Poem ~ Douaumont: A Pivotal Fort - Saturday, 27 May 1916 - Monday, 29 May 1916

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.

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). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12210238/Daily-Telegraph-May-27-1916.html

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Poem ~ Verdun: French Counter-Actions - Thursday, 9 March 1916

Source: File: German troops advancing during the Battle for Verdun.jpg. [online] See original image available at: <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joseph-v-micallef/this-week-in-world-war-i_b_9281672.html> [Accessed: 9 March 2016

A communiqué by the French army's

British representative Warner Allen,

From only hours before, was to tell

Of imminent situations at Verdun.

With the curve of the Meuse about

The position of French defense forts,

Enemy advances proceeded along

Its bank on western side - prompted

By halting enemy on the eastern side.

Cote du Poivre and Douaumont

Had checked all German progress -

Within a wavering heartbeat action,

Troops pulsed from east to west.

Lying in shallow hollow of marshy land,

Forges village became an advance

Post - while main defence line moved

About Bois des Corbeaux, Bethincourt

Bois de Cumieres and Cote de l'Oie.

Despite difficulties of grand movements

French held onto advanced positions

Of western bank - to fall back about

Douaumont, preparing for any attack.

Finally French held Forges succumbed

To German assault, only after a heavy

Fight and many losses - in their need to

Regroup before turning on Cote de l'Oie

And Bethincourt, under fortunate tactics.

German Army Corps brought their

Guns, where land rose in terraces -

On the Meuse's east side, batteries

Were readied to annoy the French.

Both sides of river Meuse were open

To exposure of fire from Brabant -

Despite an apparent commanding post

The Germans, other than a foothold

In Bois des Corbeaux, became stuck.

An Allen prediction for the Germans,

Were heavy losses in any new move,

While Regneville witnessed minor

Advances, about flooded Meuse loop.

The river acted as a barrier, where

Rising waters about northern loop

Made for any impractical progress -

The German trail moved to rail lines.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Attack on Verdun - Capture Of Forges - New French Positions. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 9 March 1916. P.10. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12183709/Daily-Telegraph-March-9-1916.html [Accessed: 9 March 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 9 March 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12183709/Daily-Telegraph-March-9-1916.html

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Poème ~ Verdun: Interactions Français - Jeudi 9 Mars 1916

Source: Dossier: Les troupes allemandes avancent au cours de la Bataille pour Verdun.jpg. [En ligne] Voir l'image originale à l'adresse: <troupes allemandes avançant pendant la bataille de Verdun/> [Consulté 9 Mars 2016]

Un communiqué par l'armée française de
représentant britannique Warner Allen,
De quelques heures seulement avant, était de
Dire des situations imminentes à Verdun.

La courbe de la Meuse environ
La position des forts français de la défense,
les progrès de l'ennemi a procédé le long
Sa banque sur le côté ouest - invité
En stoppant l'ennemi sur le côté est.

Côte du Poivre et Douaumont
Avait vérifié tous les progrès allemand -
Dans une action de battement de coeur vacillant,
Les troupes pulsés de l'est à l'ouest.

Allongé dans creuse peu profonde de terres,
Marécageuses village Forges est devenu une avance
Post - tandis que la ligne de défense principale déplacé
À propos de Bois des Corbeaux, Bethencourt
Bois de Cumières et la Côte de l'Oie.

Malgré les difficultés de grands mouvements
Française détenue sur des positions avancées
Sur la rive ouest - à se replier sur les
Douaumont, la préparation de toute attaque.

Enfin français détenus Forges a succombé
Pour assaut allemand, seulement après une forte
Lutte et de nombreuses pertes - dans leur besoin de
Regrouper avant de se tourner sur la Côte de l'Oie
Et Bethincourt, sous la tactique heureuses.

Corps d'Armée allemande ont apporté leur
Armes à feu, où la terre a augmenté en terrasses -
Sur le côté est de la Meuse, batteries
Ont été prépara pour embêter les Français.

Les deux côtés de la rivière Meuse étaient
Ouvertes pour l'exposition du feu du Brabant -
En dépit d'un poste de commandement
Apparent les Allemands, autres que un pied
Dans Bois des Corbeaux, est devenu coincé.

Une prédiction Allen pour les Allemands,
Y avait de lourdes pertes dans un nouveau,
Mouvement Alors que Regneville témoin mineur
Avances, environ inondées boucle de la Meuse.

La rivière a agi comme une barrière, où
La crue des eaux au sujet de la boucle nord
Conçu pour tout progrès impossible - Le sentier
Allemand déplacé vers les lignes de chemin de fer.

Par Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Attack on Verdun - Capture Of Forges - New French Positions. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 9 March 1916. P.10. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12183709/Daily-Telegraph-March-9-1916.html [Accessed: 9 March 2016].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 9 March 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12183709/Daily-Telegraph-March-9-1916.html

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Poem ~ German Target: Verdun - Monday, 21 February 1916

Source: File: Douaumont Fort, Verdun, 1916.jpg. [online]  Available at: <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gun-erzurum-niva-1916-11.jpg> [Accessed: 18 February 2016]

See other image for

 Day 1 of the Battle of Verdun. Depicting there waves of German troops from Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 39 advancing towards Haumont Wald (bois d’Haumont) on 21 February 1916.  Available at: <https://flic.kr/p/aBBztT> 

i

Germany was facing a problem;

The intention by German strategists

Had been a swift sharp cut, in action

Of the Schlieffen Plan via Belgium

Into France, to end with a Paris win -

This careful ambition was a failure.

Belgium's defenders were mighty;

France had thudded into Germany

At the Marne, while their Russian

Allies had fought them on Eastern

Front, as Britain had made barricades

Along the western front; stalemate.

A swift flash of victory floundered

Into mud, along a border of trench

War - with 1915 leading to dull closure,

General Erich Anton von Falkenhayn

Formulated how this stale situation

Might lead to successful conclusion.

In dark days of December, General

Falkenhayn wrote out a strategy

To the Kaiser - how he believed all

Might be saved, to sever an artery

Of France, which was at their heart -
Afterwards to turn East and Russia.

Once France was out of the running,

Lone Britain would be seeking peace.

Falkenhayn's target was to hit nerve

Of Verdun, that represented France.

In that formidable, impregnable fort,

French honour would be defeated.

ii

Easy in the sense of a paper plan,

French morale would fall in action

Of feeding their army into Verdun -

After being crushed they would

Beg for peace; 'impregnable' forts

Had both fallen at Liege and Namur.

Fire Power was Germany's Krupp,

Big built Berthas of 42 mm - thus
Operation Judgment was set and

The Kaiser was taken by the plan,

With Crown Prince Wilhem at head;
Yet no plan formed beyond attrition.

Falkenhayn had no further goals,

Than to wipe out forts of Verdun.

To think after what else could be

Done - without detail Crown Prince

Had his own idea to capture forts,

By two approaches over the Meuse.

For Falkenhayn this idea did not fit

His ideal of slashing down French

Army, to keep this to himself - yet

he allowed the Prince's attack, only

On the east bank of the Meuse;

In promise to send later reserves.

For Douaumont was central pivot;

1,200 feet high, about which were

20 other forts of varied sizes - part

Of a large salient that pushed its

Way into enemy lines - thus open

To German fire from three sides.

iii

Already France assisted Germany

By weakening Verdun - General

Joffre believing forts had no use,

By example of Belgium's easy loss.

So the forts only housed supplies -

A few men held onto a skeleton line.

While on the other side Germany

Massed their weaponry - heavy

Guns, howitzers and Big Berthas.

In double figures on a 8 mile front,

150 guns covered each mile - all

With 140,000 men moved secretly.

Enemy observation were held

Back by planes, assisted by poor

Weather conditions - the zero

Hour was set 12 February 1916.

Well into the night 11 February,

The Germans were ready to go.

12 February 1916 - 4th day

Of 27th week; 2nd year of war.

Into the night an explosion took

Over, as nature's storm brought

In blizzards of snow - dropping

Sub zero temperatures of bitter

Winds and frozen rain, to last for

Days; proving France's saviour.

iV

Suspicion flew across the winds,

And the French realised some

Plan was waiting beyond, from

Over the other side - quick action

Brought in French reinforcements -

They had gained nine days grace.

21 February 1916; communication

Down the German line; a new zero

Hour, prompted attack. A message

Reached town of Verdun, by launch

Of a 15 inch Krupp at a distance

Of 20 miles - followed by upheaval.

21 February 1916 - 6th day

Of 28 week; 2nd year of war.

Ten long fearful hours with a storm

Of artillery, fired by 808 guns over

A 19-mile front, from river Meuse's

East bank - while long-range guns

Of 26 fired 16.5, to target Verdun

And the forts - pausing at midday.

The plan was to believe French

To reveal themselves - as storm

Began again, to narrowing down

On an eight mile front -100,000

Shells an hour - high explosive

Shrapnel and gas made air solid.

15.30 p.m. culminated the explosive

Air, then stopped 16:00 p.m. field grey

Figures of Germans emerged across

A riddled lunar landscape, expectant

Of no living souls - defiant despite

Losses, the ragged French emerged.

V

With shocked surprise the Germans

Faced bedraggled, resistant fighters.

Despite a pounding of heavy shells,

The underground forts density

Preserved their gunnery that began

To open a return of artillery fire.

Head pounding the French fought

Back - to confirm Falkenhayn's

Prediction how the French would

Fight until their last man stood -

German attack stopped in tracks;

At night a bombardment resumed.

General Joffre's attitude to forts

Had been criticised, by Lieutenant

Colonel Emile Driant, a soldier

Of 60 - a military writer of Guerre

Imaginaire whose story, Fortress

Warfare, became a sad reality.

Driant was proved correct with

Verdun under threat, Driant took

Command to gain time to get

Reserves - then outflanked Driant

Gave order to retreat - with rifle

In hand Driant was shot in head.

Lieutenant Colonel Emile Driant,

The first high-ranking man shot

At Verdun, reflected a determined

France to resist invasion in that

Sector - the first hero of Verdun,

Driant died as others fought on.

by Jamie Mann.

Source: File: Battle of Verdun. Online. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Verdun> [Accessed 21 February 2016]

Source: File: Erich von Falkenhayn. Online. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_von_Falkenhayn> [Accessed 21 February 2016]

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Poème ~ Cible allemande: Verdun - Lundi 21 Février 1916

Source: Fichier: Fort de Douaumont, Verdun, 1916.jpg. [En ligne] Disponible à l'adresse: <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gun-erzurum-niva-1916-11.jpg> [Consulté le 18 Février 2016]

i
L'Allemagne a été confrontée à un problème;
L'intention par les stratèges russes
Avait été une forte réduction rapide, en action
Sur le plan Schlieffen, via la Belgique
En France, à la fin avec une victoire de Paris -
Cette ambition minutieuse était un échec.

Les défenseurs de la Belgique étaient puissants,
La France avait en Allemagne battait
A la Marne, tandis que leur russe
Alliés les avaient combattu l'Est
barricades avant, la Grande-Bretagne avait fait
Le long du front occidental; impasse.

Un flash rapide de la victoire pataugé
Dans la boue, sur une frontière de la tranchée
Guerre - avec 1915 à venir à la fermeture terne
Général Erich von Falkenhayn Anton
Formulé comment cette situation rassis
Pourrait conduire à la conclusion réussie.

Dans les jours sombres de Décembre, le général
Falkenhayn a écrit une stratégie
Pour le Kaiser - comment il croyait tout
Peut-être sauvé, pour couper une artère
De France, qui était leur cœur -
Traiter avec eux, puis la Russie en Orient.

Une fois que la France était hors de la course,
Lone Bretagne chercherait à obtenir la paix.
cible Falkenhayn était de frapper le nerf
De Verdun, qui a représenté la France.
Dans les forts inexpugnables formidables
honneur français pouvait être vaincu.

ii
Facile dans le sens d'un plan de papier,
Français Moral tomberait en action
De l'alimentation de leur armée dans Verdun -
Après avoir été écrasé ils le feraient
Beg pour la paix; forts indestructibles
Avait cassé à Liège et Namur.

Fire Power était de l'Allemagne Krupp,
Construit Big Berthas de 42 mm - ainsi
Ce devait être l'opération Arrêt,
Le Kaiser a été prise par le plan
Avec le prince héritier Wilhem à la tête;
Pourtant, rien ne se trouvait au-delà de l'attrition.

Falkenhayn avait pas d'autres objectifs
Que de lingette forts de Verdun.
Ensuite, penser à ce que d'autre pourrait être
Fait - sans détails Prince héritier
Avait sa propre idée de capturer des forts,
Dans deux approches de la Meuse.

Pour Falkenhayn cela ne correspondait pas
Son idéal de sabrant bas Français
Armée de terre, de sorte gardé à lui-même - encore
Pour permettre l'attaque du prince seulement
Sur la rive est de la Meuse;
Dans la promesse d'envoyer des réserves plus tard.

Pour Douaumont était pivot central;
1200 pieds de haut sur lequel étaient
20 autres forts de tailles variées - partie
Sur un grand saillant qui a poussé son
Way dans les lignes ennemies afin ouvertes
Pour le feu allemand de trois côtés.

iii
Déjà France a aidé l'Allemagne
En affaiblissant Verdun - général
forts Joffre croyait avoir aucune utilité
Par exemple, la perte facile de la Belgique.
Ainsi, les forts que les fournitures logés
Et les hommes, détenus par une ligne de squelette.

Tandis que de l'autre côté Allemagne
Massée leurs armes - lourds
Guns obusiers et Big Bertha.
En deux chiffres sur un front de 8 mile
150 canons couverts chaque mile tous
Avec 140.000 hommes dans le secret.

l'observation de l'ennemi ont eu lieu
Retour par les bateaux assistés par une mauvaise
Les conditions météorologiques - le zéro
Hour a été fixé au 12 Février 1916.
Eh bien dans la nuit 11 Février
Les Allemands étaient prêts à aller.

12 Février 1916 - 4ème jour
De la semaine 27, en 2ème année de la guerre.

Dans la nuit une explosion a eu
Plus, comme la tempête de la nature a
Dans les blizzards de neige - laisser tomber
Températures inférieures à zéro d'amer
Vent et pluie gelée, pour durer
Jours, pour prouver le sauveur de la France.

iV
Suspicion a volé à travers les vents,
Et les Français a réalisé un certain
Régime attendait au-delà - de
Au cours de l'action rapide autre côté
Apporté en renforts français -
Ils avaient gagné neuf jours grâce.

21 Février 1916 la communication
En bas de la ligne allemande; nouveau zéro
Hour, invité attaque. Un message
ville atteint de Verdun par le lancement
D'un 15 pouces Krupp, à une certaine distance
Sur les 20 miles - suivie par les bouleversements.

21 Février 1916 - 6ème jour
Sur 28 semaines, en 2ème année de la guerre.

10 longues heures terribles avec une tempête
De l'artillerie, tirée par 808 canons plus
Un front 19-mile, de la rivière Meuse de
rive Est - tout canons à longue portée
De 26 tiré 16,5 pour cibler Verdun
Et les forts pour faire une pause à midi

Le plan était de croire français
Pour se révéler, comme la tempête
A commencé à nouveau rétrécissement
Huit mile avant -100000
Coquilles d'une heure - explosif
Shrapnel et de gaz ont fait l'air solide.

15.30 p.m. a culminé l'explosif
Air puis arrêté 16:00 p.m. champ gris
Les chiffres d'Allemands ont émergé à travers
Un paysage lunaire enceinte criblé
Des pas d'âmes vivant - défiante en dépit
Les pertes, le loqueteux français a émergé.

V
Avec surprise, choqué les Allemands
Face débraillé combattants résistants.
Malgré un pilonnage d'obus lourds
La densité des forts souterrains
Conservé leur gunnery qui a commencé
Pour ouvrir un retour de tirs d'artillerie.

Tête battre le Français a combattu
Retour, pour confirmer Falkenhayn de
Prédiction comment le français
Battez jusqu'à leur dernier homme debout -
attaque allemande arrêté dans des pistes;
Un bombardement de nuit a repris.

L'attitude du général Joffre à forts
Avait été critiqué par le lieutenant
Colonel Emile Driant, un soldat
De 60 un écrivain militaire de guerre
Imaginaire dont l'histoire Fortress
La guerre est devenue un véritable événement.

Driant a été prouvé correct avec
Verdun sous la menace Driant a
Commande pour gagner du temps pour obtenir
Réserves puis débordaient Driant
avec fusil - ordre de retraite Gave
Dans la main Driant a été abattu dans la tête.

Le lieutenant-colonel Emile Driant,
Le premier homme tir haut rang
À Verdun reflète une détermination
France pour résister à l'invasion en ce que
Secteur le premier héros de Verdun
Driant gauche que d'autres se sont battus sur.

by Jamie Mann.

Source: File: Battle of Verdun. Online. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Verdun> [Accessed 21 February 2016]

Source: File: Erich von Falkenhayn. Online. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_von_Falkenhayn> [Accessed 21 February 2016]

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