VISIT TO THE BATTLEFIELD

THE CITADEL BUILDINGS AFTER THE BOMBARDMENTS OF 1916(Photographed in 1917)

THE CITADEL BUILDINGS AFTER THE BOMBARDMENTS OF 1916

(Photographed in 1917)

The first Citadelle was begun in 1552, continued under Henri IV. by Errard, and finished in 1630 under Governor Marillac. The second was the work of Vauban (1670–1682). The church of St. Vanne was included and preserved in both citadelles, but was later pulled down (1831–1835) by order of the Military Authorities. The old Gothic cloister was spared and turned into barracks in 1835. It was destroyed by the German bombardment during the siege of 1870. Of the Abbey, only a square Roman Tower of the 11th century remains (seephoto below).

THE CITADEL AND ST. VANNE TOWER, WITH WIRELESS ANTENNA.

THE CITADEL RAMPARTS AND NEUVE GATE.(Entrance to the town by the G. C. 34, continued by the Rue de Rû.Seecoloured planbetween pp. 30 and 31.)

THE CITADEL RAMPARTS AND NEUVE GATE.

(Entrance to the town by the G. C. 34, continued by the Rue de Rû.Seecoloured planbetween pp. 30 and 31.)

DORMITORY IN THE CASEMATES.

During the late War, the Citadelle was often a target for the German heavy guns, but its deep underground vaults provided secure shelter for the population before the general evacuation, as also for the public services and reinforcements. Most of the regiments which took part in the battles of 1916 passed through the Citadelle.

It was in one of the casemates that the President of France, M. Poincaré, handed to the Municipal Authorities of Verdun, on September 13th, 1916, the decorations conferred on that City by the Chiefs of State of the Allied countries (seep. 30).

CO-OPERATIVE CANTEEN IN THE CITADEL.

On leaving the Citadelle, turn to the right immediately after the entrance and follow the glacis which passes underneath the terraces of the Bishop’s Palace. After a sharp turning near the Manutention, the tourist arrives at theRue de Rû.

Take the latter as far as theRue des Gros-Degrés, one of the most picturesque streets of Old Verdun, which also suffered greatly from the German bombardment. It is composed of eighty steps, divided into seven unequal flights, with a hand-rail erected in 1595.The photograph below was taken from the bottom of the stairs.

THE RUE DES GROS-DEGRÉS.

Take on the right the Rue du Pont des Augustins and cross the curious canalof the same name (photo below) to visit the Lower Town, which is crowded with picturesque old streets and narrow bridges over the winding canals.

THE CANAL DES AUGUSTINS.

Return to thePlace Mazel.

If the tourist has time, he may go from here to theSt. Victor Gate,situated at the exit of Verdun, in the direction of Metz, Nancy, Toul, and Commercy (seep. 56, andplan betweenpp. 30 and 31).

ST. VICTOR’S GATE

(Seeplan betweenpp. 30 and 31)

Cross the St. Croix bridge, take the Rue de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, then the Rue St. Sauveur, in which is theHospice St. Catherine.

TheHospice St. Catherinewas the birthplace of Bishop St. Airy. According to tradition the Bishop, on receiving a visit from Childebert II., caused his last barrel of wine to be brought in. Giving thanks, he was miraculously able to satisfy the deep-drinking Franks for several days. (This legend is probably connected with the planting of the vineyards in the region of Verdun.)

Opposite the Church of St. Catherine is thecolonaded front of the formerCongrégation Notre-Dame Monastery, now a school.

Further on are theChurch of St. Victor, Rustic-Gothic in style,and theGateof the same name (photo above).

Stairs on the right of St. Victor’s Gate lead to theCitadelle Curtain 16, whence there is a fine view of the city.

THE DOORWAY OF THE CONGRÉGATION NOTRE-DAME(63 RUE DE L’HÔTEL-DE-VILLE)

[Two-page map of the battlefield]

[The left-hand page of the battlefield map]

[The right-hand page of the battlefield map]

The following Itinerary is divided into two parts:

1. The right bank of the Meuse, including the forts (Tavannes, Souville, Vaux and Douaumont).Seepp. 57–87.

2. The left bank of the Meuse, including Cumières, Mort-Homme, Hill 304 and Avocourt.Seepp. 88–111.

Map of the 1st itinerary

LEAVING VERDUN BY THE CHAUSSÉE GATE (seep. 34).

Leave Verdun by the Chaussée Gate, cross the Meuse and the fortified enclosure, and take the Rue d’Etain(R. N. 18)on the left. Go up the Faubourg Pavé.This road, used by the relief troops in the Vaux-Douaumont sector, was heavily and continually shelled until Verdun was finally cleared in December, 1916.

MILITARY CEMETERY AT THE EXIT OF THE FAUBOURG PAVÉ.

THE INTERIOR OF TAVANNES FORT

At the side of the Municipal Cemetery(on the left) is a Military Cemetery containing more than 5,000 graves (photo, p. 58).

FollowN. 18for about six kilometers, then turn to the left into the road leading toTavannes Fort,situated about a kilometer from the main road.

Tavannes Fortdominates the ground behind the Vaux-Souville line and the Etain-Verdun road. The Germans, in their effort to reach Souville, sought by frequent bombardments to destroy the fort which resisted stubbornly, but on May 7th a 17-inch shell destroyed one of the arches and caused serious damage.

THE SOUTHERN MOAT OF TAVANNES FORT

Near the fort, on the Verdun-Etain railway, is the longTavannes Tunnel.

Although the entrances were constantly shelled by enemy artillery, it was used as a shelter for the reserves of the Vaux-Souville sector and as a munitions depot. Bunks were fitted up in three superimposed rows, 300 to 450 feet in length, and separated by spaces, where numerous other troops slept as they could on the ground. Despite the ventilating shafts, the air remained foul, owing to the perspiration of the men and the rudimentary sanitary arrangements. To complete the misery of the men, a grenade depot blew up on the night of September 4th, causing many victims.

THE CAR COMING FROM TAVANNES FORT TAKES THE ROAD ON THE RIGHTTO VAUX FORT. THAT ON THE LEFT LEADS TO SOUVILLE FORT

Return to the road by which the fort was reached(I.C.2)and turn into it on the right. About 300 yards further on, at the fork (see photo above), take the right-hand road (the other leads to Souville Fort).On the left is the ravine which precedes the entrance to Tavannes Tunnel. At first the road rises, then dips down to Bourvaux Ravine. (On the right the road toBourvaux Batteryis visible.) The road zig-zags, then scales Hill 349, leading to Vaux Fort, after crossing through the woods of La Laufée and Chenois, of which only a few broken, branchless trunks remain.

Chenois and Laufée Woods and the Damloup Battery.—Before and after the fall of Vaux Fort, these positions were often attacked by the Germans, especially in June, July and September, 1916.

THE ROAD TO VAUX FORT (the latter is in the background).

From June 2nd to 4th the Damloup battery and its approaches, defended by units of the 142nd and 52nd Line Regiments, repulsed sharp German attacks and prevented the enemy from debouching from Damloup. The defence of the battery lasted till July 2nd, the defenders, in constantly diminishing numbers, being attacked and bombarded without intermission. On July 3rda German attack, preceded by an intense bombardment, resulted in the capture at about 1 p.m. of the greater part of the battery, but the remnant of a French company held its ground in the southern part of the work. At 3 p.m. only fifty men of the company were left; at 8 p.m. twenty, but still they hung on until an hour later they were reinforced by another company, which succeeded in crossing the barrage. At two o’clock next morning the French repulsed the enemy at the point of the bayonet and recaptured the entire battery.

LAUFÉE WOOD IN 1917

After losing it on July 12th, the French retook the battery in a bayonet charge on October 24th, while General Lardemelle’s division recaptured Chenois Wood (seep. 19).

CHENOIS WOOD IN 1917. VAUX FORT IS IN THE BACKGROUND.

VAUX FORT IN 1916 (photographed from aeroplane).

Vaux Fort.—Built of masonry about the year 1880, afterwards of concrete, and finally of reinforced concrete, the fort was only completed in 1911. Smaller and less powerful than Douaumont Fort, it dominates the plateau to the south of Vaux Ravine and the reverse side of Douaumont Plateau. Therein lies its importance. On March 9th Germany announced triumphantly to the world that the VIth and XIXth reserve regiments of Posen had “taken by assault the armoured Fort of Vaux, as well as numerous neighbouring fortifications.”

This communiqué was untrue. Two battalions of the XIXth regiment of Posen had in reality gained a footing on Vaux Hill on March 9th, but they were mown down at close range by French fire. As a matter of fact, three months of uninterrupted costly effort were necessary before the Germans were able to enter Vaux Fort.

GERMAN ADVANCE ON MARCH 8 AND 9, 1916.

On March 10th and 11th, in four column formation, they attacked the slopes leading to the fort. Literally mowed down, regiment after regimentleft heaps of dead and wounded in front of the French wire entanglements; 60 per cent. of the enemy effectives engaged melted away in these two sanguinary days. After a terrific artillery preparation—five times on March 16th and six times on March 18th—they again swarmed up the slopes of the fort only to be thrown back with heavy loss. On April 2nd the enemy sustained another check, but during the night of June 2nd they reached the northern moat. While, on June 4th and 5th, six of their divisions attempted unsuccessfully to outflank the fort on the north by Fumin and on the south by Chenois Wood, the battle continued to rage on the fort itself and in front of the southern side.

VAUX FORT. THE MOATS IN JUNE, 1916

From March to June 2nd, the fort and its surroundings received no less than 8,000 large calibre shells daily. Only one entrance was left,i.e.the north-west postern, which enemy artillery fire rendered unserviceable. The commander of the fort (Raynal) and his men were imprisoned in the underground chambers of the fort, being no longer able to hold their ground outside. To economise food and water, the surplus contingents were ordered to leave the fort. On the night of the 4th a first detachment made its escape under the direction of Aspirant Buffet, who returned to the fort the next evening with orders. The same night 100 more men managed to get away. Carrier pigeons and optical signals now furnished the only means of communication with the French lines. On the 4th, the last pigeon was released. On the morning of the 5th, thanks to two signalmen who volunteered to change asignal post which the Commandant had difficulty in observing, communications were maintained. The same night the Commandant sent his last message that could be read in its entirety, and which ended: “We have reached the limit, officers and soldiers have done their duty. Long live France!” Nevertheless, the fort continued to hold out and refused to surrender. On the night of the 6th reinforcements tried to relieve it and reached the moat of the counter-scarp, but after losing nearly all their officers they were compelled to fall back. The Germans gained a footing in the ruins of the superstructure, and eventually succeeded in driving the French out of the casemates by lowering baskets of grenades with retarded fuses and by using liquid fire and poison gas. Driven back into the underground passages, the French continued the fight with grenades and bayonets. The 2nd regiment of Zouaves and the Colonial regiment of Morocco made a last effort on the morning of the 8th to relieve the garrison. They reached the approaches of the fort, from which clouds of thick black smoke, caused by a violent explosion in one of the casemates, were pouring. Exposed to the fire of the enemy machine-guns installed in the superstructure of the fort and attacked by constantly increasing reinforcements, they were unable to hold their ground.

THE APPROACHES TO VAUX FORT IN MARCH, 1916The Fort is on the left at the back

THE APPROACHES TO VAUX FORT IN MARCH, 1916

The Fort is on the left at the back

When, on the night of June 8th, after seven days and nights of continual fighting, the heroic defenders of the fort were at last overpowered, the unwounded among them had not tasted a drop of water for two days.

Five months later (November 2nd) the Germans were driven out of the fort, which they hurriedly evacuated (seepp. 63–64).

THE SOUTH-WEST SIDE OF VAUX FORT

THE OLD ENTRANCE TO SOUVILLE FORT (Sept. 1916)

On leaving Vaux Fort return along the same road to the fork (photo,p. 60) and turn to the right. About one kilometer from the fork, on the left, the escarpments ofSouville Fortborder the road.Go to the fort on foot (about 200 yards from the road).

Souville Fort, which stands as high as that of Douaumont, commands the background of the Douaumont—Vaux line. After taking this line, the enemy, from June 15th to 22nd, undertook the destruction of the fort. On the 23rd the entire CIIIrd German Division attacked, but was repulsed with very heavy losses in front of the French second line trenches. The attack was renewed by two divisions on July 11th and 12th, but failed to reach the moats of the fort.

SOUVILLE FORT (March 1917).

PANORAMA SEEN FROM THE CROSS-ROADS AT THE CHAPEL OF ST. FINE (entirely destroyed).

[The left-hand side of the above Panorama.][Labels, from left to right: Heights on left bank, Froide-Terre Redoubt, Froide-Terre Hill, Road to Douaumont, Thiaumont Redoubt, Road to Douaumont]

[The left-hand side of the above Panorama.]

[Labels, from left to right: Heights on left bank, Froide-Terre Redoubt, Froide-Terre Hill, Road to Douaumont, Thiaumont Redoubt, Road to Douaumont]

[The right-hand side of the above Panorama][Labels, from left to right: Douaumont Fort, Hardoumont Wood, Vaux Ravine, Hill 349, Chapitre Wood, Vaux Fort]

[The right-hand side of the above Panorama]

[Labels, from left to right: Douaumont Fort, Hardoumont Wood, Vaux Ravine, Hill 349, Chapitre Wood, Vaux Fort]

The “+” on the sketch-map above shows the spot from where the panorama should be viewed. The car in the photo came from Souville Fort, turning to the right towards Vaux Village.

After visiting the village return to the cross-roads and take the road on the right to Douaumont, seen on the left half of the abovepanorama(p. 66). The bombardments have left no trace of St. Fine Chapel.

After visiting Souville Fort return to the cross-ways at St. Fine Chapel, seen in the above photo.

ATTACKING WAVES OF INFANTRY CROSSING FUMIN WOOD (Oct. 1916).

It was the ruins of this chapel that the enemy reached on July 12th, 1916, and that the 2nd regiment of Zouaves, at the order of General Mangin, recaptured in order to relieve Souville Fort.

At the cross-roads, take theI. C. 12on the right to Vaux village. The road dips down into a gorge between the woods of Le Chapitre and Fumin.

Chapitre and Fumin Woods.—To the west and east of the road leading to Vaux village, these two woods cover the flanks of the plateau which dominates Vaux Ravine and supports Vaux Fort. It was there that the Germans sought to outflank the fort on the west to reach Souville, but they were held in check during May. From June, 1916, these woods were subjected to bombardments of incredible intensity. A powerful German attack on June 23rd failed, but another on July 12th enabled the Germans to get a footing in Fumin Wood. In August and September frequent enemy attacks gave them temporary local gains. On October 24th and 25th, and again at the end of the month, French counter-attacks captured the enemy strongholds and cleared the woods completely.

The defence of the “R” outworks by the 101st line regiment was intimately connected with the attacks on Fumin Wood and Vaux Fort. These outworks were at the foot of the slopes of Fumin Wood, about half-way between the village and fort of Vaux. Bombarded by heavy guns on June 1st and 2nd, it was unsuccessfully attacked by the enemy at 8 p.m. on the evening of the 2nd. Twice on the 3rd and once on the 4th the French, reinforced by a few units, although deprived of water and subjected to machine-gun fire on the flank, repulsed new German attacks. A company of the 298th which, on the night of the 5th, relieved that of the 101st (reduced to 39 men), held out three days more under increasingly difficult conditions, and was only overpowered on the night of the 8th after the capture of the fort of Vaux. These positions were recaptured during the French offensive of October 2nd. 1916. The works known as the “Petit Dépôt,” “Fulda Boyau,” and “Sablière,” bristling with machine-guns and scarcely touched by the French artillery preparation, offered a stubborn resistance, and were only captured by the 74th Division in the evening after a whole day of exceedingly hard fighting.

DEFENCE WORKS IN VAUX VILLAGE (January, 1916).

WHERE VAUX VILLAGE (entirely destroyed) STOOD BEFORE THE WAR.(Photo, April 20th, 1917.)

WHERE VAUX VILLAGE (entirely destroyed) STOOD BEFORE THE WAR.

(Photo, April 20th, 1917.)

Vaux-les-Damloup.—From March 8th the Germans sought to enter this village from the Woevre. The 1st battalion of their XIXth regiment of Reserves, believing it to be empty, was well-nigh exterminated. On the 10th, after a nine-hour night bombardment with torpedoes, units of the XVth and XVIIIth C.A. attacked the village. Although numbering more than six to one, it was only after four successive attacks that they gained a footing in the ruins of a block of houses behind the church. Soon after they advanced as far as the ruins of the church. Five times they sought to debouch, but were each time literally mowed down by the fire of the French machine-guns and mountain batteries. After two costly checks on March 16th and 18th the Germans again attacked on the evening of the 30th, but it was only three days later and at the cost of very heavy casualties that they were able to take and keep the village.

VAUX POND (March 1917).

The road comes to an end at Vaux Pond. The village extended beyond the wooden foot-bridge seen in the photo. No trace of it is left, and the tourist will look in vain for any indication in the desolate waste around him of this erstwhile picturesque and flourishing village. It has literally been wiped out.

Turn the car round 100 yards from the pond, at the place where a narrow-gauge rail-track formerly ran (see photo below).

VAUX POND IS THE EXTREME POINT WHICH CAN BE REACHED BY MOTOR-CARS.

THE SOUTHERN OUTSKIRTS OF FLEURY AFTER THE FRENCHCOUNTER-ATTACK OF JUNE 25TH, 1916.

After turning the car round at Vaux Pond, return by the same road to the cross-ways at St. Fine Chapel (seepp. 66and67), continue another fifty yards, then take on the right the road to Douaumont.

About 500 yards farther on is the site of what was the village ofFleury-devant-Douaumont.

From June 21st to September 30th, 1916, the village was often disputed. After violently bombarding it from June 21st to 23rd, four German Alpine regiments carried it, pushing forward to the south of the Fleury-Vaux railway where the French 75’s checked them with very heavy loss. On the 24th–25th the French reoccupied the eastern part of the village. On the 27th two battalions of the French 241st line regiment entered Fleury, but were soon driven out, after which they clung to the southern and western parts. The enemy bombardment of July 9th–10th levelled the village. On the 11th, picked German troops attacked and outflanked it on the south.French counter-attacks succeeded on the following days in driving the Germans back somewhat, 800 prisoners being taken in ten days. On August 2nd–3rd the village was reoccupied and 1,350 more prisoners taken. It was lost, then partly retaken on August 5th at the point of the bayonet. Two weeks of constant grenade fighting, from hole to hole, by battalions of Alpine Chasseurs from Alsace, carried all that remained of the trenches adjoining the positions “Trois Arbres” and “Montbrison.” On August 17th the Moroccan Colonial Regiment finished the conquest of the village with their usual dash.

FLEURY. THE GRANDE RUE IN JULY, 1916.

In the ruins of Fleury, on the right, there is a road which, after passing through Caillette Wood, comes to an end about 400 yards fromDouaumont Fort.The latter can be reached from here on foot.

One kilometer after the ruins of Fleury the road divides. Take the right-hand one, the other leads to Bras by the northern slopes of Froide-Terre Hill.

The uphill road follows the ridge, at the end of which is Douaumont Fort, then passes south ofThiaumont Redoubt.

FLEURY IN RUINS, OCTOBER, 1916.

Thiaumont Redoubt, S.W. of Douaumont Fort, dominating Froide-Terre Hill and the Bras road to the W., and the Fleury road to the S., formed the left extremity of the last but one line of resistance which passed in front of Verdun,viathe village of Fleury and the forts of Souville and Tavannes. For five months (May–September, 1916), which saw some of the hardest fighting in the battle of Verdun, the Germans wore themselves down against this line. Neither the repeated furious attacks, nor poison gas, nor the incredibly intense bombardments could break the resistance of the French, who clung desperately to their positions.

A little further on the road passes the site ofThiaumont Farm,all traces of which were swept away by the battle.

Thiaumont Farm, captured on June 1st, was reconquered on the 2nd. The enemy occupied the ruins on the 9th, after their big attack of the previous day. On the 12th, 13th, 15th and 17th they sustained four serious checks in front of the defences. Exasperated at the French resistance, they deluged the positions and those of Froide-Terre, on the 21st, with poison gas and more than 100,000 shells. At 6 o’clock on the morning of the 23rd five Bavarian regiments attacked, but although they reached the defences ofFroide-Terre, they were unable to hold them. However, those of Thiaumont remained in their hands. In a magnificent attack on June 30th, and despite enemy cross-fire, the French 248th line regiment reoccupied Thiaumont at noon, lost it at four o’clock, but recaptured it again the next day and kept it until relieved, in spite of furious German counter-attacks. From July 4th to 9th Thiaumont was retaken and lost four times by the Germans, but a fifth attack enabled them to hold it. Fighting around the defences was continual during the rest of the month. From August 1st to 4th the French 96th line regiment, supported by the 122nd, reconquered Thiaumont and its approaches. From the 4th to the 8th it was defended by the 81st, but on the evening of the 8th, after losing and retaking it, they were driven out by a powerful German attack. Since June 23rd Thiaumont had changed hands sixteen times.

THIAUMONT REDOUBT OCCUPIED BY THE FRENCH IN MAY, 1916The Central Shelter having been pierced by a shell on May 6th, the Redoubt was afterwards only used as an Artillery Observation-Post. The Entrance Trench in the foreground was each day levelled by enemy shells, only to be re-made during the night.

THIAUMONT REDOUBT OCCUPIED BY THE FRENCH IN MAY, 1916

The Central Shelter having been pierced by a shell on May 6th, the Redoubt was afterwards only used as an Artillery Observation-Post. The Entrance Trench in the foreground was each day levelled by enemy shells, only to be re-made during the night.

From the middle of August the French command changed their tactics. Abandoning the costly direct attacks, the redoubt was gradually encircled. On October 24th Moroccan Colonial troops, Zouaves and Tirailleurs, in a dashing grenade and bayonet attack, recaptured Douaumont, the Farm and Redoubt of Thiaumont and the Dame and neighbouring ravines.

THIAUMONT REDOUBT IN RUINS OCCUPIED BY THE GERMANS A MONTH LATERBARBED-WIRE ENTANGLEMENT IN FRONT OF THE FRENCH LINE

THIAUMONT REDOUBT IN RUINS OCCUPIED BY THE GERMANS A MONTH LATER

BARBED-WIRE ENTANGLEMENT IN FRONT OF THE FRENCH LINE

THE APPROACHES TO DOUAUMONT FORT AND VILLAGE.aThe upperphoto on p. 78,Dame Ravine, was taken from here.bThe lowerphoto on p. 80,Helly Ravine, was taken from here.

THE APPROACHES TO DOUAUMONT FORT AND VILLAGE.

aThe upperphoto on p. 78,Dame Ravine, was taken from here.

bThe lowerphoto on p. 80,Helly Ravine, was taken from here.

Leave the car at Thiaumont Farm and go on foot to Douaumont Fort, following the temporary narrow-gauge line for about 1,300 yards. These rails follow the old road which was entirely destroyed.

(Seephoto, p. 29.)

This modern stronghold, which the Crown Prince called “the N.E. angular pillar of the permanent fortifications of Verdun,” occupies at Hill 388 the culminating point of the hard limestone plateau which forms the region of Verdun. Lying between Bras Ravine (which descends towards the W. and the Meuse) and Vaux or Bazil Ravine (extending towards the E. and the Woevre), the fort dominates the entire region. As the key of the battlefield it was fiercely disputed.

Before the battle of 1916 it was only bombarded twice by the German artillery. Of the 250 shells fired at it early in November, 1914, 170 reached the mark without, however, causing serious damage. The few 8-inch shells received on March 29th, 1915, did no damage whatever.

DOUAUMONT FORT IN JANUARY, 1916.

On February 25th, 1916, almost at the beginning of the battle, units of the German XXIVth Infantry Regiment (IIIrd Brandenburgers), wearing French Zouave uniforms, surprised and occupied the fort. On the morning of the 26th the French 153rd D.I. (20th C.) counter-attacked fiercely five times, advancing their line beyond the fort and surrounding the enemy on threesides. Thanks, however, to a communicating trench connecting up with their lines, the enemy were able to keep their ground. From the 26th to the 29th they furiously attacked the approaches of the fort without being able to surround it. A redoubt, 200 yards E. of the fort, was alternately lost and recaptured three times on the 26th. From March 8th to May 19th the fighting continued with varying fortune.

THE FRONT ON THE MORNING OF FEBRUARY 26TH (26/2),AFTER THE GERMANS HAD OCCUPIED THE FORT BYSURPRISE, AND ON THE MORNING OF THE 27TH(27/2), AFTER THE FRENCH COUNTER-ATTACK.

THE ENTRANCE TO DOUAUMONT FORT IN JANUARY, 1916.

From the 19th to the 22nd French heavy guns bombarded the fort, the explosion of a shell on the 20th causing hundreds of victims. To hamper the enemy Intelligence Service six of their observation balloons were destroyed by a French flying squadron on the morning of the 22nd. At 11.50 the 10th Brigade (5th D.I.) attacked the fort and itsapproaches. At noon the 129th line regiment occupied the N. and N.W. corners of the fort. The 74th regiment was unable to take the N.E. corner, but the 36th succeeded in capturing all the trenches west of the Fort. During the night and all the next day the enemy intensified their bombardment and increased the number of their counter-attacks, without breaking through the defences of the 10th Brigade, which maintained all its gains until relieved on the night of the 23rd. Exasperated at this check, the Germans, on the 24th, engaged no less than an army corps of reinforcements and retook the fort.

THE INTERIOR OF THE FORT ON MAY 22ND, 1916,THREE HOURS AFTER THE ATTACK.French Infantry and Sappers in a trench hurriedly made around an outworkof masonry still held by the enemy with machine-guns.

THE INTERIOR OF THE FORT ON MAY 22ND, 1916,THREE HOURS AFTER THE ATTACK.

French Infantry and Sappers in a trench hurriedly made around an outworkof masonry still held by the enemy with machine-guns.

Five months later (October 24th) they lost it again after a heavy bombardment and attack, during which a French 16-inch shell pierced the superstructure of the fort and started a fire. A dense fog overhung the fort when, at 11.40 a.m., the signal for the attack, directed by General Mangin, was given. When, at about 2.30 p.m. the fog lifted, French observers perceived the Moroccan Colonials of theNicolaï battalion scaling the ruins of the fort. On arriving there, the latter found units of the 321st line regiment which, operatingin liaisonon their right, had preceded them and already hoisted the French flag on the ruins of the fort. Two sappers of the 19-2 Co. of Engineers slipped into the basement of the fort, and with the aid of four Colonials captured twenty-four German soldiers, four officers, two guns and three machine-guns in one of the counter-scarp shelters. Other enemy soldiers in one of the casemates surrendered, with the German commander of the fort, on the night of the 24th. The next morning the entire fort, together with a great quantity of arms, munitions and foodstuffs, was in the hands of the French. Four enemy counter-attacks on the 26th failed to retake it.

SOLDIERS OF THE MOROCCAN COLONIAL REGT.OCCUPYING THE MOATS OF THE RECONQUERED FORT(photographed on the morning of Oct. 25th, 1916, the day after the victory)

SOLDIERS OF THE MOROCCAN COLONIAL REGT.OCCUPYING THE MOATS OF THE RECONQUERED FORT

(photographed on the morning of Oct. 25th, 1916, the day after the victory)

On the night of the 24th a sergeant of the 4th Zouaves captured, unaided, a German company and six officers. Returning from revictualling duty, he was taken prisoner by some Germans occupying a shelter near the fort Coolly informing them that Douaumont and Damloup Battery had fallen, he called on them to surrender. The attitude of the sergeant was so convincing that after some hesitation they laid down their arms and were brought into the French lines.

Douaumont was entirely cleared on December 15th by the 37th D.I., which fought a hard battle in the woods before the village. Having learned the time of the attack, the Germans were on their guard, but after a furious combat the 2nd Tirailleurs drove back the VIth Prussian Grenadiers and crossed Helly Ravine ((photo, p. 80).

HardaumontandCaillette WoodsandDouaumont Villagemay be visited, on foot from the fort of Douaumont.

The plateau E. and S.E. of Douaumont Fort ends in wooded slopes, which overhang Vaux (Basil) Ravine. That furthest to the E. contains Hardaumont Wood, while on the most western slope is Caillette Wood. The Germans who, on March 8th and 9th, had taken Hardaumont Redoubt, only entered Caillette Wood on April 2nd, after four days’ attacks with asphyxiating gas and liquid fire. Despite a night marchof eleven miles, the 74th line regiment (5th D.I.) attacked the enemy vigorously on the morning of April 3rd. On April 3rd, 4th and 5th the French retook the wood, bit by bit. On the 15th three battalions of the 36th line regiment and units of the 120th threw back the enemy between Caillette and Fausse-Côte ravines, while on the 19th the 81st Brigade enlarged these gains. From the 24th to the 26th the Germans tried in vain to advance. On June 1st they engaged two and a half divisions before they were able to occupy the greater part of Caillette Wood. Moreover, their success was only temporary, for on October 24th the French Division of General Passaga (“La Gauloise”) drove them definitely out of Caillette Wood and partly from that of Hardaumont. Nearly two enemy divisions were put out of action and seventeen field guns, twenty-five heavy guns, including two of long range, and numerous trench mortars were captured. The reconquest of Hardaumont Wood was completed on December 15th by the same division which captured “Lorient” and Hardaumont Redoubts.

RUINS OF DOUAUMONT VILLAGE AND CHURCH.

Douaumont Village, situated below and 500 yards to the W. of the fort, was almost encircled on the evening of February 25th, but Zouaves and Tirailleurs extricated it. From the 25th to the 28th the Vth German D.I. made five furious attacks, but were unable to break down the resistance of the 95th line regiment and units of the 153rd D.I. which were defending the village. On March 2nd, after a preliminary bombardment which destroyed the village and isolated the battalion holding it, the CXIIIth German D.I., wearing French helmets, attacked at 1.15 p.m. on the N. and E. The French machine-gunners soon discovered the trick, however, and mowed them down. After a second bombardment the enemy again attacked, overwhelming the defenders, one company of whom resisted to the last man.

The remains of the French battalion took their stand fifty yards S.W. of the village and prevented the enemy from debouching. On the 3rd two battalions of the 172nd and 174th line regiments retook the village at the point of the bayonet. During the night the Germans counter-attacked twice unsuccessfully with heavy loss, 800 dead being counted in front of one of the French trenches. On the 4th a third and more powerful counter-attack succeeded in driving the French from the village, but broke down against new positions 200 yards to the south. The French were compelled to fall back in May and June, but returned victorious to the ruined village on October 24th.

DAME RAVINE.The road from Thiaumont to Bras follows it, ending at Haudromont Quarries (see Itinerary,p. 57). The tree-stumps in the foreground formed part of Chauffour Wood.

DAME RAVINE.

The road from Thiaumont to Bras follows it, ending at Haudromont Quarries (see Itinerary,p. 57). The tree-stumps in the foreground formed part of Chauffour Wood.

Back to Index Next