Verdun: German Troops In Action (1916)

Beginning of Battle of Verdun; February 1916. France. Opens with a few shots of large gun barrels and explosions. Then much footage of action which is described in detail in the record for ON 435 I (same material earlier on this tape). Germans in trenches; shooting flame throwers; French & German artillery; German trench bombed as soldiers scramble out; etc. etc. map of area showing the German line in dots. Then the dots move; showing advance. MS interior German headquarters at front: officer writing something; 2 soldiers run out. MS explosion; with rocks and dirt flying; German soldier comes running across field amid shelling. Field HQ again: 1 soldier enters; announces messenger. Messenger enters. Wide shot battlefield; soldiers cross in distance. A few men start across field where many corpses lie. Another bomb hitting. Map with German line advancing again. Back inside the field HQ; soldiers coming in to report to officer. Another shot of map; showing German line now across the Bois des Fos