[Sidenote: A strong German position.]
(4) To the north of Le Mesnil, a very strong position, bastioned on the west by two twin heights (Mamelle Nord and Trapeze), on the east by the b.u.t.te du Mesnil. The German trenches formed between these two bastions a powerful curtain, behind which extended as far as Tahure a thickly wooded, undulating region.
(5) To the north of Beausejour a bare terrain easily practicable, with a gentle rise in the direction of Ripon as far as the farm of Maisons de Champagne.
[Sidenote: Eastern flank of the German line.]
(6) To the north of Ma.s.siges, Hills numbered 191 and 199, describing on the map the figure of a hand, very strongly constructed and const.i.tuting the eastern flank of the whole German line. This tableland slopes down gently in the direction of Ville-sur-Tourbe.
[Sidenote: German system of trench defenses.]
The achievements of our troops from September 25 to October 3, 1915, in this region may be thus summarised: They scaled the whole of the glacis of l"Epine de Vedegrange; they occupied the ridge of the hollow at Souain; debouched in the opening to the north of Perthes to the slopes of Hill 195 and as far as the b.u.t.te de Tahure; carried the western bastions of the curtain of le Mesnil; advanced as far as Maisons de Champagne and took by a.s.sault the "hand" of Ma.s.siges. That is to say that they captured an area about forty square kilometres in extent. The importance of that figure is shown when one examines on the map accompanying this report the position of the German trenches, with a view to understanding the system of defence adopted by our adversaries.
Two positions, distant from three to four kilometres from each other, stand out clearly. The first is the more dense; the trenches with their alleys of communication present at certain points the appearance of a wirework chessboard. Everywhere, to a depth of from 300 to 400 metres there are at least three parallel lines, sometimes five. The trenches are separated from each other as a rule by wire entanglements varying in width from 15 to 60 metres.
[Sidenote: The second position.]
[Sidenote: Alleys of communication.]
The second position comprises only one trench, reinforced at certain points by a supporting trench. It is everywhere constructed, as is the wire network in front of it, in the form of a slope. On top there are merely observation stations with machine-gun shelters connected with the trench by an alley of communication. Between the two positions the terrain was also specially prepared, being cut up by transverse or diagonal trenches. The alleys of communication constructed to facilitate the firing, which were in many cases protected by wirework, make possible, according to the German method, a splitting up of the terrain by lateral fire and the maintenance, even after the tide of the a.s.sailants had flooded the trenches, of centres of resistance, veritable strongholds that could only be reduced after a siege. The positions of the artillery were established, as were also the camps and provision depots, behind the first position, the princ.i.p.al line of defence.
[Sidenote: German organization known.]
The whole German organization was known to us. It was shown on our maps, and every defensive work, trench, alley of communication, and clump of trees was given a special name or a number preceded by a certain letter, according to the sector of attack wherein it was situated. This minute precision in the details of the preparation is worthy of being pointed out; it const.i.tutes one of the peculiarities of the present war, a veritable siege war, in which the objective has to be realised beforehand and clearly determined, every piece of ground having to be captured by heavy fighting, as was formerly every redan and every curtain.
The bombardment of the German positions began on September 22, 1915 and was pursued night and day according to a time scheme and a division of labour previously determined upon. The results expected were:
[Sidenote: Results of bombardment.]
(1) The destruction of the wire entanglements.
(2) The burial of the defenders in their dug-out.
(3) The razing of the trenches and the demolition of the embrasures.
(4) The stopping-up of the alleys of communication.
[Sidenote: Work of the long-range guns.]
The gun-fire covered not only the first trench but also the supporting trench and even the second position, although the distance at which the last was situated and the outline of its wire entanglements made it difficult to make field observations in that direction. At the same time the heavy long-range guns bombarded the headquarters, the cantonments and the railway stations; they cut the railway lines, causing a suspension of the work of revictualling. The best witnesses to the effectiveness of our bombardment are to be found in unfinished letters found upon prisoners.
[Sidenote: Letters found on prisoners.]
"SEPTEMBER 23.
"The French artillery fired without intermission from the morning of the 21st to the evening of the 23rd, and we all took refuge in our dug-outs. On the evening of the 22nd we were to have gone to get some food, and the French continued to fire on our trenches. In the evening we had heavy losses, and we had nothing to eat."
"SEPTEMBER 25.
"I have received no news, and probably I shall not receive any for some days. The whole postal service has been stopped; all places have been bombarded to such an extent that no human being could stand against it.
"The railway line is so seriously damaged that the train service for some time has been completely stopped.
"We have been for three days in the first line; during those three days the French have fired so heavily that our trenches are no longer visible."
[Sidenote: Number of wounded.]
"SEPTEMBER 24.
"For the last two days the French have been firing like mad. To-day, for instance, a dug-out has been destroyed. There were sixteen men in it. Not one of them managed to save his skin. They are all dead. Besides that, a number of individual men have been killed and there are a great ma.s.s of wounded.
"The artillery fires almost as rapidly as the infantry. A mist of smoke hangs over the whole battle-front, so that it is impossible to see anything. Men are dropping like flies.
"The trenches are no longer anything but a mound of ruins."
[Sidenote: Sufferings of the soldiers.]
"SEPTEMBER 24.
"A rain of sh.e.l.ls is pouring down upon us. The kitchen and everything that is sent to us is bombarded at night. The field-kitchens no longer come to us. Oh, if only the end were near! That is the cry every one is repeating.
Peace! Peace!"
Extract from the notebook of a man of the 103rd Regiment:
"From the trench nothing much can now be seen; it will soon be on a level with the ground."
Letter of an artilleryman of the 100th Regiment of Field Artillery:
"SEPTEMBER 25.
"We have pa.s.sed through some terrible hours. It was as though the whole world was in a state of collapse. We have had heavy losses. One company of two hundred and fifty men had sixty killed last night. A neighboring battery had sixteen killed yesterday.
[Sidenote: Destructiveness of the French sh.e.l.ls.]
"The following instance will show you the frightful destructiveness of the French sh.e.l.ls.
A dug-out five metres deep, surmounted by 2 metres 50 centimetres of earth and two thicknesses of heavy timber, was broken like a match."
Report made on September 24 in the morning, by the captain commanding the 3rd company of the 135th Regiment of Reserve:
"The French are firing on us with great bombs and machine-guns. We must have reinforcements at once. Many men are no longer fit for anything. It is not that they are wounded, but they are Landsturmers. Moreover the wastage is greater than the losses announced.
"Send rations immediately; no food has reached us to-day. Urgently want illuminating cartridges and hand grenades. Is the hospital corps never coming to fetch the wounded?"
[Sidenote: German troops exhausted.]