The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-04-14

Paris. How the French field artil-
1ery, and In particular the batteries or
ne famous u.s." were handled dur
ing the opening phases Of the Verdun
battle Is detailed in letter to the
Figaro. The letter, written by an ON
Ger Of field artillery who was In the
thick OF the fighting. tells In simple
style of the superhuman efforts maze
by the French gunners to stem the
tide of the German advance while
they were themselves under the hre
OF heavy artillery.
"On the twenty-first," he writes. tine
Germans commenced their prepare
tons for the attack, with a fury that
let US know something serious was on
foot.
Our group "a group Of 75's Is COM
posed of three batteries of four guns
each) was iii position to the south
east of the Haumont woods. One bat
terry was split up as thanking pieces IN
three positions-one with two guns
to the east OF Haumont woods, one TO
the south and the third to the north or
Samogneux, with one gun each. Inc
other two batteries were to the south
Of hill No. 312. We were supported by
battery Of six 80 nm. guns.
Naturally we responded at once to
the German attack with barrier ire
to stop, so far as possible, the enemy
infantry from making its way to our
lines. The two guns at the east OF the
Haumont Woods were pushed into po'
sition in the Caures ravine and opened
fire at 700 meters.
But the Germans, despite the sac
rif1ce Of great numbers of their men,
began to arrive in hordes. They ap-
peared through the Cuures Woods
along the crests running between the
Haumont and ,Caures woods and es-
tablished Themselves there The two
guns here reduced their range anu
with sweeping fire cut down entire
ranks, but new waves appeared to
take the places of the fallen men in
front of the blazing guns. Still the
gunners kept at their work until just
as their ammunition was failing the
enemy infantry appeared through the
Hanmont Woods almost in their rear
The gunners then blew up their guns
and retreated, taking their wounded
with them.
Thirteen Men Fall.
"A battery of 80 mn. guns estab-
lished upon the Haumont crest. al
though enveloped by an Internal fire.
kept quietly about its business. Shells 4
OF 3O5 nm. caliber were falling an
about it. In less than minute thir'
teen Of the servants fell and it's fire
began to slacken- Then appeared
-4xst sergeant Of a IS NM. battery.
Pferrard, Of the -th Field artillery,
who reported to the commandant OF
our group:
Mon commandment he said. sim
ply, my battery no longer exists; give
me something else to do
Every good was the answer. re
port to that battery Of sos.
"Pierrard rallied the remaining men
of his battery. they reported to the |
sos and in moment the battery re-
opened it's fire with terrific vigor. For
forty-eight hours Pierrard stuck to the
eos, taking charge as the commits
stoned officers were killed or wounded. |
He kept in close touch with the COM
mandant and for time was able to
receive from the combat trains extra
supplies of ammunition for his duel
for II was real duel he was waging-
against the 'Boches.' But it was at
last irnpossible to send more ammuni-
ton to him.
.aFIre every shot you have. he was
told; then blow up your guns and re-
tire ss
"The Germans redoubled their ef-
forts to take this battery that barred
their way. Again and again they camc
surging to the crest. At last they got
no close that Pierrard and his men
opened fire with their carbines and
drove them back. Then they returned
TO their guns and reopened fire. But
their situation was untenable. With
their last shots they destroyed the
guns by firing them after disabling the
recoil mechanism. Then the brave
fellows came back. But, alas, in their
retreat. Pierrard, the bravest OF the
brave, was probably killed. When they
arrived in safety he was not with
them and has not been seen since
He was not the only one to die valiant
" for his country.
Hail Of 1905" Shells.
Here is another proof OF the tran
anil audacity Of our gunners. One bat
terv was under terrific fire of heavy
pro1ectiles. A sos shell burst in it's
midst, killing the captain, the first
sergeant, a chief of section and five
,cannoneers. Did the others blench?
Not they; they only tore off their
blouses, and, working in their shirt |
sleeves. redoubled their efforts to in
tensify their fire and avenge their
chiefs and their comrades.
u During the day Of the 2od we re-
ceived an incalculable number of 30s
shells on the Mormont farm and its
vicinity. Our situation was all the
more difficult because, Of the difficulty
We experienced in getting more am
munition. Hardly one caisson in three
~ ammunition reached its destination.
The road from Vile to Vacherauville
was swept by hellish fire.
..,r,, y y,,r, not !, tIigflei at SaulOgneUx |