Chronology of the Combats
By Eric
Mansuy
Photos by Marco Hoveling
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View of Le
Linge Mountain and it's separate peaks:
Collet du Linge (outside picture on the left); Schratzmannele;
Barrenkopf.
January 8, 1915: Lieutenant-colonel Brissaud-Desmaillet (commanding two groups of battalions of "Chasseurs Alpins") plans an offensive in which the sector of le Linge is included. At that time, the French hold the Barrenkopf area.
February 1915: The attack on le Linge is postponed. At that time, 2 battalions would have been sufficient for the attack; when it was finally launched, 15 battalions were involved!
April 8, 1915: New plan of attack. 6 battalions are needed for its execution.
April 27, 1915: Definitive decision to launch the attack. The latter should permit to seize the massif in which le Linge is one access among others. That massif will offer views down the plain of Alsace (held by the Germans) before being used as the starting point of the French descent down the valley of Munster, then towards Colmar. So as to give this attack favorable conditions, kilometers of roads and paths are created or maintained towards le Linge, and more than 7,000 men are billeted in the near surroundings. The sector of attack is a long wooded crest comprising, left to right: le Linge, the Collet du Linge (the pass), the Schratzmännele (ou "Schratz"), la Courtine and the Barrenkopf. This zone is 3 kilometers wide.
March–April–May 1915: The French soldiers present in the sector can distinctly hear cars rolling, mines exploding and trees being cut down, all this clearly showing that their opponents are getting prepared to greet them.
June 14–15, 1915: During the night, the French start digging a trench in the Val Combe. The Germans do not react, as a wide-range offensive is being led by the French only 20 kilometers away, in the area of Metzeral.
June 19–20, 1915: While the French pioneers are working in their trenches at night, a German shell accidentally hits the farm of the Val Combe and reveals the French positions to the German observers.
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Farm of the Val Combe.
Le Lingekopf is on the right, outside the picture.
July 20, 1915: After several hours of artillery fire, the French offensive is launched. The objectives are reached, but the French suffer heavy casualties and must retreat.
July 22, 1915: Second French attack, and new failure. The French losses already amount to 1,000 killed.
July 26, 1915: The crest of le Linge and the Collet du Linge are taken. The Germans start bombarding their former positions and all the French lines: evacuating the wounded, sending reinforcements, food and ammunition becomes impossible.
July 27, 1915: 4 unsuccessful German attacks between 3.00 a.m. and 12.00 a.m.
July 28, 1915: The French General Headquarters refuses to send reinforcements to le Linge.
July 29, 1915: New, unsuccessful, French attack.
July 31– August 3, 1915: Daily combats without noticeable gain of ground.
August 4, 1915: The German artillery sends 40,000 shells on the French positions.
August 5–21, 1915: Unremitting harassing combats.
August 22, 1915: The top of the Schratzmännele is conquered by the French.
August 25, 1915: The first series of French attacks comes to an end. The French have lost 10,000 men since July 20.
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French soldier
found on Le Linge.
Photo on display at the excellent 'Le Linge 1915' museum.
August 31, 1915: German attack preceded by a gas bombardment.
September 9, 1915: German gas bombardment and attack with flame-throwers, which kills 1,000 Frenchmen.
October 12, 1915: New German attack.
October 16, 1915: Failure of the last German attack.
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German view from the top.
The French, who have lost more than 15,000 killed, wounded, and missing, occupy the Western part of le Linge, without any interesting views on Alsace.
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Le Linge during the war
The Germans occupy the Eastern part and will prevent the French from conquering it up to November 11, 1918. The French offensive has ended up in a terrible, bloody failure.
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German heavy bunkers in second frontline
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The following units were involved in the battle for Le Linge in 1915:
On the French side: 5ème B.C.P., 11ème B.C.A., 12ème B.C.A., 14ème B.C.A., 15ème B.C.P., 22ème B.C.A., 27ème B.C.A., 28ème B.C.A., 30ème B.C.A., 70ème B.C.A., 52ème B.C.A., 106ème B.C.P., 114ème B.C.A., 115ème B.C.A., 120ème B.C.A., 121ème B.C.A., 297ème R.I., 359ème R.I.
(B.C.P. Bataillon de Chasseurs à Pied / B.C.A. Bataillon de Chasseurs Alpins / R.I. Régiment d’Infanterie)
On the German side: Landwher Infanterie Regiment 1 & 2, 14 Jäger, Garde-Jäger Battalion.
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Memorial for
troops involved in the fighting
on Le Linge: Chasseurs, 47, 66 & 129 Div.
1914-1918
For a personal account of a French soldier who fought on this front see Sgt. Georges Curien's story.
An Unfortunate Region 2004