DOUAUMONT AN INFERNO.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11687, 2 May 1916, Page 3

DOUAUMONT AN INFERNO.

TEUTON AND FRANK MEET IN DEATH GRAPPLE. Bristling with narrations of deeds of valour, of charge and' counter charge, of Teuton and Frank at death grips in the inferno of slaughter that was Fort Douaumont, the following letter gives a graphic glimpse of tho .side-lights of the Titanic strugglo about Verdun. The letter, written by a Frenchman who was wounded at Douaumont in the height of tho struggle, was published in n. recent issuo of tho "Figaro." It is as follows: " Wo came up as reinforcements. Arriving on February 20, we wero sent at first to Chatillon, to the east of Verdun, and waited there in relative quiet. The next day we wero sont toward Thiaumont. The German artillery was raging, its projectiles screaming over our heads, falling in Verdun. Near r.s tho guns of Fort. Douaumont and the supporting: batteries scattered about in the country-side thundered incessantly. Tho German artillery was not yet paying much attention to the fort, devoting their energies to tho city. Beginning on Tuesday, however, they began to shell the fort and the country about it. The troops from Samogneux, Haumont, Ornes and Mauconrt. joined us and wo waited, silent, filled with rage and anguish, for the time for action. " Only our artillery The supply of munitions went on with perfect order, despite a feverish haste. Ammunition and guns, more guns and ammunition, kept j>assing us. Several artillerymen, wounded, from the fort, passed bv . . . (Elided by censor). "On tho 25th, in the morning,, we wero given the order to hold ourselves ready. Tn our ranks widely varying prognostications flew about. . . . (Elided by censor.) GERMAN CHARGE BEGINS. " Tho nights of the 25th and 26th we are able to rest, sheltered in spacious saps, almost comfortable. Suddenly tho Bochos are signalled! It is three o'clock in the morning; one can see as plainly as iu the day. The shells are crossing and recrossing in a diapason of hellish noise, while Tight bombs illuminate plainly the serried ranks of the enemy, advancing to us. From thein oomes a guttural chant—' Es donnert ein Ruf wio Donnerkrall!' It is their ' Wacht am Rhein!' Silent, we wait thorn, watching the spectacle offered to our eyes. The guns of tlie fort are roaring, the others have ceased* their fir©; at 20 metres they open with shrapnel and the Bochos fall in great clumps. Braving tho storm of steel and kad, they keep coming on, until to our stupefaction wo hear the cry, ' They are in'the fort!' " Near mo a sergeant (well known in the French lino offices) is crying with rage. "' Throw them out. them I' he shrieks. ' What tho aro wo waiting for?' " Someone barks an order —down go our knapsacks—and with fixed bayonets we Irurl ourselves as tho bugle blaresshouting, cursing, stabbing, into tho midst of the storming party ! It seems an infinity, but it is really only a few minutes that wo struggle. Our irten are falling fast, but they are falling faster. And. still they come, surging up, lino after lino! Their artillery has stopped, for fear or killing their own men, but "ours is spraying a curtain of fire beyond at their support., And now our supports come 'shouldering their way . into the mass ; and they give ground. At last wo rid the.place of them and' stop, exhausted, our clothing soaked and stained. "I find myself.wounded, much to my surprise. My legs fail me and I fall! I lie there in the.welter until the hospital corps men come up and try tq carry me away. With a sudden rush of strength I pload to them to let me stay. " ' No, no, let me stay. I can walk —l'm. only knocked out for a bit. Let mo stay and watch 1' And they listen to my pleadings, bandage me a bit and turn' to others who are in worso case. I feel happy, for iu spite of the horror, in spjte of the red stream that I have, to wipe away every few minutes, I want to see the end. I want to see moro Boehes die! HOURS UNDEII FIRE ' t 'For hours I lie -there, and now, when I closo my eves, the whole terrible scene comes up before me. The guns are thundering; almost on top of us, and the shrapnel is bursting, spraying and splashing on the redoubts. "Our men aro firing, loading, firing —the field musicians aro scattering new boxes of ammunition—our machineguns are harking so fast, that their shots seem like the loud fluttering of the wings of the Angel of Death. All is one mad, vibrating scene of horrorAnd still they keep coming, those greycoated stormers, to fall in heaps before the waves of fire from our defenders. One hays them, but, good God! they are brtfve! "Near m.\ prone in the mud. a big strapping follow, wrapped in a greatcoat, with a steel helmet on his head, lies, apparently dead.' He is not of our company; he must bo from.cue of the reinforcing units. 7 admire his size, and wonder who will mourn for him. "Outside, the Germans once more have forced their way .almost to our walls. V*e ran hear the groans and curses in their guttural tones as their officers urge them on for a last effort. And up from the ground bounds tho supposed dead man. shouting i:i the voice of a Steiitor. in tlu> purest of German : - Hier da ! Hier da ! (This way! This way!) "Mechanically f jump up, forgetting my wound, and with the few men near me, wo ihnw ourselves in a screaming whirhvii J of rage, upon him. I have no arms. 1 find myself beating at him with my helmet, which I twist out of all shape. In an instant he is down again, vliis t-i'ue for good, his head shattered. DEATH OF A SFY. " An officer rear,-, aside his capote, and under it ii n iiermnu uniform. How did the -spy get; into the fort? No one know?! " Now the Germans come agar,-, in increasing strength. And we kili ! kill! kiH ! "It would sv'.n that the ivai-er in declaring t'n.'s war had sworn to annihilate his race -something that would not be at all wrong. Now their eaunon are speaking a little slower. Ours are bellowing faster than ever. "After ail, (he fort ha* been evacuated (the parts elided b.v the censor. from tlv» context would seem to relate' to the- decision to evacuate Douaumont. and that tho troops of which the writer; was part had been ordered to hold the place until the garrison could move out the material). If, under the ruins, a; few pieces and their servants still remain, tho greater part, ot' the guns' havo been got out, and arc tiring away I from their now positions. Morel machine-guns come up and go into' battery, and our infantry come up in j great waves. 1 pick up a rifle from a dead comnui.' : in my pouch I havo liltv cartridges lolt. and I stumble alone wii.li the new advance. What a tight.! What troops! Now and again u 11:011 falls, only to scramble, up. fire, stagger on. run, tire again: then comes, the" bayonet work, and he ia-lls at last, to bo trampled on'without a murmur. I "The storm of £r= continues. Every- i thing is burning—the neighbouring I woods, the village of Douaumont, Ver-, dun. Bezonville in front and Thhiu-. iiion! "behind. Flames everywhere. A| hitler sine!! of earhtuiJc acid and blood ins oiii- t'trnai j lhe .struggle continue. Y.'s they '

pre br;ive, but una of ours is worth two of tluuiK especially m the bayonet work. They jjta wavering. They break and strcinu back, and only here and tin re can groups still he found fighting .and chanting. ' Heil der im Siegerk raias ' Our reinforcements oolitimie to ■pile up '• w are the masters of the fiiuatiun. Our officers- pa«-s along. rei'onmvi£ t'-c troopy. Tli<> infantry '•;/ it:- Mnr'i. I!u :irtilU rv by iis cin'taiui! l .':; liif advances. ;md v.c wnii lor order*