Mort Homme

The heights of ''Le Mort Homme'' or Dead Man's Hill (german: Toter Mann) lie within the French municipality of Cumières-le-Mort-Homme around north-west of the city of Verdun in France. The hill became known during the Battle of Verdun during the First World War as the site of much fighting.

Location

The hill has two summits which are named after their height in metres: the northern crest is 265 and the southern one is 295. These names were not used at the time, setting aside that modern survey has measured their heights at 287 and 280 metres respectively. It overlooks the villages of Béthincourt to the north-west, Crow Wood and Cumières to the east and Esnes to the south. The hill rises north of the village of Chattancourt. It was a great vantage point - the field of view from the hill in all directions was remarkable.Horne, Alistair. ''The Price of Glory: Verdun 1916''. London: Penguin, 2007.

History

In late February 1916, following German attacks on the right bank of the River Meuse during the Battle of Verdun, the French had established artillery batteries on the hills on the left bank commanding the opposite, right-hand bank. The French artillery caused so many casualties that the Germans decided to attack southwards along the left bank of the river simultaneously to capture and its neighbouring hills. Over the next few months, the Germans made repeated attacks, pounding the French lines, rushing their positions and ejecting the French from their wrecked trenches. French artillery would then pulverise the Germans and counter-attacks would drive them out again, the French infantry re-occupying the shell holes where the trench systems had been.Klekowski, Ed and Libby Klekowski. ''Eyewitnesses to the Great War''. Jefferson: McFarland, 2012. pp. 68-71.

Despite the cost, the Germans had identified in March that the key to taking Le Mort Homme was 304, which dominated the approach to and was able to fire on the Germans attacking the hill. German attacks on 304 had begun on 23 March but the French defended it stubbornly, fighting off many attacks. On 9 April, the Germans launched a second assault on both hills, once again the French held and the attack failed. It was not until 6 May that 304 fell, following a 36 hour bombardment that had begun on 3 May and bitter hand-to-hand fighting. On 24 May, the Germans took the second summit, 295. 265, labelled on German, but not French, maps as the (). After three months of bitter fighting Le Mort Homme was in German hands. The hills would be retaken by the French in August that year.

Today

Le Mort Homme rises {{cvt, 1.55, km, mi, 0 north of the village of Chattancourt. From there it is accessible via road. On the summit is a memorial site with monuments, dominated by the 1922 skeleton sculpture by Jacques Froment-Maurice that commemorates the French 69th Division. On the northern hillside are the remains of the German Kronprinz Tunnel (Gallwitz tunnel complex).''Rabenwald - Ravin du Corbeaux''
at www.verdunbilder.de. Retrieved 30 Dec 2016.

References

External links

''Höhe Toter Mann (Le Mort Homme)''
(German)


(German)

History of Lorraine
Battle of Verdun
France in World War I
Landforms of Meuse (department)