22–25 June Battle of Verdun

on 22 june, german artillery fired on 116,000 diphosgene (green cross) gas shells @ french artillery positions, caused on 1,600 casualties , silenced of french artillery. next day german attack on 5 km (3.1 mi) front @ 5:00 a.m., drove 3 km × 2 km (1.9 mi × 1.2 mi) salient french defences, without opposition until 9:00 a.m., when french troops able fight rearguard action. ouvrage de thiaumont , ouvrage de froidterre @ south end of plateau captured village of fleury , chapelle sainte-fine overrun. attack came close fort souville, since april, had been hit c. 38,000 shells , brought germans within 5 km (3.1 mi) of verdun citadel. chapelle sainte-fine recaptured french , german advance halted. supply of water german infantry broke down, salient vulnerable fire 3 sides , attack not go on without more diphosgene ammunition. chapelle sainte-fine became furthest point reached germans during verdun offensive , on 24 june preliminary anglo-french bombardment began on somme. fleury changed hands sixteen times 23 june 17 august. 4 french divisions diverted verdun somme , french artillery recovered sufficiently on 24 june cut off german front line rear. 25 june, both sides exhausted , knobelsdorf suspended attack.