Battle of Verdun - 100 years

[Fritz]

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Verdun, starting on the 21st February 1916. One of the first main events was the storming of Fort Douamont, which in fact was hardly occupied. After days of artillery bombardment, the assault was delayed by bad weather conditions, it had been raining for days, finally started in the early hours of the 21st February, was carried out by assault groups from Grenadier-Regiment 12, Infanterie-Regt.24 and Füsilier-Regt.35,together with pioniers from Brandenb. Pionier-Bataillon 3, all old regiments from the Province of Brandenburg (III.Korps). In the battle, other regiments also took part, there were Rheinlanders from R.I.R.39 (VII.Korps), Hessians from I.R.116, 117 and 118 from the XVIII. Korps, troops from V. (Posen) and VI. Army Korps (Silesia). Fort de Vaux also later fell, Fort Souville was also captured. The French then made counter attacks in early Summer, by the Autumn the battle had been decided, Verdun could not be captured, the forts were retaken by the French or had to be abandoned. The British offensive on the Somme had greatly relieved pressure on Verdun. The V.Army under the command of Crown Prince Wilhelm had not achieved its objective. Falkenhayn, the commander who had proposed the Verdun offensive, had to go and was relieved by Hindenburg and Ludendorff. Hauptmann Haupt, Hptm. v. Brandis and Oberleutnant von Rackow received the Pour le Mérite for their part in taking Douaumont, the Saxon Pionier Sergeant Kunze received the Goldenes Militär-Verdienstkreuz, as he did not have officer rank. Leutnant Radtke, although deserving also the Pour le Mérite, only received a signed photo of the Crown Prince. The battle continued until December 1916.

 

[Kenny Andrew]

Another excellent post Paul, not only are your articles excellent but your English is outstanding too

[Fritz]

Thanks for the appreciation, Kenny. The outstanding English is only due to the fact that I was born in Belfast, did my schooling in London (private) and have now been more than forty years in "Juminy"

Further pictures show Pour le Mérite winners and a photo of Leutnant Rackow with the French commandant Major Raynal in Douaumont

[Kenny Andrew]

Excellent Paul, that certainly explains your outstanding English

[Fritz]

Some pictures from the French side:

Marechal Pétain, the Defender of Verdun,

a French counter attack at Verdun

and the French National Cemetery of Verdun.

It is said that almost every French soldier was at some time at the Verdun Front, as the French used a rotation system for their troops.