Combat of the Wood-the-Priest

The combat of the Wood-the-Priest ( Priesterwald for the Germans) were held of September 1914 in July 1915 in a main forest in the North-West of Pont-à-Mousson, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France.

Localities of the Wood-the-Priest

the Cross of the Carmelite friars
It Quarter-in-reserve
the Handkerchief
Spur-out-wood
the Large-Oak
the fountain and the forest house of the Father-Hilarion

Involved forces

73 {{E}} division of infantry of the general Henri Lebocq on the French side; Mixed brigade Riberpray (128 {{E}} Division)

121. ID on the German side

Course of operation

Fall 1914 in spring 1915, the French troops progress in wood at the enormous prices of losses. July 4th, 1915, a German counter-attack takes again almost all the gained ground of which the site of the Cross of the Carmelite friars, the cross itself having been put at the shelter by the French. The face from now on will not move almost any more in this sector. The engagements will have made more than 7.000 died in each camp

Characteristic of the combat of the Wood-the-Priest:

unfavourable Lines sometimes very brought closer (20 meters with the Cross of the Carmelite friars)
Engagements with blast the body-with-body
Holes
Use of flame thrower (German of July 4th, 1915 attacks)
Utilization of poison gases

Epilog

September 13rd, 1918, all the sector of the Wood-the-Priest is released without combat by American 90e D.I, during the reduction of the Covering of Saint-Mihiel.

Cemeteries

The French burials are gathered with the cemetery of Pétant, commune of Montauville. Deaths German are with the German cemetery of Thiaucourt.

Anecdotes

Sarah Bernhardt in May 1916 with the Wood-the-Priest.

June 7th, 1915, visit of the president Raymond Poincaré with the Wood-the-Priest.

the German writer Ernst Toller combat with the Wood-the-Priest.

the expression “Wolves of the Wood-the-Priest”

Newspaper of sliced 73e division the Handkerchief

American Ambulance

Fraternizations with the fountain of the Father-Hilarion

Opinion of a witness French combatant, they would not have taken place: “Of imaginative affirmed that to the fountain of the Father-Hilarion, French and Germans were going to seek water, and that, consequently, of a tacit truce, idyllic remarks were exchanged between adversaries. There is only one objection with this moving table, it is that it was materially impossible; never the fountain was between the lines”.

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