Flaming June - Part 3
The 4th bombardment duly began at first light on the 17th from both land and sea and the effect on the Karabelnaya suburb area was devastating. It was from that date that the semblance of normal life, which had been stubbornly maintained up until that time became no longer possible. 'In mid-June' wrote one resident, 'two bombs fell on my house, one in the kitchen, the other in the pantry and they destroyed everything in there down to the foundations...After that it was no longer possible nor wise to remain in the house.' Like the indomitable inhabitants of Malta G.C. 87 years later, the equally proud population of South Sevastopol were forced underground.
Indeed the allied fire was more concentrated than in previous bombardments, and batteries had been installed much closer than before, on the newly occupied Mamelon and Quarries positions. The Russians did not indulge in any sustained counter-battery programme, partly because they withdrew most guns to ensure they would be intact for the coming assault, partly to conserve ammunition. The allies jumped to the fatal conclusion that they had wiped out the guns in the redoubts. Nevertheless fearsome casualties were inflicted on the Russian infantry who were forced to man the ramparts in case the allies mounted a surprise attack. Totleben estimated their losses from the pounding at around 4000 men. 'I don't remember any of the preceding bombardments having been even a little bit like this one,' recalled one officer, who spent the day in the Malakoff 'this time it was pure hell. It was clear that they had prepared themselves for something out of the ordinary.'
At 7pm Pélissier held a final meeting to confirm that all was ready for the morning. Once again his generals expressed their unease - if they waited till 5.30 am to attack they would need to cross all the open ground in broad daylight - wouldn't it be better to do without another bombardment - everyone had seen the Russian artillery destroyed already - and instead attack at 3 a.m.? Pélissier was still waiting for a reply from Paris to his offer to resign, and had been noticed as being preoccupied at other times that day. The British, represented by General Sir Harry Jones, raised no objection. 'Alright' said Pélissier 'I'll go along with that'.
Had he been functioning on all cylinders, the veteran in him would have recalled that an army, like a super tanker, cannot react immediately to any required change in direction. Easy enough to cancel the artillery barrage - disappointing to the officers who'd written the fire plan, heartening to the gunners who'd get extra horizontal time - but bringing the attack forward two and a half to three hours was a different matter. Times had been arranged for drawing of stores - tedious and complicated prior to a siege assault - feeding - orders groups - movement orders (The approach would now be in pitch darkness, so white tape would have to be laid). Armies work on a system of briefings and actions inaugurated down through the chain of command from Commander-in-Chief to Section Leader - all this takes time. Confusion is inherent when having to decide at short notice which parts of the original operation order can remain and which have to be changed and ensuring everyone involved gets it right.
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