Souilly is a town in northeastern France, about 20 miles south of Verdun. A chateau in Souilly served as the headquarters for France's 2nd Army, which was involved in the Battle of Verdun.
Adventures in Souilly[]
In September 1916, at the 2nd Army headquarters, General Charles Mangin congratulated General Robert Nivelle on his promotion to lead the 2nd Army, with General Henri Philippe Pétain promoted to sector commander as a way to remove him from the main operations at Verdun. Nivelle ordered an attack on Fort Douaumont, as Commander-in-Chief General Joseph Joffre required him to do. Joffre was concerned about German spies among their couriers, but Nivelle had found a solution: to bring in a group of Belgian couriers, including Indiana Jones. Jones was selected to carry the attack orders to Colonel Barc at the front.[1]
Jones returned that night with casualty numbers from the day's futile offensive, and Major Marat delivered the report to Nivelle at a formal dinner. Disgusted at the senseless loss of life, Pétain left the dinner early. Nivelle blamed the failure on Barc, and demanded that he show up the next morning. Downstairs, Jones dined with his fellow couriers, and explained how he ended up in the Belgian army, while Rocco, Alex, and Claude explained how the nations of Europe ended up in this war in the first place.[1]
The next day, Jones was sent from Souilly to the artillery stations for ammunition requests, and came under attack by a German biplane. Upon his return to the chateau, Barc and Major Gaston were asking for a volunteer who spoke German, and Jones accepted, thinking they needed an interpreter. Instead, Jones was sent on a spy mission at the front lines, where he learned that the Germans were bringing in two Big Bertha howitzers.[1]
With Barc, Jones reporting on his discovery to the generals, and Nivelle questioned him repeatedly, reminding the Belgian courier that traitors would be a shot. Nivelle sent Barc back to the front to prepare for another attack on Fort Douaumont. Outside the chateau, columns of French and Belgian troops marched past, and Jones saw a recovered Remy Baudouin off back to the front. Pétain had gone over Mangin's head and ordered his own aerial reconnaissance, which verified the presence of the two Big Berthas.[1]
Pétain signed a new order canceling the attack, which was given to Marat, who passed it to Rocco to deliver. Joffre arrived at the headquarters, and was furious to learn that the attack had been canceled. Calling up Barc at his battalion headquarters, Joffre tried to get the attack ordered, but Barc reminded his commander-in-chief that he had just gotten Pétain's written order, and that only a written order can change another written order, as per Joffre's regulations. Joffre produced a new order, and Jones was tasked with its delivery. While Jones sped off to the front, Joffre reviewed Pétain's aerial photographs, and Pétain wondered what the gain would be from the pointless slaughter of their forces. Joffre explained that he was being pushed for a victory at Fort Douaumont by the politicians, who needed to restore French public morale. Unfortunately for Joffre, but fortunately for the men in the trenches, the order to attack never arrived - the orders, and Jones' motorcycle were lost on the road.[1]
Locations in Souilly[]
- Chateau serving as the 2nd Army Headquarters
Appearances[]
- The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles – "Verdun, September 1916" → Demons of Deception
- Verdun, September 1916 comic
- Field of Death
- The Day of Destiny
- The Mata Hari Affair
Sources[]
- The Battle of Verdun (Non-fiction source)
- Into the Furnace - The Battle of Verdun (Non-fiction source)
