were at a safe distance back of the front lines.

Then, at the point where he expected would be the apex of the drive he sent out two patrols, totalling sixteen men.
"These sixteen had certain camouflage to perform.

They were to set going a certain type of French machine gun which would fire of its own accord for awhile after being started off.

They were to run from one of these guns to the other and start them.