▁Independent ▁Infantry ▁Brigade . ▁The ▁art illery ▁prepar ation ▁in ▁this ▁sector ▁began ▁at ▁ 5 : 1 5 ▁in ▁the ▁morning ( gu ided ▁by ▁and ▁observation ▁bal lo on ) ▁and ▁reached ▁peak ▁intensity ▁at ▁about ▁ 6 : 0 0 ▁when ▁it ▁covered ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁and ▁Bulgar ian ▁lines . ▁At ▁precisely ▁ 6 : 3 0 ▁the ▁bar rage ▁lifted ▁from ▁the ▁first ▁line ▁of ▁tren ches ▁and ▁moved ▁on ▁to ▁their ▁rear . ▁At ▁this ▁moment ▁the ▁French ▁inf antry ▁advanced ▁in ▁three ▁waves ▁with ▁three ▁reg iments ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁line ▁and ▁one ▁in ▁reserve . ▁Half way ▁across ▁no ▁man ' s ▁land ▁the ▁attack ers ▁were ▁sp otted ▁by ▁Bulgar ian ▁art illery ▁men ▁and ▁subject ed ▁to ▁heavy ▁art illery ▁shell ing . ▁While ▁one ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁attack ing ▁French ▁soldiers ▁were ▁killed , ▁wounded ▁or ▁seeking ▁cover ▁another ▁part ▁successfully ▁reached ▁and ▁entered ▁the ▁first ▁line ▁of ▁Bulgar ian ▁and ▁German ▁tren ches . ▁There ▁they ▁engaged ▁the ▁def enders ▁in ▁hand - to - hand ▁combat ▁but ▁were ▁defeated ▁and ▁pushed ▁back . ▁The ▁French ▁failed ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁important ▁position ▁named ▁" Ca esar " ▁which ▁gave ▁a ▁tact ical ▁advantage ▁to ▁the ▁def enders ▁who ▁could ▁concent rate ▁their ▁efforts ▁on ▁def lect ing ▁the ▁Russian ▁attack . ▁At ▁ 8 : 4 5 ▁the ▁first ▁French ▁assault ▁was ▁decis ively ▁be aten . ▁At ▁ 1 1 : 0 0 ▁the ▁French ▁inf antry ▁attempted ▁another