On June 7, 1916, Sub-Lieutenant Capart became attached to the General Staff of General Pétain, but often he continued to fight and work with the poilus and also with his old comrades.
CHAPTER SIX
DAY BEFORE BATTLE OF VERDUN, EPARGES.
February 20, 1916.
At dawn the sky is unbroken. It is a veritable spring day that is here! A ray of sun in this spot—what good luck!
I feel this morning a delicious sense of joy and happiness to live.
A poilu, on the board walk, said to his friend: "This will be a great day for airplanes."
In effect, all morning our airplanes and those of the enemy described, at very high altitudes, frequent circles, recrossing the lines, girded by puffs of white smoke of breaking projectiles.
In spite of the joy which filled us all, we never spoke but of the next attack, the topic of conversation for the past several days.