Source: File: Fort
Douaumont in 1916. [online] See an original image at: <http://www.lesfrancaisaverdun-1916.fr/fortifications1024.htm>
[Accessed: 19 May 2016]
i
In the approach
to a 100 days
Of battle, the
fighting still raged
About Verdun - from
start
Of 21 February German
intent
Was to break down
the French.
A key to the city
of Verdun’s
Defenses stood
Fort Douaumont -
Built on the
highest ground
And reinforced
from start until
1913, this was a
formidable fort.
Armaments had
though been
Depleted by
General Joffre's
Orders, in
consideration
Of Germany's Belgium
invasion -
That had swept
aside such forts.
At the point of offensive action
In 1916,
Douaumont was only
Manned by a few
artillery
And 56 troops,
without officers;
A depleted key Verdun
defence.
ii
With pounding of large
caliber
Guns, the crew
retreated down
To lowest levels
with weak
Defenses - 10 German
engineers
Approached the deserted
coffres.
Sergeant Kunze
climbed inside
And opened a door
- nine men
Refused entry,
fearing a trap -
Sergeant Kunzel wandered
alone
Through empty, echoing
tunnels.
With only a rifle
Kunze came
To the one
artillery team, taking
Them prisoners as
others
Of the
Brandenburg troops came,
Assisting to
secure the French fort.
Fort Douaumont located
behind
German front,
became a shelter
And base - the
fort then
A place for German
soldiers -
Called 'Old Uncle
Douaumont.'
iii
On 8 May 1916 a
few German
Soldiers started
to make coffee,
They used
flamethrower
Fuel on a cooking
fire - ignorant
Of flammable
liquid being fatal.
Sudden bursting heat
resulted
In detonation of
nearby shells,
Grenades and stored
fuel.
Within the flash
firestorm, many
Soldiers died in
brief seconds.
12th grenadier
regimental men
Were instantly
killed, while other
Men trying to
escape -
Blackened from
fire to be shot
Down, seen as
French Africans.
The pitiful
stance of each side
Still hammered
away, with the
Hundredth day -
hope
To regain Verdun had
failed -
Germans pinned
down French.
iV
With caution came
one report
Breaking down of
French
Was being
achieved - along
With enemy
wearing down
His own, in undecided
outcome.
Advancement on
Meuse's
Left bank, set on
emplacements
Of French at
Hauts de Meuse;
A line spanned
Hill 304, Avocourt,
Dead Man's Hill
and Cumieres.
As to how neutral
a military
Critic might
takes sides, came
A report by
Colonel Feyler -
The Swiss officer toured line
To advise French
loss was less.
Colonel Feyler as
observer
Informed how French
force
As defenders,
with Germans
As assailants, to
lead to latter
Losing 100,000 every
month.
V
For French
success were
Germans failures,
as they
Had been driven
backward -
As defenders kept ground,
Along with
enemies errors.
From sources of
secrecy,
Feyler noted
efficiency
Of initial German
units
Had been
withdrawn, only
To be reformed
into action.
After this second,
equally
Effective gallant
unit
Withdrew, to be
reformed
For the third
time,
Back in the Verdun
front.
When on this occasion
These troops
acted in
Refusal to leave
trenches -
Sources told how
many
Were court martiallied.
Vi
Changes in French
leaders
Had seen Marshall
Petain
Take command of French
Army group -
General Nivelle
Took over 2nd
French army.
The date of appointment
1 May 1916, when
the fight
At Verdun led
preparations
Up to 22 May 1916
- Nivelle
Gave General
Mangin orders.
The plan was
counter attack
On Fort Douaumont
- with
Secrecy still
maintained,
Included swift destruction
Of German sausage
balloons.
Reported as a
brilliant
Feat that began
Monday
22 May 4.30 (a.m.?)
French trench
divisions
Faced their German
equals.
Vii
The lines of
enemy faced
Out from Douaumont
fort -
In 15 minutes an initial French
Attack cut through
to the
Second German
line.
Although Germans
repelled
Them twice,
reinforcements
Brought in
assistance - Fort
Douaumont was
entered;
The fight was not
yet done.
Enemy forces within
the fort
Came close to
encirclement -
Yet held onto
north east
Corner, defending
flank
Attacks of
Thiaumont farm.
This came from
southwest,
While from southeast,
fire
Came by Caillette
wood -
Over two days and
nights
Were made German
replies.
Viii
Infantry interspersed
with
Artillery, with
new Bavarian
Divisions to push
back
French at Thiaumont
farm -
French fell back
by Tuesday.
Within night, a few
hundred
Yards gained were
then lost;
So the French
retreated
From the fort,
although they
Had not had seen
a fight.
Had the two
circling units
Of Thiaumont farm
and
Caillette wood
held, then
Fort Douaumont
would
Have likely been regained.
About southern
positions
Of Douaumont, the French
Held positions - An
outcome
Of Verdun was yet
to see any
Success made, either way.
Success made, either way.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916.
Story of Douaumont. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 27 May 1916. P.9. Col.1. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12210238/Daily-Telegraph-May-27-1916.html> [Accessed: 27 May 2016].
Source: File: Fort
Douaumont. Online. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Douaumont>
Accessed 27 May 2016
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie
Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 27 May 2016).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar
#WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Verdun
No comments:
Post a Comment