Northumbrian Gunner: Reims 2024

The Battle of Verdun took place between the French and German Armies from February to December 1916. It was the longest battle of WW1 lasting 9 months, 3 weeks and 6 days. It was also one of the bloodiest, with around 300,000 men killed and over 400,000 wounded, from both sides.

Verdun is situated 224 kilometres West of Paris and in 1916 it was 30 kilometres from the German Border. The town had gained strategic significance after the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71) when Alsace-Lorraine was annexed by Germany. This shifted the French German border 75 kilometers.

Verdun lies in the valley of the of the River Meuse. The area in World War One was a mix of forests and agricultural land. A double ring of 19 forts on the valley top and surrounding hills commanded the area.

Fort Douaumont, the largest of the 19 forts that defended Verdun, was located on the highest point. It looked out 70km across Fort Douaumont, the largest of the 19 forts that defended Verdun, was located on the highest point. It looked out 70km across the Woevre Plain towards Germany.

Fort Douaumont looking across Woevre Plain

The defences were built in the 1880’s and upgraded until the start of the WW1.

The forts were constructed from steel and reinforced concrete 13 metres thick, with earth on the top to absorb artillery fire. Armaments included 155 mm and 75 mm guns, as well as machine guns, operating out of fixed and retractable turrets. The artillery comprised of around 1,000 guns. The defences were linked by a road network, a narrow gauge railway system as well as telephone and telegraph lines.

Fort Douaumont

In 1914 when the Germans invaded Belgium their heavy artillery, 30 cm and 42 cm gun engaged Belgian forts in Liege, Namur and Antwerp destroying or neutralising them. The French took a a fresh look at the usefulness of their forts defending Verdun. They decided the guns, ammunition and troops would be better used to support the campaigns in the Artois and Champagne. Orders were issued for the gradual disarmament of the forts. Going forward the area would be defended in depth by the construction of four fortified lines, though only the first of line had been completed by January 1916.

By 1916 the Germans were fighting a war on two fronts and the allied blockade of their ports was limiting resources to fight the war. The allies were The Allies were beginning to strengthen as Kitchener's New Armies began arriving on the Western Front to augment the British Expeditionary Force. German war aim was to win the war quickly before Germany grew too weak and the Allies grew too strong.

The German Chief of Staff General von Falkenhayn’s intent was to attack one of the nerve centres of the Western Front, Verdun. The French High Command were however convinced that the Germans would not launch an attack in that sector.

At 07:15 on 21st February 1916, 1,200 German guns opened fire on the French defences on the East Bank of the River Meuse. Two thirds of the artillery consisted of heavy guns and super heavy guns. The shellfire targets French defences along a 40 kilometre front destroying trenches, forests and villages.

Verdun German Artillery

Verdun French Troops under bombardment

The forts at Marre, Vacherauville, Charny, Douaumont and Vaux were decimated by large calibre German guns.

Verdun Forts under bombardment

At 16:30 the German infantry attacked on a 10 kilometre frontage along the east bank of the River Meuse. The assault was lead by Stormtroopers using flame flowers and grenades.

Verdun German Attack

The intense German bombardment had not destroyed the French Army's resistance. Whilst the there as confusion, dislocation and loss of cohesion, small groups of French soldiers were able to engage the attacking German infantry and impede their progress allowing reiforcements to be brought into the line.

Verdun French Defence

Despite the heroic actions and reinforcement of the French positions, the German assault continued on the East bank of the River Meuse. By the 25th February German forces had advanced 7 kilometres on a front of 12 kilometres. Fort Douaumont had been abandoned by the French and it was occupied by the enemy.

German Advance 21st to 25th February

On 26th February General Pétain took over as Commander of the French Second Army who were responsible for the Verdun Sector. Pétain ordered that the existing front line position be consolidated and any forts that had not been captured be re-occupied and rearmed. Reinforcements were brought into the French line to strengthen their defensive position.

As well as the resistance form the French during the initial assault, the consolidation of the French defences, the German advance was hampered by a thaw in the weather turning the shellscaped battlefield into a swamp. Their assault came to an end and the French line held.

Verdun Battlefield

Pétain then began to bombard the Germans with French artillery on the West bank and created pockets of resistance to mount an attack from the west into the German flank.

To neutralise the threat from the West bank General von Falkenhayn began preparations for an attack. The artillery of the two Corps assigned to the operation were reinforced by 25 heavy artillery batteries. Artillery command was centralised and artillery on the east bank incorporated into the plan.

The German operation on the West bank began on the 4th March. Their aim was to capture the high ground of Hill 304, Mort Homme and Cumieres, then to destroy the French artillery on the West bank. It would take the Germans a week to secure those objectives at a cost of 70% casualties. They failed to destroy the French Artillery. Over the next two months the Germans made further gains, but there was no decisive action.

German Attack on the West Bank of River Meuse

By May the fighting in Verdun had reached stalemate and the break through the German High Command had desired had failed. One further attempt to penetrate the French line was made in June but this also failed. The battle became one of attrition and German operations were limited to local attacks.

Verdun Situation 14th June

As the Germans battled at Verdun the Russian’s launched a major offensive on the Eastern Front., The Brusilov offensive. On 1st July the British attacked in the Somme Sector. The German Army made one more final attempt to breakthrough at Verdun. Some gains were made but it would be the furthest German troops would advance. German troops were required elsewhere, and the attempts to breakthrough ended.

Verdun Final German Offensive

However, the Germans continued a battle of attrition with constant infantry attacks on the French line and bombardments by heavy artillery. The aim being to draw in French reserves and ultimately defeat them.

Verdun Battlefield

General von Falkenhayn's lack of progress and his justification of the heavy losses in men in order to conduct a war of attrition to “bleed France white” would lead to his dismissal by Kaiser Willem II at the end of August. Falkenhayn would be replaced by General von Hindenberg who ended all major operations at Verdun.

It was now the French who took the initiative at Verdun. The French began to mount attacks and regain ground. On 24th October, after a two day bombardment, French troops launched their attack on the East bank of the River Meuse. In four hours they successfully regained the ground lost since 25th February and Fort Douaumont was recaptured .