We were in the early days of the battle, but sufficient had already
happened to make it clear to every one of us that at last we were
face to face with a big affair. The German High Command had decided
on a step which we welcomed most joyfully--to stake its all on a vain
endeavour to regain the confidence which the public in Germany has
fast been losing, not only in the military party, but also in the
Hohenzollerns themselves. The roar of the guns was so deafening that
we had to stuff our ears with cotton-wool or any material we could
find to deaden the dreadful sound. The ground shook under the shock of
the exploding shells. But neither the sounds which came to us, nor the
sights which met our eyes as we looked down upon the ever-advancing
masses of men in grey-green uniforms, had the slightest ill-effect upon
our nerves. Judging by my own feelings, we were all supremely uplifted.
It seemed to me that we had been preparing all our lives for that one
glorious day.
"Come on, come on, grey-green battalions, and let us bite deep into
your flesh! It matters not what cowardly means you adopt; poison gas
or squirters of flaming liquid are all one to us, for you will never
succeed in getting through. Come on, like animals to the slaughter!
Those who succeed in escaping the _arrosage_ of the 'seventy-fives'
will find that Rosalie--the bayonet--is waiting for them." Such was the
savage hymn which my men were singing in their hearts as we defended
the Bois de Caures.
"Rosalie" did her work well, I can tell you, when the Boches came to
close quarters. The snow-flecked ground in front of us, furrowed as
though by a titanic plough, was covered with bodies. However, as they
still came on in serried masses, it was decided that a retreat to the
defences which had been prepared many weeks before was necessary. Full
of confidence, and knowing that this slow retreat would enable us to
kill more and still more Germans, we made our preparations.
But first of all let me locate the Wood of Caures, though it may
be superfluous to do so in the presence of an inhabitant--perhaps
a native--of Verdun. It is situated to the north of your town, and
is one of a number of woods and forests which are visible as dark
masses of foliage to anyone standing on the heights in the immediate
neighbourhood of Verdun, or, better still, if the observer be seated
in an aeroplane. The eyes of our gallant airmen were constantly fixed
on the Bois de Caures, which lies between the Bois d'Haumont and the
Herbe Bois, on the Bois des Fosses, which is due south of where we
were, and on the Forest of Spincourt, which was to our east. These
precious collaborators kept us constantly informed as to the movements
of the enemy. Every few hours they brought in their reports to the
Headquarters Staff, whence came the order that, in conjunction with the
remainder of the line, we were to fall back.
"The move is to be made to-morrow--towards evening." Captain Peyron
told me in the afternoon. "But I understand from Chief Engineer Moreau
that we're to prepare a little surprise for the Kaiser's crack troops.
We've got to hold the wood like grim death until everything is ready.
Moreau and his staff of engineers have been out all day in the wood
prospecting, and the sappers must be already at work."