Marius Benech

“I’d rather go back out under the shells than rot in this hell-hole.” Those were the thoughts of Lieutenant Benech, of the 321st Infantry Regiment, when he entered the Tavannes Tunnel. Although the tunnel offered good protection against the shelling, the dark, unhealthy atmosphere inside drove many men mad.

Marius Benech had just rushed in with his men on 6 June 1916, dodging between the volleys of shells that beat constantly at the entrances. Inside, he found a kilometre and a half of dark vaults, lit by a few lamps which gave off a pallid glow. All around, the situation was wretched. The dampness made the men feel sick. Sweat ran down their faces constantly. The air was heavy and putrid, the odours of saltpetre, ether, sulphur, chlorine and excrement mingling together. The men were covered in dirt, lying directly on the ground or on the rails. Some of them were tossing and turning. Others had dropped from exhaustion despite the noxious odour, and didn’t even wake up when others walked over them. The place was filled with flies, attracted by the putrid smell, the rubbish and the soldiers lying on the ground.

Benech couldn’t imagine himself staying in this purgatory a moment longer. So many revolting sights surrounded him. A trail of liquid ran in the half-light. Was it water? A man relieving himself? Thirsty, Benech dreamed of clean water. He was hungry too, but it was impossible to eat anything - the tunnel rotted everything inside. The whole atmosphere could only worsen the fever that was already plaguing the men.

These were the living conditions in the Tavannes Tunnel; no better than the Augean Stables. A few weeks later, during the evening of 4 September 1916, a terrible fire broke out in the tunnel, killing more than 500 people. It was the worst catastrophe suffered by the French army on the Verdun Battlefield.