Within an hour the entire ridge was captured. Yet - a moment afterward - rockets shot up from the opposite side, gave notice that the French had successfully passed this curtain and were ascending on the opposite side. The German barrage, which had opened at short range opposite Pepper Ridge slope, lengthened as the French barrage ascended from the front side - and the two curtains met at the summit in a frightful intermingling of explositions that turned the entire ridge into a seething, smoking volcano. It looked like a great pyrotechnical display - a glorified Fourth of July in America. Innumerable rockets shot skyward as the different sections of the French attackers signaled aeroplanes of their advance. The entire slope of the Pepper Ridge was ribbed with tiny white smoking lines, marking every advance.Īs the French troops neared the summit of the height, the fury of the battle increased. All these barrage fires continued smoking in the wet, sticky air. Then the line leaped forward and executed a second grenade barrage. There the grenade throwers were executing their barrage fire while awaiting an artillery curtain for their further advance. When the French had swept up a goodly portion of Pepper Ridge there was a straight line of fine white smoke to be seen along the side of the ridge.

It followed a day's terrific artillery preparation culminating just before the infantry leaped from their trenches into such a steady roar that combined with the unbroken rumble of scores of aeroplanes overhead, the air and earth literally trembled and vibrated together.

The attack was launched at 10 o'clock Friday morning. This barrage wiped out any German opposition which had escaped the artillery and the infantry never fell behind the pre-established rate of advance. The foot troops advanced under a perfect curtain of artillery fire, with rifle and hand grenade barrage starting at each stop. The French assault was made with such clockwork precision that the entire advance of nearly two miles was accomplished at a uniform pre-established pace.

Verdun before and after