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| - The defense of Fort Vaux was marked by the heroism and endurance of the garrison, including Major Sylvain-Eugene Raynal. Under his command, the besieged French garrison fended off repeated German assaults, including fighting underground from barricades inside the invaded corridors of the fort, which was the first major engagement to happen completely inside a fort during World War I. What was left of the French garrison finally gave up after it had run out of drinkable water (some of which was poisoned), ammunition, medical supplies and food. Raynal sent several messages to his commanding officers via homing pigeons (including the famous Vaillant), requesting relief for his soldiers. During his last communications, Major Raynal penned the phrase "This is my last pigeon."
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| abstract
| - The defense of Fort Vaux was marked by the heroism and endurance of the garrison, including Major Sylvain-Eugene Raynal. Under his command, the besieged French garrison fended off repeated German assaults, including fighting underground from barricades inside the invaded corridors of the fort, which was the first major engagement to happen completely inside a fort during World War I. What was left of the French garrison finally gave up after it had run out of drinkable water (some of which was poisoned), ammunition, medical supplies and food. Raynal sent several messages to his commanding officers via homing pigeons (including the famous Vaillant), requesting relief for his soldiers. During his last communications, Major Raynal penned the phrase "This is my last pigeon." After the capture of Fort Vaux on June 7, the Crown Prince of the German ruling family, the Hohenzollerns, presented Major Raynal with a French officer's sword as a sign of respect. Raynal and his soldiers remained in captivity in Germany until the Armistice of November 11, 1918. The fort was recaptured by French infantry on November 2, 1916 after an intense artillery preparation involving two long range railway guns. After its recapture, Fort Vaux was thoroughly repaired and fully reactivated. However some original damage from the fight on June 2 can still be seen today. Several underground galleries to reach the far outside, one of them being a mile long, were dug and equipped. The water reserves were quadrupled. Light was provided now by two electric generators. The underground installations of Fort Vaux are in a remarkably good state of preservation. They are currently open to the public for guided visits.
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![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)