THE PIERCED VAULTING AND TOWERS OF THE CATHEDRAL IN 1919
By way of excuse they alleged sometimes errors in firing, sometimes that the French had established a battery of artillery near the Cathedral and an observation-post in one of the towers (a projector was installed on the Cathedral, on September 13, 1914, i.e. the day that the French re-entered Rheims, and it remained there only one night).
On November 9, 1914, General Rouquerol declared to the French Government, who had demanded an enquiry, that the nearest battery to the Cathedral was at that time more than 1,200 yards away; that on the day (September 19) the Cathedral was set on fire by the German shells, the nearest French batteries were still quite close to the spot occupied by the above-mentioned battery, whose position the French Premier verified personally. The General concluded that the German artillery could not have made an error of 1,200 yards in firing, but that they had deliberately aimed at the Cathedral.
The Cathedral, though terribly shattered, is still standing. The description of the edifice (pp. [33] to [60]) gives particulars of the damage and destructions which occurred principally in September, 1914, April, 1917, and July, 1918.
On September 19, 1914, incendiary shells set fire to various portions of the building. The roof was burnt, but the vaulting escaped injury. The tambours of the side doors and the statues on the latter were destroyed by the flames. The 18th century stalls, consecration carpet of Charles X. and archi-episcopal throne were likewise burnt. The great rose-window of the western façade, together with several other stained-glass windows, were destroyed, as were also the "Angel" steeple and its caryatids above the chevet. The northern tower was seriously injured by the burning of the scaffolding around it (see photo, p. [9]). The statues were eaten into by the flames and subsequently crumbled away, some of them being irrecoverably lost.
In 1915 and 1916 the Cathedral was struck a hundred times, but it was during the bombardments of April 15, 19 and 24, 1917, that it suffered most. For seven consecutive hours, at the rate of twelve per hour, the Germans fired 12-in., 14-in. and 15-in. shells on the edifice, causing terrible havoc, especially to the south-western side.
During the terrible bombardments of April, 1918, the Cathedral did not suffer—for once the Germans seemed to have decided to spare it; but, unfortunately, the truce did not last. In the following months the bombardment began again, and the ravages increased, especially in the two towers and the vaulting. However, both vaulting and towers, in spite of their injuries, have not been irreparably damaged in their vital parts, and are capable of restoration.
That the damage is not more serious is due to the protective measures taken by the Cathedral architect and by the Department of Historical Monuments. As early as 1915, the doorways of the western façade were protected with beams and sand-bags (see photo, p. [25]), while the Treasure was removed and placed in safety, together with the paintings and tapestries.
In 1916 and following years masonry protections were placed around some of the more valuable statues. The fallen fragments of carvings and sculpture were carefully collected, with a view to future restoration. In this way the débris of the head of the beautiful statue of the "Visitation" Group, known as the "Smile of Rheims," on the left-hand side of the central doorway of the western façade, were saved.