Chapter 523: The Easy Battle
The bombardment lasted an entire week, with a total of 1.738 million shells poured onto the German positions over seven days, averaging nearly 250,000 shells a day.
This was one of the most intense artillery barrages in history, with an overall intensity that even surpassed the German bombardment of Verdun, which involved 2,000 guns.
The British and French forces made thorough preparations for this bombardment:
A large amount of ammunition and various supplies continuously arrived at the front and were stored in underground warehouses at various artillery positions.
In addition to constructing railways and roads, they also reinforced the roads comprehensively.
They also dug shallow ditches and deep trench lines over dozens of miles to lay telephone wires and set up communication lines.
Most importantly, they built trenches to gather forces and launch cavalry raids.
(Note: These trenches, primarily constructed for cavalry, allowed them to gather and quickly break out in coordinated attacks. Every few meters, there was an angled slope for cavalry to ride out rapidly, attacking enemy positions.)
However, the British and French forces only saw their own preparations. They had no interest in gathering intelligence on the German positions.
...
The Germans had noticed the movements of the Entente forces around the Somme River early on.
As Charles had pointed out, the construction of numerous roads and railways leading to the Somme River was clearly signaling their strategic intentions to the enemy.
Thus, the Germans spared no effort in strengthening their defensive works. They meticulously built a network of underground tunnels in solid chalk soil, the deepest of which reached 12 meters below ground.
These tunnels were well-equipped, with kitchens, laundries, first-aid stations, and large ammunition reserves. They even set up diesel generators to provide power, ensuring electrical lighting within the tunnels.
The most important aspect was the Germans' construction of forward and concealed positions.
When the enemy commenced bombardment, they retreated along the communication trenches to the rear positions, leaving only a few observers behind. When the enemy launched their attack, they would then emerge from the concealed positions and counterattack.
Haig and Nivelle had no idea about these preparations. They only saw their own strengths and failed to realize that most of their shells were hitting nearly unoccupied forward positions.
Over 1.7 million shells, in reality, had done little damage.
...
The first day of December arrived, and the bombardment finally ceased.
The rising sun illuminated the battlefield, now clear of smoke, and the German positions, after a week of bombardment, lay eerily silent.
This greatly excited the British and French forces.
For the past seven days, the sound of explosions and the tremors of the shells had been a constant presence during their nights' rest. Though the noise was deafening, it offered them a strange sense of security.
Each shell that exploded in the enemy’s positions might mean one less danger for them.
The cavalry raiding trench was preparing for the final charge.
“My ears are nearly deaf from the noise; they’re still ringing!” Colonel Albert, leader of the 12th Cavalry Regiment, comforted his horse while reassuring his nervous men, whose faces had turned pale. “What do you think the Germans are going through?”
Before any of his men could answer, Albert asked and answered himself, “I only worry they won’t hear my shout.”
He then began a comic routine:
“Hey, drop your rifles and surrender!”
“Sorry, what did you say?”
“Bang, bang! Now they won’t hear a thing!”
His men chuckled, and the tense atmosphere relaxed significantly.
“Don’t worry, lads!” Albert concluded. “Look at the German positions—there’s no way anyone’s left alive. This is an easy battle. We’re lucky; we’ll win without much effort and probably get a medal for it!”
“Yes, Colonel,” the men agreed.
They believed it, for the evidence was clear before their eyes: the land ahead had been plowed over, crisscrossed with countless shell craters, resembling a lunar landscape with strange formations.
Just then, the order came: “Prepare for battle!”
“Prepare for battle!”
...
At Albert’s command, “Mount up!”
The cavalrymen quickly mounted their horses. Some checked their gear, others loaded their carbines, while some whispered to calm their steeds.
“Listen up,” Albert reiterated, “the infantry will go first. After they breach the enemy lines, it’ll be our turn!”
“Yes, Colonel.”
Time seemed to freeze, the cold wind howling through the trenches, carrying the faint scent of gunpowder.
Suddenly, a sharp whistle pierced the air, and countless British soldiers scrambled out of their trenches. With their steel helmets on, khaki uniforms, and rifles in hand, they rushed toward the no-man’s land between the trenches.
They raced forward, sprinting at 100-meter dash speed toward the German defenses, which lay several hundred meters away. If all went according to plan, they would capture the German line in minutes and lay down wooden planks in the trenches for the cavalry to cross.
Albert continued shouting orders to his men in the trench:
“Steady!”
“Steady…”
“Keep relaxed, focus!”
...
Suddenly, the rapid fire of machine guns startled everyone, even the horses, which neighed in fear.
Albert’s face changed, “What’s happening?”
Weren’t the Germans supposed to be gone?
Why is there such intense gunfire, especially heavy machine guns?
Despite the confusion, Albert quickly found a way to reassure his men: “It’s our own heavy machine guns!”
The men were skeptical. They clearly heard the gunfire coming from the German positions, and the bullets whizzed overhead, accompanied by the screams and cries of British soldiers.
The unit began to stir, and a few cavalrymen peered out to assess the situation.
The cavalry’s charge whistle blew, and Albert’s eyes filled with alarm. This wasn’t part of the plan. It was too soon for the cavalry to attack.
The only possible explanation: the infantry had been unable to take the German trench, and the high command hoped to rely on the cavalry’s mobility to break through the enemy lines and create an opportunity for the battle.
This meant it was going to be a bloody battle, not the easy victory they had expected.
Without further thought, Albert shouted: “Charge!”
He quickly added, “Cross over the enemy trench—cross over!”
The cavalry, eager to charge, yelled in unison. With a spur of their spurs, they galloped out.
The sound of sabers being unsheathed echoed, and the seasoned riders knew that on horseback, the sabre was far more effective than the carbine.
However, as the first wave of cavalry charged out, they were instantly struck by a hail of bullets, like a hurricane of gunfire, sending them tumbling back, their bodies torn apart by the onslaught...