89 - 25 September 1915 (Regimental History)

25 September 1915

[Saturday]

From the Regimental History of IR16

On 21 September the enemy started firing his artillery. The trenches, that is the approach-trenches and the land behind those up to Douvrin, were under heavy fire. With interest the reserve bataillon III/16, which was at the time involved in peaceful exercises on the other side of Douvrin, watched the proceedings along the whole front upto Arras.

The structure of the trenches stood the test spendidly. Where the enemy managed to cause considerable damage, especially in the 2^nd and 3^rd line, this could usually be repaired under the cover of darkness. Thus large parts of the trenches were still usuable.

Deserters and prisoners had predicted a large enemy attack for 25^th September. The enemy had considerably damaged the barbed wire defence and the front of our trenches with their trenchmortars, and in places completely eradicated it. Thus it could not be denied anymore that the enemy was planning an attack any time soon. II and I batallion were in the frontline trenches, III batallion was scheduled to relieve I batallion in the morning.

25^th September started remarkably quiet. III batallion had already marched out for the relief. Then suddenly, at 06.45 in the morning, thick, yellow gasclouds rolled towards our positions and shrouded everything in an impenetrable haze. Gas-alarm! Everyone scrambles for the gasmasks, and sets fire to the trenchdefences. In no-time the trenchdefences along the whole line were on fire. An imposing sight! Suddenly the enemy artillery fire switched to the land behind the trenches, giving the brave defenders time to regroup, under the protection of the wall of fire, and wait for what was coming.

Several people suffered greatly from the gas, and here and there the commanders had to step in to bring the partly heavily shaken men back to their senses.  

After about 45 minutes, with the cloud slowly disappearing, the English get out of their trenches and are subjected to devastating machinegun- and rifle-fire. They don’t get far, and, after suffering heavy casualties, hastily retreat to their trenches. At the Prellbock it comes to fierce handgrenade-fights, which all end in victory for us. No Englishman reached our positions.

A company-commander writes about his impressions as follows: [From a position between the Canal and Hohenzollern Redoubt]

“As per schedule III/16 marched out of Douvrin at 5 o’clock in the morning of 25 september 1915, to relieve I/16. When the batallion was partly in the front-line trenches, and partly still in the approach-trenches, there was heavy artillery fire all of a sudden. We initially thought that the enemy had noticed the relief, when an unknown smell perplexed us. After the initial surprise it was clear: Gas-attack. As we were well prepared, with a sufficient supply of gasmasks, and trained through instructions and drills, everyone quickly recovered from that first fright and reached for their gasmask.But where were the trenchdefences? They were mostly destroyed by artilleryfire. Here and there though there were parts still intact, and they were quickly set alight.

We knew that from behind the gasclouds the enemy would come. Then, through the haze, one suddenly sees the evil enemy approaching, calmly as if they were going for a morningwalk. But he had not reckoned with the Hacketäuern. Frantic rapid fire erupted along the entire front, and the enemy rapidly retreated to his own trenches. One spirited commander had, ahead of his troops, reached the “Monocle” [a mine-crater called “Monocle”-Eyeglass], with exemplary bravery. He paid for this bravery with his life.

We had won! An uplifting moment. The brave Hacketäuer yelled “Hurra”, and even the gas casualties joined in. There were cheers and joy, the enemy had been properly paid back.

Our first worry was now to re-organise our left wing. There there were two batallions in a place which would normally hold one batallion. We then prepared to repel a possible further attack. The trench defences were repaired, wood was prepared and many a fine dug-out door,and many a fieldbed was offered to the axe. But there was a bigger worry for the commanders. The gas had affected the rifles in such a way that the locks would not function anymore. Copious grease, sourced from the batallion, remedied this shortcoming. We were ready for everything now, but the enemy remained very quiet. They had had enough and realised it was best not to tangle with us.

On the left though they had had greater success. It worried us a great deal, especially at night when we could see their flares almost behind us. The following days the battle raged on day and night, and it was reassuring for us to see the enemy bit by bit being pushed back to their old positions.“

“Casualties for the period of 1 september to 31 october 1915:

Dead: 4 officers (including 2 doctors), 189 NCO’s and men

Wounded: 4 officers, 505 NCO’s and men

Missing: 14 NCO’s and men

Furthermore 84 incapacitated by gas”.