(THREAD) From a letter by Danish soldier Jules Eliasen, who served on the Western Front with the French in 1915-16. Writing to his brother in march 1916, he recounts an episode from the early days of the infamous Battle of Verdun.
(Any mistakes in the translation are mine alone)
(Any mistakes in the translation are mine alone)
1/ "A big devil [a German soldier] got close to me. He raised the butt of his rifle to crack open my skull, but a long spike [a bayonet] went into his stomach, causing him to fall on top of me, and I in turn fell down in the bottom of the trench."
2/ "In his last seconds, he had his large hands around my throat and he was lying on top of me, so I couldn’t move. My right hand was fumbling at my puttees, I managed to get out my dagger and get a hold of it..."
3/ "... - then it went back and forward 4-5 times into his body and face, so the blood ran up my sleeves and over my clothes and face. But then his grip loosened and I could breathe again. I tumbled him over to the side and stood up."
4/ "It was getting dark and above me, the soldiers were rushing forward. My eyes were dizzy, and I thought, it was the Germans overrunning our line. He [the German] had certainly squeezed my throat tight, ..."
5/ "... I’d almost passed out and couldn’t think straight, but I recovered little by little, and then I saw that it was the African troops from our Division."
/END
Jules Eliasen was reported missing in action in mid July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme and is presumed dead.
/END
Jules Eliasen was reported missing in action in mid July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme and is presumed dead.
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