Eugène Dubois from the 23 regiment, Douamont, March 1916
For three days we occupy the trenches, the last messages from the communication trench announce an imminent operation. I start to tell me that I never get used to me the smell of rotting flesh and the whistle of bullets. The attack is scheduled for late morning there will be an artillery preparation before, we begin to distribute alcohol to the men in the front line trenches. Suddenly the Germans are ahead of us, their artillery pounded the area and they launched the assault! My drunk friends do not wait, go up to the attack … it’s a carnage! The Germans seem insensitive to our shots, they continue to progress slowly, only grenades and shells stop them! The German fell under our bullets began to rise. A wind of panic breath in our ranks, some flee while screaming, others groan huddled in the mud, yet the orders are clear, we must maintain the position.Why HD doesn’t orders a retreat, they do not understand what is happening or what? they are fucking zombies !!! Probably a dirty virus scratch up by the Germans digging trenches!
