mcderms Posted 9 July , 2004 Share Posted 9 July , 2004 Does anyone know a source for decent pics of German fortifications on the Somme - both pre and post 1/7/16. I am interested in what they looked like before the bombardment and what effect it had. According to a battn history I am reading a lot of the trenches were smashed in and wire cut, making them hard to defend and hold. If anyone has a picture of the Granatloch I would be particulary grateful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 9 July , 2004 Share Posted 9 July , 2004 If you get a chance to see a book called 'All the Kaiser's Men' by Ian Passingham I think you'll find some pictures of the German fortifications/trenches/dug outs etc. Going from memory here so check it out in a library! Des Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph J. Whitehead Posted 10 July , 2004 Share Posted 10 July , 2004 Hello Mcderms, I am writing this from Washington D.C. so I cannot provide exact details until I return home. I have a number of photos taken from several German regimental histories that clearly show the level of German defenses and their quality. They also show the trenches and area post bombardment and through the early parts of the battle. The books include a short pamphlet Im Orkan der Sommeschlacht (99th RIR) and a photo book on the 26th Reserve Division. I am not sure how many show the Granatloch but I will check ina few days. May I ask why the interest in the German photos? Ralph Hello Des, how are you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 10 July , 2004 Share Posted 10 July , 2004 If you get a chance to see a book called 'All the Kaiser's Men' by Ian Passingham I think you'll find some pictures of the German fortifications/trenches/dug outs etc. Des I have just checked my copy. Nothing specific to the Somme, though there are some photos (no where near as many as I would have liked or thought such a book deserved) for other battlefields. Ralph, I would love to see some examples. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burlington Posted 10 July , 2004 Share Posted 10 July , 2004 There are some rarther grainy photos in the Michelin Guide to the Somme, Vol 1, which was issued, I think, immediately post-war. N&M Press have done a reprint. No ISBN number on this volume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmac Posted 10 July , 2004 Share Posted 10 July , 2004 Aerial photographs I have show that where concentrated fire was dropped on particular strongholds then these were badly damaged with trenches often unrecognisable. This caused confusion amongst attacking troops who lost track of where they were. It also made defence more of a problem as there was little left to fortify. In between such strongholds, however, these photos tend to show little or no damage to trenches as there was an insufficient concentration of heavy weapons to damage them in any meaningful way. In these areas defenders often got the parapet before attacking troops with the tragic results that were all too common along most of the line on 1st July 1916. Once the front narrowed to the area south of Thiepval then artillery concentrations were greater and the impact of barrages was substantially increased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ypres Posted 10 July , 2004 Share Posted 10 July , 2004 Hi, ISBN for volume 1 (the reprint) is 0 904775 14 3 The origonal Michelin guides came out as early as 1919, i have just bought the reprint for vol 1 as the set i have of the origonals was missing that volume! Mandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 10 July , 2004 Share Posted 10 July , 2004 Robert - you're right, have checked and the pics I am thinking of were Chemin Des Dames. Sorry for the wobbly info Des I have this pic, which I understand is from the Somme Battlefields of a rather battered German trench which had recently been taken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zijde26 Posted 10 July , 2004 Share Posted 10 July , 2004 The book " De Atlantikwall " deals also with ' Somme-german-fortifications ' and has a lot of photos on german fortifications. I do not know if this posting fits with the question. This book is new and is written in Dutch. Regards, Gilbert Deraedt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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