Michael and Fort Belleville, which were barking
steadily and giving off jets of black smoke. The German cannonade sounded
like a distant roar. The shelling of Verdun was continuing.
Three hundred shells a day had been hurled into Verdun itself during the
battle, Stubbs was informed by the French officer, upon one day as many
as 750 having been counted; but the average was 300. As the two stood
there a French aeroplane was attacked by a German gun, shrapnel bursting
all around as the machine turned from the German positions and darted
back to French cover.
The terrible course of the destruction was pointed out by the French
officer. The town itself had been abandoned by the civil population,
and even few troops were to be found there. Such shops and houses as
had escaped the shells were closed and barricaded; and the shells
continued to fall.
The streets were crumbling ruins, with only jagged walls remaining here
and there. The cathedral had two shell holes in the roof; the main altar
was a mass of debris and the side altar was littered with broken
carvings, statues and chandeliers.
One wing of the handsome military club was torn off and the whole
establishment was a wreck.
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