Third Phase.—The Battle of Attrition (May-September 1916).
The struggle continued obstinately and without interruption on the two banks of the Meuse. The attempt of the enemy to wear down the French forces was in vain, the latter re-organising their defences. Division succeeded division in the defence of Verdun but then were relieved before they were exhausted, so that they came out of the furnace better able to stand its hardships.
3. The battle of attrition (May-August 1916).
In May the enemy attacked on the left bank of the Meuse with an assault upon Mort-Homme. Then, widening their attacking front in a Westerly direction, they turned upon Hill 304, a strong key position and valuable observation post. The French lost this Hill on May 23rd but retook it the following day. A further month's bitter fighting only gained for the enemy the crest of Mort-Homme and the north slopes of Hill 304.
On May 22nd, with the object of clearing the left bank of the Meuse where the enemy were pressing, the 5th Division (Mangin) attacked on the right bank, in the direction of Douaumont. The central attack alone was successful, the enemy holding their ground inside the fort; their numerous reserves, among them the 1st Bavarian Corps, succeeded in dislodging the attackers on May 24th (See [page 90]).
Even though Douaumont remained in the enemy's hands, this attack was successful in freeing the left bank by drawing upon the German reserves. The struggle continued without respite or quarter. The Germans, alarmed by the preparations for the Franco-British offensive on the Somme, wished to be finished with Verdun. They, therefore, launched attack after attack but every time they were met by the irresistible will of the French.
The enemy, who in April had captured the village of Vaux, next furiously attacked the fort, and though on June 2nd they occupied the superstructure, it took them five days to subdue the garrison (See [page 71]).
At the same time they advanced from Douaumont towards Froideterre. On June 9th, Thiaumont Farm was captured, but the redoubt still held out. On the left bank, the enemy resumed their attacks. On May 31st, they outflanked Mort-Homme by the Meuse valley and reached Chattancourt station, but were driven back by a counter attack as far as Cumières. Even if they captured the summit of Hill 304, they could not conquer the South slopes, and they were still far from the fortified barrier of Bois Bourrus.
On the right bank, on the other hand, by holding Douaumont and Vaux the enemy were at hand to break through the barrier of Souville and had within view the basin of Verdun. Here it was that the enemy were going to work for the supreme decision.