Location 7 – Douaumont Village

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Brief History - The Initial German Assault

Directions – Return back down the road to the National Cemetery. Shortly after setting off from the fort you will notice first the remains of a trench either side of the road and then the ruins of two combat shelters to the right built by the French to support the line between Fort Douaumont and Ouvrage Thiaumont. The first is known as TD3 (Abri 2408), the second TD2 (Abri Adalbert). On reaching the "T" junction, turn right and keep right again at the next intersection following the signs to Douaumont village which is reached in a few minutes.

Practical Information – At the intersection before reaching Douaumont there is an excellent eatery, the Abri des Pélérins, which is well worth taking advantage of.

All that remains of Douaumont village are these markers and plots denoting where houses and shops once stood. Photo: Mark Sluman. Click on image for full size (252 KB).

View from the same spot in 1916 before the war swept the village away forever. Photo: Mark Sluman. Click on image for full size (326 KB).

Historical Notes – Douaumont is one of the nine "village détruit" on the Verdun battlefield that was never rebuilt after the war. The only building, the memorial chapel stands on the site of the original church which was used by the French as a machine-gun post during the February fighting.

The battle for this small village lasted for over a week. Originally held by the 95th Regiment and almost completely surrounded by German advances elsewhere, the village was lost on 2nd March but regained on the 3rd following a bayonet charge by two battalions of the 172nd and 174th Regiments. On the 4th the Germans at last secured Douaumont but not before a further 800 of their men were killed assaulting the French positions.