The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-10
MUNITIONS WERE
EXHAUSTED Then
GERMANS Won
Artillery Officer Describes Bat
tie Before Verdun.
Enemy Overlooked French
From All Directions.
DEEDS OF VALOR RECOUNTEI
Worked Guns As Hours With
out IntermissiOn.
Teutons Fell, Heap on Heap,
but Kept on Charging.


has been authorized to make the fol-
lowing statement on his experiences
and observations:
After February 81. when the Ger
mans began the preparation for the at
tack with that fury which has already
been described, we understood that a
decisive struggle was about to be en-
gagged. Our group was then in position
to the south of Haumont wood. A
batter was divided up for thanking
purpose on three positions. one to
the east of the Haumont wood, one
t the south and a third to the north
of Samogneux The two other bat
teries were to the south of Hill No.
312, which lies to the east of Hill 344.
We were supported by battery of six
pieces of ninety millimetre guns.
Curtain Fire Replies.
1--WE replied at once to the German
attack with a curtain fire to prevent
as far as possible the enemy infantry
from opening a path into our lines.
One of our sections even went forward
in the Caures ravine and opened fire
at 700 metres. But the Germans, de-
spite enormous losses of men, com
menced to overflow on all sides They
arrived at the Caures Wood by the
tops of the hills which run between
the Haumont wood and the Caures
wood and they progressively invaded
these positions.
The section which was trying to
retain them kept shortening its fire as
they advanced. moving down entire
ranks. New waves replaced those OF
the Germans who died and the section
kept on firing. exhausting its ammuni-
| ton. 1 was hard at work When
groups of the enemy, who had sue
ceeded in penetrating, got behind the
/ guns Although they had been turned
our artillerymen did not lose their
presence of mind. They blew up their
guns and retreated, carrying off SER
geant who had been wounded.
"a battery of 90-millimeter guns
/ esta blished at Haumont, although 1t
had been reached by an Internal fire,
valiantly carried out all instructions
given to it. Shells of s3o5 millimetre
calibre from the German heavy guns
literally ra,ned around this battery.
In less than a minute, 1 8 of them fell
around our guns ana the battery of
COS, after having wiped out large
number of the enemy, was obliged to
cease firing.
Battery No Longer Exists.
"At this moment a sergeant major
! of a battery of field artillery named
Pierrard approached the commander
| of the group of batteries and said :
Commander, my battery of SIS no
| longer exists. Please employ me else
where Very WELL replied the com
mander, put yourself at the disposal
of the battery of COS Pierrard col
lected the men who had been working
with him, and brought them to the
battery of COS and opened the fire
again, with admirable vigor. He
4 served the pieces for forty-eight hours
and kept constantly in communication
with the commander, demanding am
munition for his duel with the German
guns Unfortunately, it was impossi-
BILE at last to send him supplies.
" Use up what you have in the way
of ammunition ordered the com,
| mander, and then blow up your guns.
The enemy was approaching.
Their ranks came so near the guns
Pierrard and his companions had to
defend themselves with their carbines.
Then they began to fire again with the
COS until the moment when their po-
sition became absolutely untenable
and t1ey blew up the guns and with
drew Probably during this move
ment of falling back Pierrard, brave
among multitude of brave men, was
killed. He disappeared from that mo-
ment He was not the only one to
show mag 1ificent devotion to his
country.
One Shell Killed Eight.
Another instance of the cool brav-
cry which animated our artillerymen
was given by a battery which was I'M
305-millimeter German shell killed the
captain, the sergeant major, a SER
geant and five gunners. You imagine
that that interrupted the work of the
others? Not for a moment. As if
with one impulse they pulled off their
coats to work better and in their shirt
sleeves they redoubled their efforts to
intensity their curtain fire and to urge
on their comrades.
I'm the course of the day of F'ebru-
airy % we received an incalculable
number of 45-millimetre shells from
the Germans on the farm of Mormont
and its ,neighborhood- Our ,situau on
was difficult and it was almost impos-
sible to get munitions. We were lucky
if one case out of three arrived. The
road to Vacherauville was swept by
an internal hail.
THE gun which was. detached to
service at Samogneux underwent a
bombardment by shells of all sizes. but
carried out without ceasing its work
of destruction. The gunners, to pre-
vent it from overheating. washed it
from their water bottles. When hard
pressed finally by the enemy they re-
moved the breach keys and fell back
In despair. however, at not having
been able to drag their gun with them
they returned during the night to try
to pun il off with their hands.
Blow Up Guns Before Retreat.
THE chief gunner was wounded in
this enterprise. which failed. The ar
tillerymen decided not to allow their
gun to fall into the hands of the
enemy and returned once more tic
blow it up. They found it had already
been destroyed as a 210-millimetre
shell had struck it. Similar incidents
occurred everywhere.
"On February % our men We'd with
each other in courage and devoted
ness. In the evening, after lombard
ms hot n ID .1f IL
nary violence, our batteries received