Paid a visit to this amazing memorial today - a very different view of trench warfare to the one we're used to in northern France. Located in the Vosges mountains near Orbey, the German trenches and fortifications are well preserved, mainly as they are made of sandstone and concrete. When they reached solid sandstone, they employed miners from the Ruhr valley to deal with it. Machine gun emplacement. Concrete fort - the roof is reinforced with three layers of railway lines. Forward observation post - at this point the French trenches are only 25 metres away, on the down slope of the hill. This is the French forward line - a single trench in front of the tree line dug into the earth and facing uphill to the German fortified network. The French troops, mainly "Les Chasseurs Alpins", had only sandbags for additional protection. The girlie is stood on the parapet of the German forward trench - the French line is by the small white sign on the left. The battle began in July 1915 and lasted for 3 bloody months, claiming 17000 French and German troops. German inscription in a forward bunker. "Fort Lingekopf, the 2nd Company of the 187th Infantry Regiment, formerly the 85th. October 1915.
More accurately got it back. It had been ceded to Germany after the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 when the French were routed. The minimum distance between trenches was generally governed by being just beyond the distance at which you can throw (& have thrown) a hand grenade into the opposing trench.
Amazing pictures, you cannot believe the opposing forces could be so close. The trenches and fortifications as you say are so different to the ones on the Somme. We went over 5 and 2 years ago, the second time to visit my grandfathers grave at Pozieres on the centenary of his death.
It’s funny, I was never interested one bit in history at school but I can’t get enough of it now. Since 2004 when I went to the Normandy landings and more recently my visit to Belgium and the Somme I have real interest, particularly after finding out what my granddad did at Gallipoli and northern France.
Those are really good photos. I Too, am a student of history. I would love to see some of these places someday before I die.Bucket list.
Did you go to the Bugatti Museum while you were there? One of those places on my 'to do' list although its getting more unlikely now.
Sadly not. Just ran out if time and didn't get to see or visit half the places I wanted too. Oh well, good excuse for another trip!
