Chapter 309: It Really Was Only Ten Minutes
News of Charles's successful landing soon reached Paris.
Le Mérite newspaper was the first to break the story, dedicating extensive coverage to Charles's success in capturing the "A" Line and the strategic impact of this achievement, marveling:
"The entire battle took only two hours and ten minutes, costing just over 300 casualties to fully capture the 'A' Line defenses.
"The defense line stretches 6.1 kilometers in a straight line, but the winding trenches span nearly 8 kilometers, meaning that the troops advanced at a speed of nearly 4 kilometers per hour.
"That's almost walking speed.
"It was as if they walked straight across, from one end to the other, and simply told the enemy, 'This place belongs to us now.'
"Only Charles could achieve this, and only Charles's troops!"
The French public, however, was largely unfazed by this victory. Their expectations for Charles had grown so high that such a success was almost assumed. In their minds, the only surprising outcome would have been a defeat.
Instead, the public was more intrigued by the amphibious landing boats and transports used in the battle. Yet, Le Mérite and other newspapers made no mention of them—likely due to wartime censorship imposed by Gallieni, who, in his proposal to the government, had argued:
"These vessels are still actively used in the 'A' Line operations. If we disclose them now, the enemy will quickly discover what they are, understand their capabilities, and potentially identify weaknesses. This could negatively impact our operations, if not put us in grave danger. Control is imperative."
The government agreed without hesitation, enforcing censorship not only on the press but also on Welles's shipyard.
Nevertheless, bits of information leaked through other sources, heightening public curiosity:
"I heard that Charles developed a 'tank' that can move both on land and at sea for this landing operation?"
"Yes, the Ottoman newspapers blamed their defeat on it."
"It's mentioned in the German papers too. Apparently, there's even a landing craft that transports soldiers directly to the shore."
"If a 'tank' can navigate both sea and land, wouldn't a landing craft be the easy part?"
People eagerly discussed these innovations, allowing their imaginations to conjure what a sea-and-land tank might look like.
Only Deyoka and Camille felt anxious. Camille clutched the newspaper, reading it repeatedly, hoping to glean any hint of Charles's whereabouts.
"He must have stayed aboard a warship, right?"
"In a battle like this, he could command from the ship, just like when he directed the city's defenses from headquarters."
"As a staff officer, his role is to devise plans—he wouldn't need to personally lead troops on the battlefield, right?"
Deyoka nodded and offered comforting words, though he knew the truth. The news of Charles personally entering the battlefield was already widely reported, and everyone praised his courage. The neighbors were quietly discussing:
"With all Charles has accomplished, he didn't need to go to the front; no one would have blamed him."
"Indeed, and Charles is a wealthy man; he could live comfortably for life, but he still chose to fight."
"It's a courageous act. He didn't shy away from war because of his 'status'—he's different from others."
Camille, however, was unaware because Deyoka had paid 100 francs to create a "special edition" newspaper for her and asked their neighbors to avoid discussing it in her presence.
Deyoka firmly believed Charles would overcome his challenges and defeat every enemy in his path, eventually returning home.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Charles wasn't feeling as optimistic.
The 105th Regiment had successfully seized the "A" Line, but for a while, the situation remained extremely precarious.
"It's like pulling a tooth from a tiger's mouth," Charles had predicted when planning. "The enemy won't tolerate this; they'll likely gather all their forces to launch a counterattack, hoping to eliminate us while we're still establishing ourselves."
Events proved Charles right.
The battlefield fell silent for barely half an hour before the thunder of artillery resumed. Over a hundred large-caliber howitzers unleashed a relentless bombardment on the "A" Line. These were the same cannons the Ottomans had deployed to defend the Dardanelles, recently used in duels with Allied battleships. Now, those same guns were directed at the "A" Line.
Years later, Charles would recall this as one of his most harrowing experiences. Even thinking about it would make him shudder.
The sound of the shells was deafening, and the ground trembled underfoot. In the dark, damp trench, the air became thick with the acrid smell of gunpowder, while clumps of earth rained down from above, trickling through his helmet and collar, cold and unsettling against his skin.
But Charles had no time to worry about such discomforts. He felt as though he were trapped inside an overturned bell, with the relentless pounding of dozens of hammers outside.
At first, he could still hear each explosion, sensing a rhythm and gaps between them. But soon, the detonations blended into an endless roar. Before long, he couldn't even distinguish the sounds anymore, only a constant ringing in his ears. His body felt numb, as if his mind were struggling to break free from it.
At last, the barrage ceased.
Charles stumbled out of the trench, disoriented, running his hands over his face, just to confirm he was still alive.
Tijani followed close behind, coughing from the smoke, and cautiously peeked over the trench's edge. "We're lucky," he said after a few moments, "the Ottomans launched a major offensive on 'S' Beach a few days ago—they must have used up a lot of shells in that assault!"
Charles's head was still buzzing, and Tijani's words barely registered. It felt as if Tijani were speaking to someone else.
After a moment, Charles processed what he'd heard.
"'S' Beach?"
Yes, the Ottomans had likely aimed to isolate and eliminate the forces at "S" Beach before focusing on the other beaches.
They had used up a large stock of artillery shells in that fight...
Wait!
Charles looked at Tijani in shock. "Are you saying that, if not for their attack on 'S' Beach, this shelling would have lasted longer?"
"Certainly!" Tijani nodded calmly. "Otherwise, how could it have lasted only ten minutes?"
"Ten minutes?" Charles's face went stiff. Was this a joke?
He checked his pocket watch, and his smile faded as he saw the truth.
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