United States or Israel ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !


In the ravines of Bazile they suffered appalling losses, but succeeded in gaining a foothold in the wood of Chapître. The French, counterattacking, regained most of the lost ground, and still held the village of Fleury. The struggle around Thiaumont works continued for days, during which the place changed hands several times.

Oct. 23 German-Bulgar armies capture Constanza, Roumania Oct. 24 French win back Douaumont, Thiaumont field work, Haudromont quarries, and Caillette wood near Verdun, in smash of two miles. November 1 Italians, in new offensive on the Carso plateau, capture 5,000 Austrians. Nov. 2 Germans evacuate Fort Vaux at Verdun.

On that day the Germans got into Fleury and were driven out; on the 24th they were in again, but on the 30th the French recovered Thiaumont and neutralized the German advantage. On the morrow the Western front was aflame with the battle of the Somme. Verdun had done its work and taken its wages. The struggle flickered on; Fleury changed hands again in July and August, and so did Thiaumont.

Then, because the city and its citadel lie in the middle of a valley dominated by hills like a lump of sugar in the middle of a platter upon those hills was built a chain of barrier forts: La Chaume, Tavannes, Thiaumont, Vaux, Douaumont, and others.

And during those few days, when the French lines to the north of the salient and to the east of the River Meuse were driven in till they rested near Vacherauville, on the Meuse, and ran from thence to Thiaumont and Douaumont Fort and Vaux, and so back to the Meuse again, French efforts had not been confined alone to local fighting.

When there was nothing left to see in the citadel, our hosts asked if we would like to pay a visit to the trenches old trenches which had once defended Thiaumont. "I don't think my wife had better " Mr. Beckett began; but the little old lady cut him short. "Yes, Father, I just had better! To-day, being among all these splendid brave soldiers has shown me that I'm weak a spoiled child.

Mangin recovered the greater part of Douaumont on the 22nd, but German reinforcements took it again on the 24th, and on the 25th pushed on by Haudromont wood and Thiaumont farm, outflanking Vaux on the west. Further progress was made in the following days, and on 1 June the fall of Damloup uncovered the eastern flank of the Vaux position.

"I don't believe I'd care for a friend like that." "I don't blame you," was the young officer's response. "Matin has a bad reputation and I would advise you to keep your eye on him." "Thanks," said Hal. "I shall remember that. By the way, can you tell me just where we are?" "Thiaumont farm," returned the French officer; "or, rather, I should say, just east of Thiaumont farm.

The soldiers billeted in the house read the inscription, which met with their approval, and so far each regiment in passing had cleaned out the little dwelling and left it in perfect order. From the citadel we went down into the trenches which led to the lines at Thiaumont. The heat in the city was excessive, but in the trenches it was delightfully cool, perhaps a little too cool.

It had been planned that the first stroke should take in the quarries of Haudromont, the height to the north of the ravine of La Dame, the intrenchment north of the farm of Thiaumont, the battery of La Fausse-Côte, and the ravine of Bazite.