egbert Posted 11 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 11 October , 2014 I'd like to comment on the contemporary French illustration. This drawing minimizes the significance of the HWK either on purpose or because the artist could not do better. The HWK looks like an isolated hill although 956m alt.. In fact it is a formidable mountain, surrounded by other comparable mountains (except East and Northeast side). To visualize my claim, I have included in RED the outlines of the illustrated HWK and the bracket i.e. shows from where I started my climb up to the summit. The difference is pretty much exactly 536m in altitude. So you can see that the drawing is misleading due to its distortion- GoogleEarth does the better job nowadays Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 11 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 11 October , 2014 Leaving "Bischofshut" system on my way to the next highlight which will be Zeigelrückenstollen (Eng.: Brick-ridge gallery) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 11 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 11 October , 2014 I am at the beginning/end of Minenstrasse (mine alley) which got its name by the notorious Minenwerfer- attacks from the French side Looking through Angle of Peace-arc. This structure is not WW1 origin but was built in the 1940s by a German SS-trench warfare school. Behind the arc is the 1915 "Jägerstollen (-gallery), a R.J.B. 8 first aid gallery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 11 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 11 October , 2014 "Schwabenheim" (Engl: Swabian's home), a canteen/mess bunker constructed by L.I.R. 124 at Minenstrasse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 11 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 11 October , 2014 The constructor sign still thrones the entrance: "Schwabenheim built by L.I.R. 124, 12.Kompanie" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 11 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 11 October , 2014 Meandering through beautiful intact Kasinograben (-trench) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 11 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 11 October , 2014 Diverting into Ziegelrückengraben (brick ridge trench) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2014 After some 3 hours climb I finally reach my main objective "Ziegelrücken-Stollen" (eng.:brick ridge gallery). Compared to the visited fortresses it is comparable smaller, 2 levels subterranean and surface trenches right at the forward edge of the lines. The Ziegelrückenstollen (ZR) has a special place for the German visitor and the ancient combatants. It was subject of the biggest German friendly fire catastrophe on HWK. On 28.1.1917 a forced reconnaissance trench raid , codenamed "Unternehmen Rümänien", took place. 4 different L.I.R. 124 stormtroop units waited in their jump-off positions on the HWK summit to attack after formidable artillery preparations to include the light, medium and heavy Minenwerfer units. One supporting MW unit took position in front of the ZR gallery with a total of 2 tons of mortar ammo. A short-firing from the adjacent, downhill positioned MWB 5 in position Bastion (remember, we passed this location earlier) slammed into the ammunition pile at ZR, just 5 minutes prior to attack time. 4 officers and 83 men were sheltered in the galleries waiting for zero hour and all 4 officers with 59 men were crushed to pieces in the tunnels and a total of 24 severely wounded by the enormous explosion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2014 (edited) THEN, before the explosion after re-construction Source: mon ami vosgien Edited 12 October , 2014 by egbert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2014 THEN 1917, after the explosion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2014 Main entrance NOW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2014 After reconstruction with memorial plaque attached above entrance THEN Source: mon ami Vosgien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2014 From regimental chronic of LIR124: "The bomb proof gallery in which the 11.Kompanie was waiting for the start of the raid was just a ghastly mass of debris. Only at the very far end of the (upper) gallery exit, moaning and sniveling could be heard. Feverish activities from rescue teams and first aid personnel was conducted during the ice-cold starry night. The wounded were clamped between debris and timber joists. 4 light and 20 heavily wounded soldiers were retrieved at the far end exit, but inside the galleries nobody survived. Clustered , compressed, torn to shreds from the air pressure, lie 4 officers and 59 men in the debris field filled with toxic gases and smoke. The rescue teams fell almost unconscious and vomit when exiting. The recover operations of the bodies and body parts in state of decay take several days and are only possible with oxygen breathing apparatus’. The 5 men of 11.Kompanie LIR124 of whom nothing could be found are remembered by a plaque above the entrance of the re-erected tunnel entrance." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 12 October , 2014 Share Posted 12 October , 2014 I'd like to comment on the contemporary French illustration. This drawing minimizes the significance of the HWK either on purpose or because the artist could not do better. The HWK looks like an isolated hill although 956m alt.. In fact it is a formidable mountain, surrounded by other comparable mountains (except East and Northeast side). To visualize my claim, I have included in RED the outlines of the illustrated HWK and the bracket i.e. shows from where I started my climb up to the summit. The difference is pretty much exactly 536m in altitude. So you can see that the drawing is misleading due to its distortion- GoogleEarth does the better job nowadays If you wish me to remove the offending picture I will do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2014 What happened? For the raid Minenwerfer Bataillon VII was ordered to support the experienced MWA 312 at HWK. As the new crews were not trained with the modalities of high mountain warfare, they got briefings about the danger of short firing when firing uphill and beyond the summit. Killian, the MW-guru at HWK explained that a certain pioneer Lieutenant did not pay attention in the briefing at it was his Minenwerfer that caused the friendly fire catastrophe. " When the firing had to be brought forward the crest of the ballistic trajectory depresses....." And that is exactly what happened here -the firing that ought to hit the summit/beyond the summit slammed a couple of meters short of the summit into the own lines: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2014 With great respect for the dead and the annihilated 5 men whose atoms might still roam the place of horror, I explore the inside of the tunnel and galleries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2014 If you wish me to remove the offending picture I will do so. Please oh no, you misunderstood me, it is great and shows the contemporary misjudgment of terrain from painters who illustrate for contemporary journals then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 12 October , 2014 Share Posted 12 October , 2014 THEN, before the explosion 1 (2).jpg Source: mon ami vosgien Given the photo clearly shows the dated memorial plaque to those killed in the explosion above the tunnel entrance, shouldn't this photo also be titled AFTER the explosion and reconstruction? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2014 Given the photo clearly shows the dated memorial plaque to those killed in the explosion above the tunnel entrance, shouldn't this photo also be titled AFTER the explosion and reconstruction? Andrew, you are absolutely right I admit this is definitely a mistake. Mea Culpa. The THEN picture must date either late 1917 or even 1918 due to the plaque. For my excuse I will add a picture with total destruction of entrance- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roel22 Posted 13 October , 2014 Share Posted 13 October , 2014 2 (4).JPG Looks like someone emptied his machinegun after the plaque was installed. Roel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 13 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 13 October , 2014 Inside the tunnel. It was all over here where the 63 men were killed by the enormous blast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 13 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 13 October , 2014 For me- as if a reverential aura surrounds this place of horror Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 13 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 13 October , 2014 The place of the collapsed part of the tunnel. I do not know when it collapsed but in the 1970s the area was hit by a strong earthquake and some galleries and tunnels were destroyed on HWK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 13 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 13 October , 2014 Somebody returns from the deeper parts where the huge gallery is located (I could not take a shot there as the flash does not illuminate the big gallery sufficiently) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 13 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 13 October , 2014 As the Ziegelrücken gallery is blocked mid-way by the collapsed part, I must take the surface trench in order to reach the upper exit/entrance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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