THE TRENCH OF BAYONETS.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 February 1921, Page 7

THE TRENCH OF BAYONETS.

AN INCIDENT IN DEFENCE OF VERDUN. On December 9 a tribute from two nations was paid to the heroic band of Frenchmen who were buried alive at their post during the defence of Verdun, leaving nothing to mark their grave but a line of bayonets which projected above the surface of the torn ground, showing where the men stood with their rifles still clasped in their hands. The story of the attack in which these fifty-seven men met their death is told by M. l’Abbe Polimann, who, at the outbreak of war, exchanged his soutane for the uniform of an infantry officer. On June 11, 1916, lie says, he received the order to defend his section of the line at ail costs. The next day a terrific bombardment was opened on the position, and although the German, attack was beaten off, Lieutenant Polimann’s section of trench was surrounded. He made all possible efforts, by means of signals, to obtain reinforcements, which, however, were not forthcoming, and a liquid fire attack wrought further havoc among the little force. One June 13, seeing that the Germans were drawing very near to Fort Dauaumont, Lieutenant Polimann signalled that the French batteries should open fire, and during the heavy bombardment from both sides the wall of the trench gave way, and fifty-seven of the company were buried, some of them alive, others having been killed at their post earlier in the day. With munitions exhausted, the few rejnaining men were unable to continue the unequal fight that had lasted without interruption for forty-eight hours, and were finally surrounded and captured.

A few days after the armistice an American, Mr. George F. Rand, who was visiting the battlefront saw the mute testimony of the line of bayonets, and at once conceived the plan of a fitting memorial which has since been put into execution. He offered the American Ambassador a sum of £20,000 for the purchase of the land and for the erection of a memorial to preserve and mark the spot. Mr. Rand was killed shortly afterwards in an aeroplane accident while flying from Paris to London, but his executors have carried out his wish, and a French architect was called upon to design an appropriate ln order that the weather may not in any way affect the Bayonet Trench in future years the memorial has taken the form "of a stone roofing, two metres thick, and supported on cylindrical pillars. It is this memorial which was in; augurated by M. Millcrand and by Mr. Hiigh C. Wallace, the American Ambas-