▁– ▁ 4 6 ▁guns ▁ ▁Total ▁first - line ▁troops ▁– ▁ 4 8 ▁batt al ions , ▁ 3 9 5 ▁machine ▁guns , ▁ 3 7 2 ▁guns ▁ ▁Second - line ▁troops ▁ 1 1 th ▁French ▁Col onial ▁Infantry ▁Division ▁( General ▁Jean ▁Paul ▁Sic re ) ▁ 2 2 nd ▁Infantry ▁Brigade ▁– ▁ 6 ▁batt al ions , ▁ 4 8 ▁machine ▁guns ▁ 1 5 7 th ▁Infantry ▁Regiment ▁– ▁ 3 ▁batt al ions , ▁ 2 4 ▁machine ▁guns ▁African ▁Ch asse ur ▁ ▁Regiment ▁– ▁ 3 ▁batt al ions , ▁? ▁machine ▁guns ▁Art illery ▁– ▁ 8 ▁guns ▁ ▁Third - line ▁troops ▁Reserve ▁of ▁the ▁commander - in - ch ief ▁ 3 0 th ▁French ▁Col onial ▁Infantry ▁Division ▁– ▁ 9 ▁batt al ions , ▁ 4 8 ▁machine ▁guns , ▁ 3 2 ▁guns ▁ ▁Total ▁troops ▁in ▁the ▁Cr na ▁B end ▁sector ▁– ▁ 6 9 ▁batt al ions , ▁c . ▁ 5 1 5 ▁machine ▁guns , ▁ 4 1 2 ▁guns ▁ ▁Battle ▁ ▁Art illery ▁prepar ation ▁ ▁The ▁Al lied ▁command ▁planned ▁to ▁open ▁the ▁battle ▁with ▁an ▁art illery ▁bomb ard ment ▁scheduled ▁for ▁the ▁ 5 ▁of ▁May ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁On ▁that ▁day ▁ 9 1 ▁Italian ▁and ▁French ▁batter ies ( 3 7 2 ▁guns ▁and ▁heavy ▁mort ars ) ▁opened ▁fire ▁along ▁the ▁entire ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 0 2