Notes From The Price of Verdun
I came across these notes today. I jotted these down when reading Horne's ageless The Price of Verdun earlier this year and before the April visit. Unfortunately they only cover the period up to 6 March 1916, but they will be worth keeping and should turn out useful at some point in the future:
• After 1871 France (de Riviere) reorganised and modernised army and defensive ring of forts in preparation for the next war
• By 1915 half of French regular officer corps had either been killed or disabled plus at least 1m poilou dead
• It can be said that the Poilou were ill-treated by officers and NCOs (poorly provisioned)
• Longest battle of war (10 mths)
• German attack commenced with only 9 Divs.
• Approx 2½m shells were held in reserve for duration of battle
• Highest density of dead – battlefront was approx 7 miles wide and resulted in 1/4m dead
• At battle’s conclusion neither the German or French army were quite the same force as they had been previously
• Burden of Allied warfare shifted to British forces after Verdun
• Regarded debatable whether Germany could win the war after Verdun
• Refer Kitchener quote p 20
• Refer Haig quote p 33
• “Reason Why” quote p 76
• “Resist” quote p77
• Believe Verdun saw first use of flamethrower by German army
• Driant’s defence in Caures de Bois importantly held up German army for a day, checked their confidence and caused heavy German casualties
• Bapst ignores orders and withdraws from Brabant (episode with Cheirton)
• Germans again held up – this time by 72Div at Herbebois and Beaumont (defensive line – “Intermediary Line” ordered by Castlenau that did not appear on Germans maps and was unknown, unseen and unshelled by Germans)
• Listing of early French losses p 110
• Once Beaumont and Samogneux Line breached, French second position fell in less than 3 hrs
• Louvemont saved by the “trainee” corporals (24 Feb)
• Petain appointed – his name became synonymous with defence of Verdun and he was an essential appointment in successful defence of Verdun
• Fort Douamont easily captured (25 Feb) because i) defenders had sustained 3 days shelling by 420s and so resided in cellar ii) did not expect Germans to move up quickly iii) defensive guns in village of Douamont mistook advancing Germans for withdrawing Zouaves due to confusion caused by snow blizzard
• Douamont village changed hands several times, often in the course of a single days fighting.
• Ground thaws end of Feb – terrain becomes a quagmire and German guns and supplies can now only be moved with difficulty, very slowly and by manual or horse labour.
• Germans had real chance of breaking through at Verdun in early days of battle but their neglect to attack both right and left bank of Meuse simultaneously ensured the battle could not be won (because vF wanted to bleed France white?)
• vF held back reserves (2 Divs?) until 6 March offensive
• 6 March German offensive to extend warfront to left bank and gain important high ground at Morte Homme (consequently scene of ferocious fighting)
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