_The_ BOMBARDMENT _of_ REIMS
_By_
BARR FERREE
New York
Leonard Scott Publication Company
1917
Copyright, 1917,
By Barr Ferree.
All rights reserved.
[Illustration: _From "La Cathédrale de Reims," Libraire Centrale des
Beaux-Arts, Paris._
THE WEST FRONT OF THE CATHEDRAL OF REIMS]
CONTENTS
THE BOMBARDMENT OF REIMS 7
CHRONOLOGY OF THE BOMBARDMENT:
1914 21
1915 33
1916 59
1917 87
POSTSCRIPT 111
THE BUILDINGS OF REIMS 113
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE BUILDINGS OF REIMS 122
ILLUSTRATIONS
THE WEST FRONT OF THE CATHEDRAL OF REIMS _Frontispiece_
From "La Cathédrale de Reims," Libraire
Centrale des Beaux-Arts, Paris
THE FRONT AT REIMS IN MAY, 1917 19
THE WEST PORTALS 64
From "La Cathédrale de Reims," Libraire
Centrale des Beaux-Arts, Paris
THE CATHEDRAL AFTER THE BOMBARDMENT
OF APRIL, 1917: THE APSE AND SOUTH TRANSEPT 96
From "L'Illustration"
THE HÔTEL DE VILLE 112
The Bombardment of Reims
The bombardment of Reims, and the attendant destruction of its
cathedral, is an event that has particularly excited the indignation of
the civilized world. The sacrifice has seemed so wanton and so
unnecessary that the souls of those who have not known the great church
by personal observation have cried out in indignation against the
outrage, while to those who have known it, its long continued passion
has aroused the feeling of an intense personal loss. No other episode of
the Great War has accomplished such complete destruction of so great a
work of art. Its blackened walls and broken statues are the most
formidable indictment the Germans have yet raised against themselves. As
an event in the War it stands unique among countless other inexcusable
horrors, and it has, therefore seemed worth while to summarize briefly
the dreadful doings at Reims, that the real nature of the hideous
tragedy may be made apparent.
For an American, remote from the seat of war, to attempt a survey of the
bombardment of Reims is a hazardous task. Yet I have ventured to do so
because the continued dreadfulness of this great siege, which has lasted
more than three years, is quite unknown in this country, and, even in
the meagre details here set forth, not fully known in France. The
bombardment of Reims has continued from September 3, 1914, without
interruption, save for the few days of the German occupation in that
month, and some days designated as "calm" in the daily reports. But
these "calm" days form part of the history of the siege, since no one
could tell at what hour the bombardment might be renewed.
Little as to the bombardment of Reims has appeared in the American
papers, and not much more in the Paris papers. The official bulletins
give so small space to it that they have been entirely neglected in the
preparation of this chronology. More than once the papers published in
Reims have complained of the silence of the Paris papers on the attacks
on their beloved city, and have frequently referred to the importance
attached to minor details elsewhere, while nothing at all has been said
as to more important events at Reims.
The hand of the censor has at all times rested heavily on Reims, the
local censor sometimes not permitting the publication of details that
have appeared in the few references in Paris newspapers. At the
beginning of the bombardment the papers of Reims published quite full
details, giving the names and addresses of persons killed or wounded,
and the location of buildings burned or otherwise injured in the
bombardment. These items were speedily suppressed, and the greater part
of the record in available publications is not much more detailed than
is given in these pages.
But if details are wanting it is not impossible to draw an outline
picture of the whole bombardment. This I have undertaken to do; and
while I cannot hope, from an accurate point of view, that this work can
have any value, I am not without hope that as a general review of the
bombardment from the beginning, this little book may find a place in the
vast literature of the war. Certainly the facts here gathered are quite
unknown in America, and, in their entirety, are almost as little known
in France, since no one in that besieged land as yet attempted a similar
undertaking.
The present record covers the three years of the bombardment from
September 3, 1914 to September 3, 1917. A siege extending over so
considerable a period of time, attended as it has been, with months of
ferocious assaults, with great loss of life, and the useless destruction
of great works of art, may well be chronicled for that period. And this
is the more the case since the details here gathered have not before
been grouped together in their entirety.
It is much too soon to attempt a full history of the bombardment of
Reims, but the outlines of the dreadful story may now be brought
together. It should be sufficiently obvious that the bombardment of
Reims is not a small episode in the war, but an event continuous from
the very beginning.
The chronology here published has been compiled from the local
newspapers published at Reims and at Paris. I have made use of "Le
Courrier de la Champagne", published in Reims, "Le Petit Rémois",
published in Paris from December 15, 1915, and the journal "Reims à
Paris", also published in Paris from December, 1914. The editor of the
latter paper having been called to the colours, it was merged with "La
Marne" and has appeared as "Reims à Paris et la Marne" since October 4,
1916. The daily records of the bombardment, printed in "Le Courrier de
la Champagne", are those compiled by its own staff. The records printed
in the other papers are compiled from "Le Courrier de la Champagne" and
"L'Éclaireur de l'Est", also printed in Reims. "Le Petit Rémois" has
made free use of both these papers, and in addition has published the
reports of its editor, M. Pierre Bienvenue, residing in Reims. Owing to
the fury of the bombardment in April "Le Courrier" was forced to suspend
publication for the time being, but "L'Éclaireur" was able to continue
in a much reduced form.
The French Republic paid a fine tribute to this journalistic heroism
when President Poincaré pinned the Cross of the Legion of Honour on the
breast of M. Paul Dramas, the managing editor of "L'Éclaireur de l'Est"
on June 18, 1917, when the same distinction was given to Cardinal Luçon,
Archbishop of Reims, and Deputy Mayors J. de Bruignac and E.
Charbonneaux, and some other heroic citizens. It is impossible to turn
over the pages of these little Reims papers without a heartening sense
of the courage that permitted their publication daily throughout a
harrowing siege. Heroic journalism in a very true sense.
Among other sources of information special mention should be made of "Le
Martyre de Reims", published anonymously in parts. It began with the
admirable purpose of presenting a detailed summary of life and events in
Reims during the bombardment, giving the names of persons killed or
wounded, and the locality of buildings injured. The censor speedily fell
afoul of this useful summary: names of persons and buildings were
stricken out, as well as other details, and finally the diary came to a
temporary end with Part 41.
I must mention also the "Journal d'un Rémois" by M. Henri Jadart, which
appeared in "Les Champs de Bataille, Collection du Tour de France, Les
Cités Meurtries", edited by M. Octave Beauchamp. M. Jadart is librarian
and curator of the Museum of the City of Reims, and has kept in close
touch with everything relating to his city. His "Bibliographie Rémoise",
read before the Academy of Reims, of which he is the Secretary-General,
at a meeting in Paris in June, 1916, is a useful record of the extensive
literature produced by the bombardment. The series "Les Cités Meurtries"
also includes "Reims sous les obus en 1915" by Mlle. Alice Martin,
carrying the story into that year. Mention should also be made of the
publication "Reims et la Marne. Almanach de la Guerre, 1914-1915",
published in Paris by M. Jules Matot. This book contains no calendar of
the bombardment, but a daily summary of general events at Reims, and
therefore it is more particularly of local interest. The article "Trois
Semaines à Reims" by General Dubois, published in "La Revue" for
Oct.-Nov., 1914, contains some useful notes on the first weeks of the
bombardment. Just as my chronology had been completed I obtained the new
book by M. Jules Poirier "Reims (1 Août--31 Décembre, 1914)", giving a
survey of the early events of the war as they related to Reims, and
summarizing the daily events in diary form. It has given me some
additional facts on the first five months of the bombardment. "Sous les
Bombes" by Mlle. Clotilde Jehanne Remy, of which two parts have
appeared, is a personal diary of life in Reims during the bombardment.
Although I have been obliged to place complete dependence on printed
records, it should be pointed out that there is often a wide divergence
between them. The statements printed in the two Reims newspapers do not
always agree for the same day, and "Le Petit Rémois", in endeavouring to
present a fair and just account, has more than once printed the
divergent reports, and clarified the matter by adding its own summary,
which often differed from the other two! I fancy, however, that many of
these differences are apparent only, and are perhaps not so striking as
they first appear.
It has seemed desirable to give the details of the bombardment as far as
the local reports permit. That is to say, the hours of the bombardment,
the number of shells, the number of persons killed or wounded. The hours
of the bombardment are an interesting index to the agitated daily life
at Reims. The number of shells is also of interest as indicating the
possible intensity of the attack. But as ammunition of all kinds and
sizes, huge and small shells, shrapnel, incendiary and asphyxiating
bombs and many other kinds of projectiles have been used in the siege, a
mere statement of number of shells hardly gives a proper index to the
horror of any one bombardment. But the shell records as to kind are
highly incomplete in the published reports, and it has not seemed worth
while to make an effort to indicate them. In the dreadful days of March,
April, May and June, 1917, when the fall of shells was colossal, even
the newspapers gave up attempts at numbering them, and it is probable
the actual totals will never be known. The number of persons killed and
wounded help also to show the severity of the bombardments, and have no
other purpose in this survey. I can scarcely hope that my records of
these items approach completeness, and they have been omitted from
April, May and June, 1917. The number of persons killed or wounded are,
for the most part, those of the civilian population of Reims.
In addition to bombardment from guns Reims has suffered from the German
aviators. I have designated these birds of prey as "Taube", as an
economical form of expression. Every considerable bombardment was
preceded by these visitors. Nearly every day one or more of them
appeared above Reims, and they seem to have been looked upon as so much
matter of course that I suspect their presence was often unnoted in the
reports. Whenever possible they were eagerly welcomed by the guns of
Reims, and hence it followed that, not only was the city subject to the
bombardment of the enemy, but on several occasions injury was done in it
by antiaerial shells falling back.
A mere glance at the daily records shows that, until March, 1917, no
definite purpose was behind this bombardment. It was continued for two
years and a half for no other purpose than to annoy the French. Else why
these daily bombardments of a few shells only, these days of calm or of
little doing, these spurts of agony, bringing sudden death or useless
destruction, only to be followed by lapses into silence? Had the
destruction of Reims been seriously undertaken it might, I suppose, have
been accomplished long since. But it pleased the enemy to irritate
rather than to destroy; a little harm day by day, a little annoyance,
more or less, spread over a considerable period of time, with occasional
outbursts of great violence, this was the programme. Or, more dreadful
still, when the German forces met with defeat, the guns were opened
afresh on the helpless cathedral, that it might be wounded again for
disasters it had in no sense been party to. While doubtless all this has
been thoroughly understood by the French military authorities, little
was known of it to the outside world, for little that went on at Reims
was known anywhere. There were many other and more important things in
the Great War that affected the future of France and of the world.
Humanity held its breath while the heroic battle of Verdun was in
progress, because it was a military event of the first magnitude. But so
little has been heard of Reims that a revelation of its daily martyrdom
must come as a shock to those who have closely followed the war.
The story presented from the month of March, 1917, is quite different
from anything that preceded. Very obviously the foolish game of play-war
was abandoned, and a real effort made to accomplish the destruction of
the city. The mind pales before the needless horrors of these months, so
inefficiently indicated by a record of continuous and continued
bombardment. So full of horror has been this time that the local papers
speak of a daily fall of 600 shells, or even 1000 shells, as a welcome
relief from days just passed!
And the cathedral. That, of course, is the one central overpowering
thing that excites the interest of the world in the bombardment of
Reims. This is not so with the unfortunate people of Reims, who have
seen their loved ones killed, their houses ruined, their occupations
gone, and who have suffered daily privation and martyrdom. Reims is not
alone among the cities and districts of France in such horrors, but its
cathedral is one of the treasures of the world, and in this war of great
crimes no greater crime has been attempted than the destruction of this
splendid church.
Three years ago its vast bulk and massive towers rose grandly above its
surrounding buildings in all the pride of lasting permanency. For seven
hundred years these stones had cried aloud to the glory of God and the
supreme genius of its French builders and decorators. France--that
treasure-house of architectural masterpieces--had no more noble building
than this, so dear to the French people by reason of the supremacy of
its art and as the coronation church of their kings, and once the emblem
and the expression of their nationality.
In its present dismantled, battered, more than half-ruined state, the
cathedral of Reims is of all the unnecessary sacrifices in the War the
most unnecessary. It has been too great and too good a thing to
disappear from the world without leaving an empty place that cannot be
filled. Once, in far back September, 1914, the merciless barbarian
encamped before its holy portals. There he stayed for nine days, and,
leaving in haste, presently bombarded it, so that his own wounded,
temporarily placed within it for safety, were burned alive under the
protecting flag of the Red Cross. A pitiable comment on his regard for
great churches and the well-being of the wounded.
Since then--September 12, 1914, to be exact--no good news has come out
of Reims. Yet of this we may be certain: devoted as the French are to
their great national church, they will gladly sacrifice it utterly if
that sacrifice be required to thrust out the barbaric invading hordes
that know only hate of the good, the true, the beautiful.
The catastrophe of Reims supplies a very sure index as to what passes as
the quality of the German mind. Although of all churches the most
French, the cathedral of Reims belongs to the whole world, a rare,
beautiful and precious structure, hallowed with great memories and
endowed with exquisite art. The question is thus very simple: is the
world better with the cathedral of Reims or without it? The Germans
seem unquestionably to have decreed its destruction. Of this the record
of the bombardment offers ample proof. But as yet the
cathedral-destroyers have offered no word, no hint, no suggestion, as to
how or why the world will be bettered by the wilful destruction of this
matchless church.
[Illustration: THE FRONT AT REIMS IN MAY, 1917]
1914
September, 1914
2 French army evacuated Reims in the night.
3 Taube dropped 2 bombs 9:15 A. M.; Dr. Langlet, Mayor of Reims, issued
proclamation announcing the approach of the Germans and urging calm.
German officers enter Reims 8:30 P. M.
4 First bombardment 9:22 A. M., 176 shells, many killed and wounded;
minor injuries to the cathedral, glass broken; St. Remi and St. André
injured; German troops enter in afternoon; anniversary of the German
occupation of 1870.
5 German occupation.
6 German occupation.
7 German occupation.
8 German occupation.
9 German occupation.
10 German occupation.
11 German occupation.
12 German troops evacuate Reims in afternoon; French officers appear
6:30 P. M.
13 French troops re-enter Reims 6 A. M.; Taube 5 P. M.; last vespers in
the cathedral (in chapel of the Cardinal): Te Deum for Benedict XV.
14 Cannonade from 5 A. M.; bombardment 9:45 A. M. to 12:15 P. M.;
renewed 1 to 3:30 P. M.; 59 killed, many wounded; cannonade all night.
15 Taubes 5 A. M.; bombardment 9:30 to 11 A. M.; renewed 4 P. M., 13
killed.
16 Bombardment 3:30 A. M. to 6:30 P. M., 30 killed.
17 Bombardment from 9 A. M.; renewed 2:30 to 4 P. M., 3 shells on
cathedral.
18 Cannonade from 2 A. M.; bombardment from 8:15 A. M., 13 shells on
cathedral, 37 killed; Sous-Préfecture burned.
19 Bombardment 7:45 A. M. to 4 P. M., 16 shells on cathedral; cathedral
took fire from incendiary bomb 2:30 P. M.; cathedral and
Archiepiscopal Palace burned; 32 killed; artillery all night.
20 Bombardment 9:30 to 11 A. M.; renewed 3:30 to 4:30 P. M.
21 Calm; artillery at night.
22 Bombardment 12 to 3:30 P. M., 7 killed, Cardinal Luçon returned to
Reims from Conclave at Rome.
23 Taube 6 A. M.; bombardment 3 to 5 P. M.
24 Taube 6 A. M.; bombardment 9:30 to 11 A. M.; renewed 3 to 5 P. M.;
bomb struck cathedral and Civil Hospital; 10 killed; cannonade all
night.
25 Trenches bombarded in morning; Reims bombarded 3 to 5 P. M.; bomb
struck St. Remi, 1 killed; cannonade all night.
26 Bombardment 11:45 A. M. to 12:15 P. M., 13 killed; renewed 3:30 to
4:30 P. M., 17 killed.
27 Bombardment 3:30 P. M.; cannonade at night.
28 Bombardment 2:30 P. M.; cannonade at night.
29 Bombardment 9:30 to 10:30 A. M.; renewed 4 to 6 P. M.; again 9 P. M.
to 6 A. M., 3 killed, many wounded.
30 Bombardment continued to 6 A. M.; renewed 8 A. M. and 4:30 P. M.
October, 1914
1 Some shells 9 A. M.; 2 aerial bombs 5:15 P. M.; cannonade at night.
2 Bombardment 4:30 P. M., 2 shells, 3 killed.
3 Bombardment 10:30 A. M. to 3 P. M., 1 killed, 5 or 6 wounded.
4 Bombardment 9 A. M.; renewed 12 to 1 P. M., 50 shells.
5 Aerial combat; bombardment 9 to 11 A. M., 7 killed, 7 wounded;
renewed 3 P. M. to 10 A. M.
6 Bombardment continued to 10 A. M., 200 shells; 3 spies shot 5 A. M.
7 Bombardment 12:05 to 2 P. M., 50 shells, 2 killed, 2 wounded; renewed
8 P. M.
8 1 shell in morning; bombardment 3:30 P. M., 15 shells, 1 killed, 1
wounded.
9 Bombardment at night, 20 shells to 5 A. M.
10 Bombardment continued to 5 A. M. Taube 11 A. M.
11 Calm.
12 Bombardment 2 to 5 P. M., 3 shells on cathedral 3 P. M., 2 killed, 2
wounded.
13 Bombardment from 2 A. M., 1 shell on cathedral 3 A. M.; renewed 9:30
to 11 A. M., 2 wounded. Taube dropped bomb 2:30 P. M.; bombardment
renewed; violent artillery around Reims at night.
14 Bombardment 2 to 3:30 P. M., 4 wounded, artillery at night.
15 Calm.
16 Bombardment 3:30 to 5 P. M., 2 wounded.
17 Calm.
18 Calm.
19 Calm.
20 Calm.
21 Bombardment 2 to 5:30 P. M., 1 wounded.
22 Bombardment 3:30 P. M.; cannonade at night.
23 3 Taube bombs 11 A. M., 2 wounded; Taube 2 P. M.; bombardment 4 to 5
P. M., 1 wounded.
24 Bombardment 2 P. M.; cannonade at night.
25 Bombardment to noon; renewed 2 P. M., 4 killed, 8 wounded; distant
cannonade at night.
26 Calm; violent cannonade at night.
27 Bombardment 9:15 A. M.
28 Tranquil. 127 persons wounded since September 4.
29 Bombardment 4 to 6 A. M., 50 shells; cannonade at night.
30 Bombardment 3 to 5:30 P. M., 50 to 60 shells, 1 killed, 2 wounded;
renewed 9:30 P. M. to 9 A. M.
31 Bombardment continued to 9 A. M., 60 to 70 shells, 2 killed, 2
wounded; renewed 4 to 5 P. M., 20 shells.
November, 1914
1 Taube dropped 2 bombs 10:30 A. M.; bombardment 11:30 A. M., 6 shells,
2 wounded; renewed 2:30 to 5 P. M.
2 Bombardment 9:30 to 11 A. M., 20 shells. Taube dropped bomb
2:10 P. M.; bombardment renewed 2:30 to 4:30 P. M., 70 shells.
3 Bombardment from 9:30 A. M.; renewed 4 to 6 P. M.; again at
8:45 P. M., 8 killed, 2 wounded.
4 Taube dropped 4 bombs 4 P. M.; bombardment, 30 shells, 2 wounded;
renewed 11 P. M.
5 Taube 7:30 A. M.; violent bombardment 2 to 6 P. M.; renewed 8 P. M.
to 5 A. M.; 300 shells, 9 killed, 15 wounded.
6 Bombardment continued to 5 A. M.; renewed 11 A. M.; again 10 P. M.;
2 shells.
7 Bombardment 8 P. M. to midnight.
8 Dr. Langlet, Mayor of Reims, decorated with Legion of Honour.
Bombardment 7 to 8:30 P. M.; 50 shells.
9 Calm.
10 Day calm; bombardment 10 to 11 P. M.; 20 shells.
11 Bombardment 8 to 9 A. M.; renewed 12 to 2:15 P. M.
12 Bombardment 1:30 to 5:30 P. M.; cathedral apse pinnacle demolished;
shrapnel fell within near high altar; renewed 8 P. M. to 5:10 A. M.;
400 shells for the day.
13 Bombardment continued to 5:10 A. M.; some shells in morning and at
2:30 P. M.
14 Taube 7 A. M.; bombardment 9 A. M., 2 shells; Taube dropped fusées
3 P. M.; cannonade at night.
15 Taube dropped bomb 8 A. M.
16 Some shells in morning and at 2 P. M.; heavy bombardment 8:30 P. M.
to 5 A. M.; apse chapel in St. Remi demolished.
17 Bombardment to 5 A. M.; renewed 2:30 P. M.; Taube dropped 2 bombs.
18 Taube dropped 2 bombs 7 A. M.; bombardment 9 A. M. to 5 P. M.
19 Bombardment 3 A. M.; day somewhat calm.
20 Some shells on interdicted zone; bombardment 10 P. M. to 4:30 A. M.,
3 wounded.
21 Bombardment continued to 4:30 A. M.; renewed 2:30 P. M., 100 shells.
22 Heavy bombardment 9:30 A. M. to noon; renewed 2 to 5:30 P. M.;
2 shells on cathedral; 6 killed, 24 wounded; again 8 to 11 P. M.
23 Bombardment 8 A. M. to 6 P. M.; cannonade all night.
24 Bombardment 2:30 to 4:30 P. M., 50 shells.
25 Bombardment 6 A. M., 20 shells.
26 Bombardment 8 A. M. to 5:30 P. M., 28 killed, 23 wounded.
27 Bombardment from midnight; relatively calm to 2 P. M.; bombardment
renewed 2:15 to 6 P. M.; again 10 P. M. to 2 A. M.
28 Bombardment continued to 2 A. M.; renewed 3:30 A. M., 27 killed.
29 Calm.
30 Bombardment 10:30 A. M. to noon.
December, 1914
1 Intermittent bombardment.
2 Bombardment 10 A. M.
3 Bombardment 9 A. M., 2 or 3 shells.
4 Taube 11:30 A. M.; bombardment 1:30 to 8 P. M.
5 Bombardment 3:30 A. M. to noon.
6 Taube dropped 3 bombs 11 A. M.
7 Bombardment 5 to 6 P. M., 40 shells.
8 Bombardment 1 to 3 P. M., 50 shells.
9 Bombardment in afternoon, 12 shells; renewed in evening, 6 shells.
10 Shrapnel morning and afternoon.
11 Bombardment in morning, 4 shells; renewed 5:30 to 6:30 P. M.
12 Bombardment on vacant land, 10 A. M., 14 shells.
13 Bombardment 9:30 to 11 A. M., 50 shells. President Poincaré visited
Reims.
14 Bombardment in morning; renewed in evening, 20 shells.
15 Bombardment 10 A. M.; renewed 4 P. M., 30 shells.
16 Bombardment 5:30 to 6 P. M., 8 shells; renewed 9 P. M.
17 Taube dropped bomb 9 A. M.; bombardment 11:10 A. M. to dawn, more
than 200 shells at night, 2 killed, 9 wounded.
18 Bombardment continued to dawn; renewed morning and afternoon.
19 Bombardment 11 A. M. to 12:30 P. M., 13 wounded.
20 Bombardment 6 P. M., 50 shells.
21 Bombardment 11 A. M., 50 shells; Taube 4 P. M.
22 2 Taubes 3 P. M.; bombardment 3:30 P. M., 30 shells; artillery in
evening to 9:30 P. M.
23 Calm.
24 Taube 3:30 P. M.; bombardment in evening, 8 shells.
25 Christmas Day. Taube 3:30 P. M., dropped 4 bombs; bombardment
5:15 P. M., 30 shells.
26 Taube 2:30 P. M.; bombardment 5 to 6 P. M., 40 shells.
27 Bombardment 5 to 6:30 P. M., 10 shells.
28 Bombardment 11:30 A. M., 15 shells; 2 shells in evening.
29 Bombardment 5 to 6 P. M., 14 shells.
30 Bombardment 11 A. M.; renewed 5 to 6 P. M., 20 shells.
31 Bombardment 11 A. M., 2 killed, 3 wounded; cannonade at night.
1915
January, 1915
1 Relatively calm; bombardment at night, 30 shells.
2 Bombardment 3 to 4 P. M.; renewed 9 P. M.
3 Bombardment in morning.
4 Bombardment 10 A. M.; renewed 5 to 6 P. M.
5 Bombardment in morning; renewed in evening; 3 killed.
6 Bombardment in morning, 4 shells; renewed 5:30 P. M., 12 shells.
7 Bombardment from 11 A. M., 108 shells.
8 Bombardment all day; 86 shells at night; 3 killed, 3 wounded.
9 Copious bombardment.
10 Bombardment in morning; renewed 5:30 P. M.
11 Bombardment 5:30 P. M.
12 Bombardment in morning; renewed 3:30 P. M.; again 5:30 P. M.
13 Bombardment 11 A. M.; renewed in afternoon and night.
14 No report available.
15 Bombardment 8 P. M.
16 Bombardment in afternoon.
17 Bombardment 4:30 P. M.; renewed 7 P. M.
18 Bombardment 1 P. M., 3 killed; renewed 4 to 5 P. M.; again 9 P. M.
19 Bombardment 6 P. M.
20 Copious bombardment.
21 Bombardment at noon.
22 Bombardment 6 to 7 P. M.
23 Bombardment in afternoon; renewed 9 P. M.
24 Bombardment 8:30 to 9 A. M.
25 Bombardment 8:30 P. M.
26 Bombardment 4:30 A. M.; renewed in evening.
27 Kaiser's birthday; bombardment afternoon and evening.
28 Heavy bombardment; renewed 5:30 P. M.
29 Bombardment 3 to 4:30 P. M.; renewed 8 P. M.
30 Bombardment in morning; renewed 5 P. M.
31 Bombardment 6 A. M.
February, 1915
1 Calm.
2 Calm.
3 Bombardment of vacant land in morning; renewed 2 P. M.; again 6 P. M.
4 Bombardment 11:30 A. M. to 1 P. M.; renewed at night.
5 Bombardment in evening.
6 Copious bombardment.
7 Calm.
8 Some small calibre shells in morning.
9 Bombardment 12:15 P. M.; renewed 3 P. M., 1 killed, 3 wounded.
10 Some shells.
11 Calm.
12 Bombardment 1 P. M.
13 Bombardment 11 A. M.
14 Bombardment in morning.
15 Calm.
16 Bombardment 5 P. M.
17 Bombardment in afternoon, 1 killed, 3 wounded.
18 Bombardment 11 A. M. and in afternoon, 9 killed, several wounded.
19 Bombardment 9 A. M.
20 Bombardment 9 P. M.
21 Bombardment 2:30 P. M.; ferociously renewed 9 P. M. to 2:30 A. M.
22 Bombardment continued to 2:30 A. M., 2000 shells, many killed and
wounded; renewed in day, 4 killed.
23 Bombardment continued.
24 Bombardment 10:15 A. M.; renewed 7 P. M.; Taube dropped bomb.
25 Bombardment from 7 A. M.
26 Bombardment from 9 A. M.; renewed 1 to 5 P. M.; 2 shells on
cathedral.
27 Bombardment from 6 A. M.; renewed in afternoon.
28 Bombardment in morning.
March, 1915
1 Day calm; bombardment at night; several killed and wounded.
2 Bombardment 12 to 5 P. M.; renewed 9:30 P. M., 2 wounded.
3 Bombardment morning and afternoon, 4 killed, 14 wounded.
4 Bombardment 11 A. M. to 1:30 P. M., 1 killed, 6 wounded; renewed 2 to
5:30 P. M., 3 killed, 2 wounded.
5 Bombardment 9 A. M. to 2 P. M., 1 killed, 2 wounded; renewed 4 P. M.;
again 8 to 9:30 P. M., 1 killed, 4 wounded.
6 Bombardment in morning, 3 wounded.
7 Bombardment most of the day.
8 Bombardment continued, and at night.
9 Bombardment continued, 8 wounded; renewed 8 P. M. to 4 A. M.
10 Bombardment continued to 4 A. M., 1 killed, 1 wounded; renewed
5 P. M.; again from 7:30 P. M.
11 Bombardment 5:30 P. M.; renewed 8 P. M.
12 Day calm; bombardment from 7:30 P. M., 1 wounded.
13 Bombardment 10 A. M., 2 victims; renewed 8 P. M. to 4 A. M.; Taube in
afternoon.
14 Bombardment continued to 4 A. M.; renewed in day, 4 wounded.
15 Bombardment 4 A. M.; renewed 9 A. M.; again 5 to 6 P. M., 4 wounded.
16 Calm; some shells at night.
17 Bombardment 2:15 to 4 P. M.
18 Day relatively calm; some shells.
19 Moderate bombardment; some shells 5 P. M.
20 Unimportant bombardment in afternoon.
21 Bombardment 4 A. M.; Taubes dropped bombs in morning; some shells in
evening.
22 Day relatively calm; some shells 6 P. M.
23 Bombardment 11 A. M. to noon.
24 Bombardment in morning; renewed 2 to 4 P. M., again 10 P. M.
25 Bombardment afternoon and night.
26 Intermittent bombardment.
27 Bombardment morning and afternoon.
28 Bombardment morning and afternoon; Taube dropped bomb on cathedral
apse.
29 Bombardment continued.
30 Taube dropped 3 bombs 7 A. M.
31 Almost complete calm.
April, 1915
1 Taube dropped 4 bombs 7 A. M.; bombardment in afternoon.
2 Taube dropped bombs 6 A. M.
3 Unimportant bombardment.
4 Easter Day. Nothing to note.
5 Bombardment on vacant land.
6 Nothing to note.
7 Nothing to note.
8 Intense bombardment 9 P. M. to 2 A. M.
9 Bombardment continued to 2 A. M.; no shells in the day.
10 Nothing to note.
11 Unimportant bombardment.
12 No report available.
13 Almost calm; some incendiary bombs 4 P. M.; shells 9 P. M.
14 No report available.
15 Taube dropped 4 bombs 7 A. M.
16 Taube 6 A. M.; bombardment 4:30 to 6:30 P. M.
17 Bombardment continued.
18 Taube dropped 3 bombs 5:30 A. M.; bombardment 5 P. M.
19 Some incendiary bombs 3 P. M.
20 Incendiary bombs 5 A. M.; bombardment continued through day.
21 Bombardment 5 to 7 P. M.; renewed at night.
22 Incendiary bombs 10 A. M.; bombardment in afternoon.
23 Calm.
24 Bombardment 9:30 A. M.; afternoon and night calm.
25 Bombardment 11:30 A. M.; renewed 4 P. M.
26 Some shells in morning.
27 Calm.
28 Bombardment 10:30 A. M.; renewed 4 to 5 P. M.; again 7 to 11 P. M.
29 Taubes in morning; bombardment in afternoon.
30 Bombardment 7:30 A. M., 20 shells; violent bombardment 5 to 7 P. M.
May, 1915
1 Taube 4:30 A. M.; bombardment morning and afternoon.
2 Bombardment in morning.
3 Bombardment 7 A. M.
4 Bombardment 7 A. M.; renewed 5 to 6 P. M.
5 Bombardment 10 A. M.
6 Bombardment 9 A. M.; renewed 3 to 5 P. M.
7 Bombardment 6:30 A. M.
8 Bombardment 9:30 A. M.
9 Bombardment in morning.
10 Taubes dropped 2 bombs 5:30 A. M.; rifle fire at night.
11 Bombardment morning and afternoon.
12 Bombardment in morning.
13 Infantry fire on French lines at night.
14 Bombardment in morning.
15 Taubes and bombardment in morning.
16 More intense bombardment.
17 Calm.
18 Calm.
19 Calm.
20 Bombardment in morning, 2 or 3 shells.
21 Bombardment 9 P. M.
22 Bombardment at noon, 20 shells.
23 Calm; a few shells at midnight.
24 General calm.
25 Bombardment at night.
26 Calm.
27 Calm.
28 Bombardment in afternoon.
29 No shells; some rifle shots in sector at night.
30 Bombardment in day.
31 Taube; bombardment in afternoon.
June, 1915
1 Bombardment 9 A. M. to noon.
2 Day calm; Germans bombard French aeros 7 A. M.
3 Bombardment 9 to 11 A. M.; renewed 5 to 6:30 P. M.
4 Bombardment 5 to 6 P. M.
5 Tranquil.
6 Brief bombardment.
7 Violent artillery combat on front, 1 to 4 A. M., 6 shells on Reims.
8 Calm.
9 Calm.
10 Bombardment in afternoon.
11 Nothing to note.
12 Nothing to note; violent artillery fire on front east of Reims at
night.
13 Nothing to note.
14 No report available.
15 Bombardment, 2 or 3 shells; renewed 11 to 11:30 P. M., 80 shells,
some on cathedral.
16 No report available.
17 Bombardment 10 A. M., 3 or 4 shells.
18 Calm.
19 Bombardment in afternoon.
20 German fire on French aeros.
21 Nothing to note.
22 Nothing to note.
23 Nothing to note.
24 Nothing to note.
25 Nothing to note; French artillery at night; no response.
26 Nothing to note; French artillery in day; no response.
27 Bombardment from 6:15 A. M.
28 Nothing to note.
29 Bombardment in morning.
30 Bombardment in afternoon.
July, 1915
1 Bombardment in morning; renewed 5:30 P. M.
2 Calm.
3 German fire on French aeros in morning; bombardment 9 to 9:30 P. M.
4 Bombardment 3 to 6 P. M.
5 Bombardment 4:30 P. M.
6 Nothing to note.
7 Nothing to note.
8 Nothing to note.
9 Nothing to note.
10 Nothing to note.
11 Bombardment 10 A. M. to 2 P. M.
12 Nothing to note.
13 Nothing to note.
14 Bombardment 2 P. M.
15 Calm.
16 Calm.
17 Bombardment 10 A. M. to noon, 20 shells, 1 killed, 1 wounded.
18 Copious bombardment.
19 Bombardment 3:30 A. M.; renewed 9 A. M.; again 4 P. M.
20 Taube 5 A. M.; bombardment 11 A. M. to 12:15 P. M.
21 Taube 7 A. M., 1 shell; aeros at night.
22 Calm; artillery on front at night.
23 Bombardment 11:30 A. M.; renewed 6:45 P. M.; again 11 to 11:20 P. M.
24 Bombardment 9:30 to 10:15 A. M.; renewed at night, 12 shells.
25 Calm.
26 Calm; violent cannonade at night.
27 Bombardment 5:30 P. M.
28 Bombardment in morning.
29 Bombardment 8 A. M.; renewed at night.
30 Bombardment 6 P. M., 12 shells; artillery on all fronts at night.
31 Some shells in day.
August, 1915
1 No report available.
2 Bombardment 9:30 A. M., 2 bombs on faubourgs; renewed 5 P. M.
3 Nothing to note.
4 Nothing to note.
5 Some shells 5:30 P. M.
6 French aviator violently cannonaded.
7 Nothing to note; violent cannonade around Reims at night.
8 Cannonade around Reims in day; some shells 5:15 P. M.; incendiary
bombs at night.
9 Cannonade on front at night.
10 Unimportant bombardment.
11 No report available.
12 No shells on Reims; artillery actions on near-by places.
13 Calm.
14 Calm.
15 No report available.
16 Calm.
17 Some shells in afternoon.
18 Bombardment from 10:40 A. M.; some victims.
19 Bombardment 2 to 3:30 P. M.; some killed and wounded.
20 Bombardment 2 to 3:30 P. M.; some victims.
21 Some shells 10 A. M.; heavy bombardment 2 to 3:30 P. M., some
victims.
22 Some shells in morning; bombardment 2 to 3:30 P. M.
23 Calm; fire on Taube.
24 Fire on Taube; some shells 5 P. M.
25 Taube dropped 3 bombs 5:20 P. M., 1 killed; bombardment 6 to
7:10 P. M., 150 shells, 1 killed, 4 wounded.
26 Calm.
27 Bombardment 4:30 P. M.
28 Calm.
29 Bombardment 2:45 P. M.; renewed 5 P. M., 1 killed; cannonade at
night.
30 Calm.
31 Bombardment 7:30 A. M.; rest of day calm.
September, 1915
1 Bombardment 11 A. M. to noon, 1 wounded; renewed 1 to 1:30 P. M.,
2 wounded; 100 shells for the day.
2 Bombardment 10 to 10:15 A. M.
3 Bombardment 10 A. M.; renewed 3:15 P. M.
4 Anniversary of first bombardment. Bombardment 4 A. M., 20 shells;
renewed 5 P. M.
5 Calm.
6 Calm.
7 Calm.
8 Calm.
9 No shells; French cannonade morning and afternoon.
10 Artillery duel; some shells 10 A. M.
11 Day calm; French artillery and German fire on aeros in afternoon.
12 Day calm; bombardment 11:40 P. M.
13 Bombardment 10 A. M.; cannonade at night.
14 Calm.
15 Calm.
16 Calm.
17 Bombardment in afternoon, 6 shells.
18 Bombardment 7 A. M.; cannonade at night.
19 Anniversary of cathedral fire in 1914; Way of the Cross by the
priests of Reims in the cathedral. French artillery 4 A. M., feeble
response; bombardment in morning and at 5 P. M., 1 wounded.
20 Bombardment 3 P. M.; cannonade at night.
21 Bombardment 9:30 to 10 A. M.; renewed 4 to 5 P. M.
22 Bombardment morning and afternoon, 30 shells.
23 Bombardment 3 to 5:30 P. M., 150 shells, 3 killed, several wounded.
24 Bombardment 4 to 5:30 P. M., 100 shells, 4 killed, 2 wounded.
25 Bombardment 10 A. M., 20 shells, 1 killed; renewed 3 P. M.; 100
shells for the day.
26 French artillery.
27 Artillery on left front; some shells on Reims 3 P. M.
28 2 or 3 shells on faubourgs; cannonade on front.
29 No shells on Reims; less cannonade.
30 Calm.
October, 1915
1 Calm.
2 Calm.
3 Artillery duel; some shells on faubourgs at night.
4 No report available.
5 Some shrapnel on faubourgs in afternoon.
6 Some shells; French artillery at night.
7 French artillery; no shells on Reims.
8 Calm.
9 Calm.
10 Some shrapnel in afternoon.
11 Calm.
12 Bombardment 10:30 A. M.; renewed 3 P. M.; again 4 P. M.; French aeros
over German lines.
13 Some shells in morning.
14 Bombardment 2:30 to 5 P. M.; French aeros.
15 Taube dropped bomb in afternoon; bombardment in evening.
16 Taube dropped bombs.
17 Calm in sector; 3 shells at night.
18 A few shells 5 P. M.
19 French artillery 5 A. M.; bombardment 8 to 11 A. M., 500 shells, some
wounded.
20 Bombardment 1:30 to 8 P. M., more than 200 shells and 100 shrapnel;
6 shells at night, 2 killed, 6 wounded.
21 Calm.
22 Some shells afternoon and night.
23 Calm.
24 Calm.
25 Calm.
26 Calm.
27 Calm.
28 1 shell 4:45 P. M.
29 Calm; complete stoppage of artillery on front.
30 Complete calm.
31 Incessant cannonade on front.
November, 1915
1 Calm.
2 Bombardment 11 A. M.; renewed 2 P. M.
3 Some shells morning and afternoon.
4 Calm.
5 Calm; cannonade on front.
6 Calm; cannonade on front.
7 Calm; a shell at night.
8 Calm.
9 Calm.
10 Calm; cannonade on front in afternoon.
11 Calm; cannonade on front in afternoon.
12 Calm.
13 1 bomb 4:30 P. M.
14 Calm; French artillery, no response.
15 Calm.
16 No shells; artillery on front all afternoon.
17 No shells; artillery on front in afternoon.
18 Calm.
19 Artillery action; some shells in morning.
20 Artillery; no shells on Reims.
21 Artillery all day; no shells on Reims.
22 Artillery in morning; fire on aeros in afternoon.
23 French artillery in afternoon.
24 Artillery action; 4 shells 2:15 P. M.
25 Calm.
26 Some shells.
27 Calm.
28 French artillery; no shells on Reims.
29 Artillery in afternoon.
30 Some shells in morning.
December, 1915
1 Bombardment in morning.
2 Artillery action; some shrapnel.
3 Bombardment in morning, 1 killed.
4 Bombardment 8:30 A. M. to 1:30 P. M., 50 shells.
5 Some shells day and night.
6 Calm.
7 Some shrapnel in morning.
8 Calm; 1 shell 9:30 A. M.
9 French artillery 4 P. M.; no response.
10 Calm.
11 French artillery 12:30 P. M.; German response 4:30 P. M.; no shells
on Reims.
12 Artillery duel 3:30 P. M.
13 Cannonade 7 A. M.; renewed 10:30 A. M.
14 Calm; French aero over German lines 2:30 P. M.
15 Cannonade 6:30 to 8 A. M.
16 Calm.
17 Short violent cannonade at noon.
18 French artillery all day; no shells on Reims.
19 15 shells on faubourgs in afternoon; intermittent cannonade at night.
20 Bombardment 10 A. M.; renewed in afternoon, 1 wounded.
21 1 shell in afternoon.
22 Calm; French artillery at long intervals.
23 Calm.
24 Calm.
25 Christmas Day. Bombardment 2 to 3 P. M., 400 shells.
26 Reciprocal cannonade.
27 Heavy bombardment from 9 A. M., 2 killed, 14 wounded.
28 Artillery duel 9:30 A. M.
29 Cannonade 9 A. M.; 1 shell 11 A. M.; renewed in afternoon, again at
9 P. M.; again at 11 P. M.
30 Intense cannonade in Reims sector in afternoon.
31 Calm; Taube 2:30 P. M.
1916
January, 1916
1 Artillery duel at night.
2 Artillery duel in afternoon; artillery at night.
3 Nothing to note.
4 French artillery; some shells on outskirts.
5 Taube; some shells.
6 Day calm; French artillery at night; small response.
7 Calm; artillery to left, 4 P. M.
8 Calm; artillery at night.
9 Artillery duel in morning; Taubes in afternoon; violent artillery at
night.
10 Calm.
11 Day calm; artillery at night.
12 Taube 2 P. M.; artillery at night.
13 A shell fell in a garden 10 A. M.; Taube 2 P. M.; night calm.
14 Some artillery 4 P. M.
15 Calm.
16 Calm.
17 Aerial battle 11 A. M.
18 Calm; artillery at end of afternoon and at night.
19 Bombardment 2 to 2:30 P. M., 200 shells, 1 killed.
20 Day calm; bombs in evening, 3 killed, 5 wounded.
21 Artillery in sector.
22 Calm; artillery on front.
23 Artillery morning and afternoon; aerial combat in afternoon.
24 Calm.
25 Day calm; short cannonade at midnight.
26 Calm; artillery chiefly to north of Reims.
27 Kaiser's birthday. Bombardment 11 A. M. to 2 P. M., 7 killed,
27 wounded.
28 Calm; Taube 12:30 P. M.; French artillery to west of Reims.
29 Bombardment 2 P. M., 50 shells; renewed 7 P. M.; Taube 3 P. M.
30 Calm.
31 Artillery on all Reims fronts; Taubes and aeros 10 A. M. to 2 P. M.
February, 1916
1 Taubes; artillery duel to right and left.
2 Bombardment from 2:30 P. M., 250 shells.
3 Aeros; French artillery 1 P. M.
4 Calm.
5 Bombardment 3 to 4:30 P. M., 20 shells.
6 3 shells on a faubourg 10 A. M.
7 French artillery; no response; artillery duel on front 9 P. M.
8 Bombardment 11 to 11:30 A. M., 4 shells on faubourg; renewed 2 to
2:30 P. M., 50 shells, 1 wounded.
9 Bombardment 5 P. M., 12 shells on faubourg; artillery duel 7 to
9 P. M.
10 French artillery on left 9 A. M.
11 Artillery in sector in morning.
12 Violent bombardment 9:30 to 11:30 A. M., 110 shells, 1 killed;
renewed in afternoon; French artillery on left at night.
13 Bombardment in morning, 12 shells; renewed 12:15 P. M., 6 shells,
6 wounded.
14 Bombardment on left 3:30 to 10 A. M.; renewed 10:30 A. M. to
12:30 P. M., more than 100 shells.
15 Calm.
16 Some shells on faubourgs.
17 Cannonade 10 A. M.; some shells.
18 Artillery in sector.
19 Artillery in sector.
20 Bombardment 2 to 3 P. M., 20 shells.
21 Taube dropped 7 bombs 9:30 A. M., 2 killed, 5 wounded; 2 shells in
afternoon; French artillery at night, no response.
22 French artillery from 4 P. M.
23 Day calm; 1 shell in evening.
24 Taube dropped bomb 11 A. M.; French artillery 4 to 5 P. M.
25 Violent cannonade and some bombs on extremities in afternoon.
26 Bombardment 9 to 11:30 A. M., 40 shells, 2 killed, 1 wounded; renewed
2 to 4 P. M., 6 shells.
27 Bombardment 11 A. M., 8 shells; renewed 3 to 5 P. M., 7 shells.
28 Bombardment 8 A. M., 12 shells; renewed 12:30 to 2:30 P. M., 32
shells; Taube 2 P. M.; renewed 4 to 5 P. M., 50 shells, 3 wounded.
29 10 shells on suburbs in morning; French artillery 6 P. M.
[Illustration: _From "La Cathédrale de Reims," Libraire Centrale des
Beaux-Arts, Paris._
THE WEST PORTALS]
March, 1916
1 Bombardment 9 A. M. to 2 P. M., 120 shells, 10 killed; renewed 8 to
9 P. M.
2 Bombardment 10 A. M. to 2 P. M., 5 killed, 4 wounded; renewed 7 to
9:30 P. M., 50 shells, 2 wounded.
3 French artillery 5 A. M.; bombardment 1:45 P. M.; renewed 6 to
8 P. M., 50 shells, 1 killed, 2 wounded.
4 Bombardment 5 A. M.; renewed on faubourgs 5:30 P. M.
5 Bombardment 11 A. M.; renewed 3 P. M.
6 Aerial bomb 9 A. M.; some shells 11 A. M.; French artillery in
afternoon.
7 Aerial activity; no shells on Reims.
8 Aerial activity and bombs, 2 wounded.
9 Aerial activity and bombs; artillery on front in evening.
10 Aerial activity.
11 Aerial activity; French artillery 9 A. M., feeble response.
12 Taube 9 A. M.; bombardment 5 to 6 P. M., 50 shells, several wounded.
13 Aerial activity from 8 A. M.; bombardment 4 P. M.
14 Aerial combat 10 A. M.; no shells on Reims.
15 Calm; some shells on faubourgs.
16 Aerial shell 5:15 A. M.; bombardment in morning, 15 shells; French
artillery in evening.
17 Bombardment 1:30 to 3:30 P. M.; renewed 4 to 6:30 P. M., 200 shells,
some wounded.
18 Artillery 2:30 and 5 A. M.; Taube 7 A. M.; aerial activity in
morning; artillery duel in afternoon; cannonade 11 P. M.
19 Artillery and aerial activity.
20 Calm.
21 Calm; short artillery action in morning.
22 Feeble cannonade in morning; no shells on Reims.
23 Calm; French artillery in sector 11 to 12 P. M.
24 Calm.
25 2 aerial bombs 4 P. M.
26 Calm.
27 Heavy bombardment 9 to 11 A. M., 300 shells, 25 killed and wounded;
renewed 2 P. M.
28 Calm.
29 Artillery on front from 1 A. M. to daybreak; day calm in Reims.
30 Aeros; no shells.
31 Aeros; Taubes and some shells.
April, 1916
1 Some shells on faubourgs.
2 Violent bombardment 9 A. M. to 5:30 P. M., 1500 shells, 5 killed,
41 wounded.
3 Calm.
4 Bombardment 5 to 6 P. M., 150 shells.
5 Some shells; artillery at night.
6 Day calm; French artillery at night.
7 Day calm; artillery at night, 15 shells.
8 French artillery in morning; 1 shell 8 P. M.
9 French artillery; Taubes morning and afternoon; cannonade at night.
10 Taubes 9 A. M.; bombardment 11 A. M., 50 shells, 1 killed; renewed
4 to 4:30 P. M., 9 shells; again 10 to 11:30 P. M., 26 shells.
11 Taube 6 A. M.; artillery afternoon and night.
12 Bombardment 10 A. M., 2 victims; renewed 3 P. M.; artillery afternoon
and night.
13 Some shells 3 to 4 P. M.; artillery at night.
14 Some shells 2 P. M.; artillery day and night.
15 Bombardment 10 to 11:40 A. M.; renewed 2 to 5:30 P. M.; again
8:30 P. M.
16 Taubes 6:30 and 9 A. M.; bombardment 11 to 11:30 A. M.; renewed
5:30 P. M.
17 Bombardment in afternoon.
18 No shells on Reims.
19 Calm.
20 Some shells 6:30 A. M.; aerial combat 5:30 P. M.
21 Bombardment 11 A. M., 12 shells.
22 Bombardment 3 P. M., 2 shells, 1 wounded; renewed 4:15 P. M.,
4 shells; again 5 to 6 P. M.
23 Easter Day. No shells.
24 Taubes in morning; bombardment 2:30 to 7:30 P. M., 200 shells.
4 killed, 19 wounded.
25 Calm.
26 Bombardment 10:30 to 11:30 A. M., 30 shells.
27 Anti-aerial fire in afternoon; 5 or 6 shells in evening; French
artillery at night.
28 Bombardment 7 to 11 A. M., 16 shells; renewed 1:30 to 3:30 P. M.,
28 shells; again 5 to 6 P. M., 15 shells; again 9 P. M., 9 shells.
29 A few shells.
30 Bombardment 3 to 5 P. M., 8 shells; renewed 5:15 to 6 P. M.,
11 shells; again 9:30 P. M., 7 shells, 2 victims.
May, 1916
1 Taube dropped bomb 5:30 A. M.; bombardment 11:45 A. M., 6 shells;
renewed 6 to 8 P. M., 50 shells.
2 Day calm; bombardment to south and north-west 8:30 P. M., 9 shells.
3 Taube 6 A. M.; no shells on Reims; artillery at night.
4 Taube 7:30 A. M. and 11:30 A. M.; bombardment 7 to 8 P. M., 37 shells,
1 wounded.
5 Bombardment 10 to 11 A. M., 15 shells; renewed 4:30 P. M., 3 shells.
6 Bombardment 8 to 10 A. M., 2 wounded; renewed 2:30 to 2:45 P. M.,
4 shells; artillery at night.
7 Bombardment 7 to 8 A. M., 2 shells; renewed 9 to 10 A. M., 23 shells.
8 Bombardment 8 A. M.; renewed 3 to 6 P. M.; artillery at night.
9 Bombardment 7:30 A. M., 5 shells; renewed from 9 A. M. to night,
300 shells; French artillery at night.
10 Bombardment 7 to 9 P. M., more than 100 shells, 4 wounded; renewed
10 P. M.
11 Bombardment 8 to 10 A. M.; renewed 1 to 2 P. M., 30 shells,
3 wounded.
12 1 shell in morning; bombardment of observation balloon,
5 to 6 P. M., 25 shells.
13 1 shell 9 A. M.
14 Complete calm.
15 Short bombardment 3 P. M.; some shells at night.
16 Taube early morning; bombardment 11 A. M. to noon, 100 shells;
renewed 5 to 7 P. M., 4 killed, 10 wounded.
17 Aerial combat 8 A. M.; bombardment 12:30 to 2:30 P. M., 120 shells,
8 killed, 10 wounded; renewed 4 to 6 P. M.
18 Bombardment 2 A. M.; 2 Taube bombs; renewed 9 to 11 A. M., more than
200 shells; French artillery at night.
19 Bombardment in afternoon, 50 shells.
20 Bombardment 2:15 to 2:30 P. M., 15 shells, 1 killed; renewed at
midnight, 20 shells.
21 Bombardment 12:30 A. M., 1 shell; renewed 11 A. M. to noon, 20
shells; again 2 to 3 P. M., 32 shells; again 5 P. M., 6 shells.
22 Bombardment 3 A. M.; Taube 6 A. M.; bombardment renewed 2 to 3 P. M.,
32 shells; again 5:30 P. M., 6 shells; artillery at night.
23 Day calm; bombardment 9:30 P. M., 12 shells, 2 killed.
24 Bombardment 1:30 to 5 P. M., 1 killed, 11 wounded.
25 Intermittent bombardment from 1:30 P. M.
26 Bombardment in afternoon.
27 Some shells in afternoon.
28 Bombardment 9 A. M.; renewed 2 P. M.
29 Artillery duel; some shells in morning.
30 Calm.
31 Day calm; some shells 8:30 and 11:30 P. M.
June, 1916
1 Taube at dawn; bombardment 6:30 to 9 A. M., 5 shells; renewed 10 to
11 A. M., 8 shells; again 3:30 to 4 P. M., 15 shells; again 10 P. M.,
3 shells, 1 wounded.
2 Bombardment 6 to 7:30 A. M., 25 shells; renewed 11 A. M.; again
3 P. M.
3 Bombardment 6 to 7 P. M., 100 shells; renewed 9 to 10 P. M.,
11 shells.
4 Bombardment 8:30 to 9 P. M.
5 Bombardment 9:30 A. M., 7 shells; renewed 3 P. M., 5 shells.
6 Bombardment 9 to 10 A. M., 20 shells; renewed 5 P. M., 3 shells.
7 Bombardment 9 to 10 A. M., 12 shells; renewed at noon, 3 shells; again
8 P. M., 4 shells on vacant land.
8 1 shell 9 A. M.; 1 shell 5 P. M.
9 Bombardment 8 to 9 A. M.; renewed in afternoon, 8 shells; again
10 P. M.
10 Bombardment 7:30 to 9 A. M., 6 shells.
11 Bombardment 9 to 10 A. M.
12 Calm.
13 1 shell; artillery on front.
14 Some shells in afternoon.
15 Calm.
16 Calm.
17 Taube 5 A. M.; bombardment 8:43 to 11 A. M., 7 shells; renewed 1 to
1:30 P. M., 3 shells; French artillery 4 P. M.
18 No shells.
19 Bombardment 9 to 11 A. M. on faubourgs; aerial combat in afternoon,
4 shells fell into Reims.
20 Aerial fire 6:30 P. M.; artillery on front at night.
21 Anti-aerial shell fell back 6:15 A. M.
22 Artillery on front; bombardment 3 to 4 P. M., 24 shells; aerial shell
fell back 6:30 P. M.
23 Bombardment 9:30 to 10 P. M., 41 shells.
24 Bombardment 3:30 to 5 P. M., 50 shells.
25 French artillery 4 P. M., no response.
26 Calm.
27 French artillery, no response.
28 Bombardment 2 to 2:30 P. M., 5 shells; French artillery at night.
29 Bombardment 9:30 to 11:15 A. M., 45 shells; renewed 12 to 1:30 P. M.,
18 shells, 1 killed; again 3:30 to 5 P. M., 34 shells.
30 Bombardment 9:30 to 10 A. M., 10 shells; renewed 2:20 to 2:45 P. M.,
15 shells, 1 killed, 2 wounded; again 4 to 5 P. M., 6 shells,
3 killed, 2 wounded; French artillery at night.
July, 1916
1 Taubes in morning; bombardment 5 to 6 P. M., 12 shells; artillery at
night.
2 Bombardment 5 to 8 P. M., 356 shells.
3 3 Taube bombs 4:30 A. M.; somewhat tranquil.
4 Nothing to note.
5 Some shells 4:30 P. M.; artillery on front.
6 Taube 6:30 A. M.
7 Complete calm.
8 Complete calm.
9 Complete calm.
10 Taube 10 A. M.; 1 bomb 2 P. M.; French artillery at night.
11 Bombardment 10 A. M., 4 shells; renewed 5:45 to 7 P. M., 96 shells;
again 9 P. M., 50 shells, 5 killed, 6 wounded; French artillery at
night.
12 Some German prisoners passed through Reims.
13 Calm.
14 Calm.
15 Calm.
16 Calm; French fire on German trenches in afternoon, no response.
17 Calm.
18 Calm; artillery duel at night.