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and its neighbouring hills. Over the next few months, the
Germans made repeated attacks, pounding the French lines, rushing their positions and ejecting the French from their wrecked trenches. French artillery would then pulverise the Germans and counter-attacks would drive them out again, the French
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during the Battle of Verdun, the French had established artillery batteries on the hills on the left bank commanding the opposite, right-hand bank. The French artillery caused so many casualties that the
Germans decided to attack southwards along the left bank of the river simultaneously to capture
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304 had begun on 23 March but the French defended it stubbornly, fighting off many attacks. On 9 April, the
Germans launched a second assault on both hills, once again the French held and the attack failed. It was not until 6 May that
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Le Mort Homme rises 1.55 km (1 mi) north of the village of
Chattancourt. From there it is accessible via road. On the summit is a memorial site with monuments, dominated by the 1922 skeleton sculpture by
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295. These names were not used at the time, setting aside that modern survey has measured their heights at 287 and 280 metres respectively. It overlooks the villages of
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304 fell, following a 36 hour bombardment that had begun on 3 May and bitter hand-to-hand fighting. On 24 May, the
Germans took the second summit,
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and the first line German trenches are visible in the distance. A volley of shells is exploding in the field on the right.
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commemorating the French 69th
Division. On the northern hillside are the remains of the German
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Despite the cost, the
Germans had identified in March that the key to taking Le Mort Homme was
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The hill has two summits which are named after their height in metres: the northern crest is
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to the south. The hill rises 1.55 km (1 mi) north of the village of
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and was able to fire on the
Germans attacking the hill. German attacks on
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infantry re-occupying the shell holes where the trench systems had been.
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In late
February 1916, following German attacks on the right bank of the
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to the north-west, Crow Wood and Cumières to the east and
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around 10 km (6 mi) north-west of the city of
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265, labelled on German, but not French, maps as the
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331:Topographic structure fragments on Le Mort Homme
309:at www.verdunbilder.de. Retrieved 30 Dec 2016.
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89:) lie within the French municipality of
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284:Klekowski, Ed and Libby Klekowski.
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363:Landforms of Meuse (department)
323:Höhe Toter Mann (Le Mort Homme)
270:The Price of Glory: Verdun 1916
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109:as the site of much fighting.
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348:History of Meuse (department)
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25:5°16′01″E
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113:Location
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145:History
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99:France
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