Surviving the Battle of Verdun: A French Soldier's Grueling Ordeal

“The fighting for the hill (unknown which hill) claimed roughly 20% of the company in just the first 24 hours. Upon our arrival midway up the hill, I found the trench we were to occupy was only waist high, with the majority of it being pulverized by the Boche’s shelling.

We walked, under a barrage, into the holes and I was ordered at once to move the wounded we had already accumulated, being quite a number of them; back down the hill as soon as the barrage lightened.

I did as I was told, but because of the situation, we waited two and a quarter hours before we could move the wounded men under relative safety. The dead were left midway up the hill. They were laid neatly in a row at the foot of the trench. We were to come back for them, but their poor bodies were mashed into a paste when we returned.

This was the only time the Boche’ artillery allowed us to move with relative freedom on the hillside. The next 4 days we spent inside a deep crater waiting for our chance to be relieved. Around 85% of the Company had been killed or wounded during that time.”

- ‘Great Uncle Émile’, French Army. The Battle or Verdun. As recounted by his Great Nephew, Jean.