Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 April 1916 — FRENCH GUNNERS FIGHT UNTIL THEIR LAST SHOT. THEN BLOW UP PIECES [ARTICLE]

FRENCH GUNNERS FIGHT UNTIL THEIR LAST SHOT. THEN BLOW UP PIECES

Save Last Shell to Disable Their Gun When Germans Are Upon Them and Delay Means Death or Capture—One Hero Stays With His “90” for Forty-Eight Hours and Then . Loses His Life.

Pari*.—How the French field artillery, and in particular the batteries of the famous “75’5.” were handled during the opening phases of the Verdun battle is detailed in a letter to the Figaro. The letter, written by an officer of field artillery who was in the thick of the fighting, tells in simple style of the superhuman efforts made by the French gunners to stem the tide of the German advance while they were themselves under the fire of heavy artillery. “On the twenty-first,” he writes, “the Germans commenced their preparations for (he attack, with a fury that let us know something serious was on foot. “Our group (a group of 75’s is composed of three batteries of four guns each) was in position to the southeast of the Haumont woods. One battery was split up as flanking pieces in three positions —one with two guns to the east of Haumont woods, one to the south and the third to the north of Samogneux, with one gun each. The other two batteries were to the south of hill No. 312. We were supported by a battery of six 90 mm. guns. "Naturally we responded at once to the German attack with a barrier fire 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 position in the Caures ravine and opened fire at 700 meters.

“But the Germans, despite the sacrifice of great numbers of their men, began to arrive in hordes. They appeared through the Caures Woods along the crests running between the Haumont and Caures woods and established themselves there. The two guns here reduced their range and 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 Haumont 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 90 mm. guns established upon the Haumont crest, although enveloped by an infernal fire, kept quietly about its business. Shells of 305 mm. caliber were falling all about it. In less than a minute thirteen of the servants fell and its fire began to slacken. Then appeared a first sergeant of a 58 mm. battery, Pierrard, of the —th Field artillery, who reported to the commandant of our group: “ ‘Mon commandant,’, he said, simply, ‘my battery no longer exists; give me something else to do.’ «‘Very good,’ was the answer, ‘report to that battery, of 90’s.’ “Pierrard rallied the remaining men of his battery, they reported to the 90’s and in a moment the battery reopened its fire with terrific vigor. For forty-eight hours Pierrard stuck to the 90’s, taking charge as the commissioned officers were killed or wounded. He kept in close touch with the commandant and for a time was able to receive from the combat trains extra supplies of ammunition for his duel — for it was a real duel he was waging—against the ‘Boches.’ But it was at last impossible to send more ammunition to him.

“ ‘Fire every shot you have,’ he was told; then blow up your guns and retlrp.’ “The Germans redoubled their efforts to take this battery that barred their way. Again and again they came surging to the crest. At last they got so close that Plerrard and his men opened fire with their carbines and drove them hack. 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 safoty he was not with them, and has not been seen since. He was not the only one to die valiantly for his country.

Hall of “305” Bhells. “Here is another proof, of the tranquil audacity of our gunners. One battery was under a.terrific fire of heavy projectiles. A 805 shell burst in its 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 eleeves, redoubled their efforts to intensify their fire and avenge their chiefs and their comrades. “During the day of the B2d we received an incalculable number of 305 shells on the Mormont farm and its vicinity- Our situation was all the more difficult because of the difficulty we experienced in getting more ammunition. Hardly one caisson in three of ammunition reached its destination. The road from Ville to Vacherauville was swept by a hellish fire. • -The gun established at Samegnwu

under a bombardment of all calibers kept up its work of destruction witnout cessation, except when, on four occasions, the servants had to cease fire and wash the bore it. Finally, pressed by the enemy, they pulled out the clavettes (keys that bolt the piece to the top carriage and whose withdrawal disables it) and retreated. “Chagrined at being unable to take their guns with them, the men of the section came back in the night to pull it out by hand. They were driven back and the chief of piece wounded. Once more they returned to the charge, this time carrying bombs to blow it up. They got there only to find it already destroyed; a 210 shell had struck it. Courage and Devotion. “The same scenes occurred on the 23d. Our men rivaled themselves in courage and devotion. In the evening, after reciprocal bombardments of awful violence, our batteries were ordered to Cote du Poivre (Pepper Hill), where they arrived, miraculously, without accident. The next day, the 24th, was a great day! What a massacre of Boches! This was when the French and German troops were fighting for Hill No. 344. “We played our fire on the German masses. Their infantry advanced and receded time and time again, and each time our shrapnel played on them, as we lengthened and shortened the range to follow their movements. How many victims did we make?. I do not know. All that I can affirm is that we left them there on the hillsides in heaps without number. “One regiment, moving from the shelter of the Haumont woods, and another from Samogneux, near les Cotelettes, found itself directly in our line of fire and was literally

out to pieces. I assure you that those of ours whom we left behind were amply avenged. “All that we wish for are similar occasions when we are advancing. Our field artillery at Verdun haw shown that it has kept up its reputation; it will speak as it should when still more decisive hours sound.”