-----------------------------
If there are spelling mistakes, please let me know.
Leave a comment; support is always appreciated.
I remind you to leave your ideas or what you would like to see.
-------------------------------
23-26-April/1915
The sound of artillery kept pounding everywhere, while chaos spread through the rear camp and several trenches were already showing troop movement as they began preparing for a French offensive once the artillery had softened our lines.
I stepped out of my tent with my uniform and camouflage already on, watching my men struggle to get dressed, it was still early. When I turned toward the German trenches, I saw artillery falling in every direction, hitting the surroundings, it seemed wildly inaccurate, only rarely landing directly on the trenches.
I started organizing my men, ordering my leutnants and unteroffiziers to take initiative and hold the trenches against any French assault that would come once the barrage stopped.
Without waiting for orders from higher command, we moved toward the trenches, more precisely to our firing towers, where from the small elevations we had a wide field of fire.
Running with the modified MG slung over my shoulder, we pushed forward as the ground trembled under constant explosions that kept hammering the three trench lines ahead of us.
We quickly set up with several of my men, placing the machine gun on its bipod while laying out the belt-fed ammunition and positioning our rifles with their bipods to be ready to fire at the French once their assault began.
The artillery kept going for a long time. I got used to the ground shaking and stayed calm as shells landed nearby, we weren't the target for now, everything was focused on the poor bastards stuck in the trenches, hoping their dugouts were strong enough to survive what they were enduring.
But the artillery didn't stop. Hours passed, and the bombardment never ceased.
We just sat there watching, wondering what would happen, and as grim as it was, we started eating while observing how the bombardment kept hammering those in the trenches and their shelters.
While we ate bread and kept watching, the artillery never stopped. We checked again in the afternoon, same thing, shells falling like rain without pause.
As evening came and the sun disappeared, the rain of artillery continued. I kept waiting for counter-battery fire, but nothing happened. I even went to ask if it would come, but they told me they had already triangulated the French artillery by sound and were saving ammunition for when the French launched their mass assault.
The bombardment continued into the night and we even slept with the sound of artillery over our heads, everything shaking… just another one of those shit days for me, the first of many for most of them. The next day was the same, an endless French barrage that didn't seem to have any end.
Until finally German artillery began to answer. After a full day of triangulating, they started firing toward where they believed the French guns were.
After a massive barrage, we noticed how the French fire dropped considerably, so it seemed the wait had paid off.
Two days passed with bombardments and nothing else happening, just holding positions while French artillery kept hitting and German artillery answered back, until finally everything stopped.
After three days of relentless bombardment, there was silence… the kind of silence that comes before a slaughter.
Through my scope, from my elevated position, I noticed the French beginning to gather in their trenches.
The first thing I saw was a French officer waving his saber as he looked at his men, rising slightly above the trench.
''What a nice way to start a fight'' I said, holding my breath while calculating distance and bullet drop in my head.
I aimed where I needed and pulled the trigger, a 1400-meter shot, watching that second of travel until I saw the officer take the hit straight in the back, dropping into the trench.
''THE FRENCH ARE COMING'' I shouted, and nearby soldiers began sprinting toward the trenches, thousands of German soldiers running as more men emerged from their shelters and took positions.
I aimed again and started firing at the mass of French troops gathered above the trench waiting for the order to charge.
I dropped four more at extreme range… it wasn't even hard, there was practically a line of them waiting and I was knocking them down like it was a shooting gallery.
My men were firing as well, I watched them work the bolts and reload with a speed that had become automatic.
Finally, the moment came, thousands upon thousands of French soldiers began advancing toward the trenches in waves, entire platoons climbing out at once, and at that moment I switched my rifle for the modified machine gun, placing it in front of me and aiming at the massive group approaching.
''This is the biggest duck shoot in the world'' I said as I prepared to fire.
I took a deep breath, my finger resting on the trigger.
Noticing the French uniforms, some still wearing their red trousers, advancing in mass.
I opened fire, first in short bursts, adjusting my aim as I swept across them, watching them fall at different distances.
Firing again and again, I saw more and more drop under our fire, the line beginning to break little by little.
As they kept advancing slowly, German artillery began to fall over no man's land, slaughtering those caught in the impact zone.
And still the French kept coming, German machine guns from below opened fire, cutting down hundreds more.
And even then, more waves began to move faster behind the first ones, while more Germans rose from the trenches and opened fire.
I fired several bursts into the densest waves of French troops, the ones that had just come out, and quickly started burning through all the ammunition I had left, cutting down dozens
As I kept firing I began to notice shots landing nearby, several French had started returning fire and were aiming at me, using the craters left by their own artillery
''Shit…'' I muttered as rounds struck the dirt close to me, forcing me to take cover
''Hans, hand me the Stirnpanzer'' I said, extending my hand while more bullets slammed into our position
''Here'' said Hans, putting his on as well while handing mine over
''Heavy as hell… take it off, we're relocating, this position's too compromised'' I said, removing the metal plate from my helmet and grabbing the machine gun to move to another firing spot that wasn't under fire
While the chaos of machine guns and rifles kept roaring, we moved quickly and took position on another earthen tower, setting up again, putting the metal plate back on the helmet and repositioning while I fired the last rounds I had left in the machine gun
''I'm dry'' I said, pushing the machine gun aside
''At least this one works'' Hans said as he kept firing his rifle at the new waves of French that kept charging
''The French cut the wire… they're getting in'' someone shouted while running back toward the camp
''Hey, you…'' I shouted at the runner, he turned when he saw me
''Bring me machine gun ammo'' I yelled, and the runner nodded as he kept shouting his warning and ran toward the camp
With the rifle I kept firing whenever I could, but it didn't take long for the French to start suppressing us again, trying to stop the slaughter we were inflicting on their ranks
Many French had already entered the trenches and were fighting to the death with the German soldiers inside
I pulled the trigger and a bullet tore through a Frenchman's abdomen, dropping him instantly, I shifted slightly and fired again, hitting another Frenchman lying prone and firing at us, blowing his head apart
I pulled back, took ammunition from my coat, reloaded and leaned out again to fire
Once again, multiple French started shooting at my position
Then I felt a heavy impact on my head
''Ah shit… shit… shit…'' I said, grabbing my head
''What happened?'' Hans said, looking at me
''I got hit… damn it… ah… in the head…'' I said, taking off my helmet and looking at it
''Didn't penetrate'' Hans said, pulling me out of the firing line and checking my head ''You alright?''
''Ringing… but yeah… I'm fine…'' I said, shaking my ears with my finger, trying to deal with the ringing
While I recovered, the runner came back with a good load of machine gun ammo and we quickly set it up, I started firing bursts at the French shooters who were harassing us
I fired several bursts, wiping out dozens of French, and now with the path more open, some tried to run forward, though many fell into the massive artillery craters
The sound of the battle was deafening, rifles, machine guns, and what sounded like men screaming in close combat inside the trenches as the French tried everything to push forward and take the first trench
''This thing's overheating… if I keep firing the barrel's going to warp'' I said, moving the machine gun aside and switching back to the rifle
The battle kept going and I couldn't tell who was winning, there was no way to know
But eventually the French stopped sending waves, it looked like we had held the line and they had lost tens of thousands for nothing… but before I could even think of victory
Artillery began raining down all over the trenches
And dangerously close to us, so I ordered my men to pull back until it stopped
We withdrew from the front while artillery hammered our positions again, soldiers ran into dugouts as the ground shook under the constant punishment
For over an hour the artillery fell nonstop, until once again it stopped and everything started over
The French regrouped and began advancing again
Or tried to, because the ground was full of craters and even though they attempted to speed up their advance, they struggled to cross the two or three hundred meters separating the trenches
Once again our artillery struck no man's land, sending hundreds of French flying, tearing them apart, while German soldiers climbed out of their shelters and returned to their positions, now much more weakened
Many machine guns had been destroyed by artillery and only rifles remained to fire
With my machine gun cooled down, I began providing covering fire against the French waves
But once again we were under suppressive fire that made it hard to aim, I didn't feel like taking another hit to the head while trying to hold the line
As the fighting continued, more soldiers appeared and began marching toward the trenches, reserves had finally arrived and joined the defense, helping stop the French push
Purely by numbers, the French left behind a field full of dead and wounded, between the loss of their officers, which were our priority targets, and the thousands of casualties they had taken, their attack failed and they began retreating back to their trenches while we did everything we could to make sure no one made it back
As that happened, German artillery began hitting the French trenches
And I started hearing whistles from German officers
''Come on, get ready… we're going to attack those French'' I heard a German officer shout as he came from the rear with more reserve units
''Shit…'' I muttered, looking at Hans, both of us clenching our teeth
-------------------------------
Hello everyone! As I mentioned before, everything is ready,we've been approved and are now fully up and running.
At the moment, 3 chapters are available, so the first tier is complete. Today, I should be uploading two more chapters for the second tier, and I'm working on finishing the third tier soon, aiming to have a total of 9 chapters ready.
If you'd like to support me, you can find me on P.a.t.r.e.o.n. I also encourage you to leave your comments and opinions,they really motivate me to keep writing.
just search for my name.without spaces
Chill_ ean_ GUY
Thank you all for your support!