The infantry attack engaged at 5 p.m.from Ornes until to the Bois Haumont .
The three army corps III. VII. XVIII. began with the advance, but they were stopped by the French XXX. army corps, until 3 days later the reinforcement arrived. A heroful fight followed up to never precedented artillery preparation in the war. The rifleman of the Colonel Driant defended the Bois de Caures not to budge an inch. In the evening the progress of the Germans, insignificant contrary to their casualities, is to take the Bois Haumont.

On 22 February the artillery fire begins again in snow and increases increasingly; in the Bois des Caures surrounded from two sides the hunters of Colonels Driant offered embittered resistance. The Colonel falls, after he let his troops go back to the village Beaumont.

In 23. the fight increases. The village Brabant falls after embittered resistance of the infantry regiment 351 into the hand of the Germans. East the battle continues to rave particularly furiously, the Frenchmen undertakes unsuccessful counter attacks in the Caures forest and even the Herbebois forest is attacked. The 51. Infantry division evades and the Germans must pay their progress toward Bois de Fosses expensively. In the evening the line goes from Samogneux over Beaumont to Ornes.

During the night Samogneux is taken of the German. On 24. the Germans strengthen their attack troops. The German supreme command required of them extreme effort of force and it succeeds to them , although by the French artillery of the left Maasufers prevented,to take the height of 344 east Samogneux, Bois de Fosses, Bois de Chaume and the village Ornes.

On 25. carries out the 37. Infantry division, which is assigned the defense of the Cote Talou and the village Lovemont, is enough for the persistent attacks resistance, but right of it succeeds occupying the German the Bois de Vauche. They advance against the village Douaumont and take the fort in a surprise. Their attacks against the village fail of the resistance of the 31. Brigade. The progress of the Germans on this side does not remain without influence on the 37. Infantry division, which sees itself forced to give the Cote des Talou up.

Becomes simultaneous in the Woevre plain, which frontline is projecting, only held by weak forces in dangerous way to the foot of the hills of the Maas. The withdrawal could be developed by a delaying action masked, thus that the selected positions could be developed.

In the night general Petain get transfered the command over the army of Verdun. It arranges to connect at least the Forts by a unsuspended line of trenches. It is put on in the middle in the battle. Petain intends a whole division for the finishing of the slopes beforethe 2. and 3. Line, it sets 13 battalions, in order to hold the road leading from bar le Duc across Souilly after Verdun in conditions. The Voie Sacrée becomes the main traffic vein for the supply of crews and ammunition.

The 39. Infantry division, which stepped to the place of 37., rejects all attacks on the Cote du Poivre in the course of 26. victoriously; a brigade holds the village Douaumont up to the separation in the evening by the 2. Infantry division.

On the following days the fight at the edges and in the roads of Douaumont continues, until it can be finally taken on 04 March. The German raid cannot be accomplished however in same strength longer, it had no progress. In Douaumont the German attack comes to end, in addition flank fire comes from the left bank of the Maas. From this time the operations take place either at the same time or successively on both banks of the Maas.

Go to The battle on the wings