MASS IN THE CATHEDRAL 1917.
After a short lull, the bombardment continued with great violence throughout January 1915.
On January 8, the Palais-de-Justice was set on fire, and on the 9th, the Cathedral was struck by 42 shells. On January 14, the shelling lasted all day, and until the end of February, the firing continued with the same intensity and almost without pause. The Cathedral was systematically aimed at, as is proved by the note book belonging to the Kommandant of the “Ringkanonenbatterie” posted north-east of Soissons on Hill 132, which fell into the Allies’ hands.
IN THE CENTRE OF THE TOWN.
On January 31, he wrote: “The battery fired nineteen rounds of percussion and fuze shells at the Cathedral. The tower and nave were hit several times, and the beginning of a fire was noticed in the nave. So far, we have not been able to do much damage to the tower ...” On February 2, a battery fired twenty-nine rounds of shrapnel at the Cathedral, and in particular at the tower, sixteen of which hit the mark. On February 25, twenty-one shells were fired at the same target. As for the town itself, another 200 rounds were fired into it on February 28. The bombardment slackened later, but began again at intervals, without any apparent reason and with varying intensity. It was continued until the middle of March 1917, when the German withdrawal from the Somme to the Aisne freed Soissons, which could now only be reached by the long-range guns. However aeroplanes frequently dropped incendiary bombs on the city.
TRENCH IN THE BOULEVARD JEANNE-D’ARC.
A thirty-months’ Siege.
From September 1914 to March 1917, while the Germans remained at the gates of the city, the latter was veritably besieged. Notwithstanding the increasing destruction caused by the shells, the civil population continued bravely to “carry on”. Part of the population refused to leave the city, while here and there, on the walls that were left standing, printed notices announced the fact that the house was still occupied. Then followed the names of the courageous inmates. During the bombardments, the people took shelter in the cellars, only to resume their ordinary daily occupations as soon as the firing ceased. The public services continued to work normally. Many shops were kept open, and an hotel was available for the travellers who arrived by the night omnibus that linked up the city with Vierzy, the nearest point on the railway.