egbert Posted 30 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2012 The next batch of photos all show an exemplary summit trench system, called "Sengern Graben (-trench)". The pictures capture a total of some 50-80m trench system ; I start (continue) my walk from Oswald Küche via Sengern Graben to wards Feste Dora (Fortress Dora) as shown here: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2012 Sengerngraben got its name from a bloody battle around nearby village of Sengern....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2012 .....located next to Gebweiler, in which Reserve-Jäger-Bataillon 8 fought in 1914. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2012 Sengerngraben is a fine example of a stone walled communication trench...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2012 .....leading from Minenweg (a supply path at the rim of the summit plateau)..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2012 ....to Weihnachtsgraben (Christmas-trench)/Moritzgraben and Feste Dora. The trench system is very near the first-line trench and was iintegral part of the main defense line. So a mixture of communication and firing trench. Numerous look-outs, shelters and bunkers are substantial parts of the whole system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2012 Note the fire steps in this sap, usable for manning of both sides to defend this part of summit when overrun by enemy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2012 Personnel shelters are numerous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2012 Looking back from where I came= check 6 o'clock anybody follows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2012 Continue walking the lonely labyrinth..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2012 ....expecting the ancient warriors behind each corner...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2012 Although a communication trench it is exactly 30m to No-Man's-Land and 40 m to the French first line from here. Shelters show up left and right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2012 Sengerngraben as many other trenches is not limited to one level below surface from where I take this photo, but surprises of 2, sometimes 3 levels down...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2012 ...........or consists of underground passages like this one. Note the entrance to underground gallery system at bottom, right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2012 Even strong lights can not reveal what's down there in the abyss. Time to leave Sengerngraben and enjoy the sunlight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spconnolly007 Posted 30 November , 2012 Share Posted 30 November , 2012 It just gets better! Great photos egbert. Sean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 1 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 1 December , 2012 Sean at least abides by the HWK thread. Thank you. @ others: please let me know what is wrong with this picture thread that it does not catch much interest on GWF. I believe I lost most followers over time and only some 5-6 are vivid readers now . I am open for suggestions on what to change or improve but I do need your feed-back and commentary. I understood from the beginning that it is no battleground where British troops fought, so British interest is little- but that little? A couple of days ago, when I discussed HWK matters with my French friend, per email and on French WWI forum, he first learned from my thread here and questioned me with a certain astonished undertone why I am doing this HWK picture effort on a British forum, because they (Brits) traditionally show no interests in this area and only think that the Grande Guerre took place exclusively at the Somme and Flanders. Well I still owe him an answer. And frankly I have no clue what to reply to him, because I fear he is right. For this part I (I envisioned a part II) still some 150 pictures on file that need to be cropped, resized, headlined etc. So again, I am open for suggestions what to change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Evans Posted 1 December , 2012 Share Posted 1 December , 2012 Egbert, Change nothing. It's a piece of history that many of us are never going to be able to see in the way that you have. We may not have the background knowledge to expand on it as your French and German friends obviously can, but that doesn't mean that we can't quietly appreciate what you are showing us and your efforts to do so. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Ellis Posted 1 December , 2012 Share Posted 1 December , 2012 Egbert, I think your answer could be " by posting this picture I am teaching history to those who were never taught about this battlefield". I know in my case if it wasn't for this thread and similar ones by Dragon I would of remained totally ignorant of these battles. So please don't change anything and keep posting your wonderful photos. Cheers, David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spconnolly007 Posted 1 December , 2012 Share Posted 1 December , 2012 @ others: please let me know what is wrong with this picture thread that it does not catch much interest on GWF. With every respect egbert, what complete tosh!! Have you looked at your viewing figures? Over 6000!! There is nothing 'wrong', in fact there is everything 'right' about this and your other threads, to the point where I chose to emulate you with my Verdun thread. DONT change a thing, and keep em coming Sean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted 1 December , 2012 Share Posted 1 December , 2012 Well Egbert, first of all many thanks for this fascinating thread. It has definitely made me want to visit. I don't know why you might have "lost" readers but it might be several factors including but not exclusively: 1. the Anglocentric perspective? 2. the structure of the Forum? 3. It's not a part of France that the Brits know much about - with or without the Great War interest Whatever it is you've done a great service. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 1 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 1 December , 2012 Thanks Phil and David for your feed-back! I appreciate each opinion. @ Sean: do not be distracted by the click numbers. They came from the early days of the thread and many hundreds obviously from myself when posting and editing the pictures incrementally!!!! Since I post them incrementally, readers will most likely also view them by visiting the thread several times a day. So the viewing numbers do not really prove anything. @Chris: spot on! Anglocentric-yes, but this attitude generally should not exclude interest about other GW battlegrounds, right? Your enumeration 3 might give a clue. Anyway I am still puzzled ...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spconnolly007 Posted 1 December , 2012 Share Posted 1 December , 2012 egbert, you have had approximately 1000 views in the last week, and you wasn't even here! I think your thread is more popular with GWF members than you give it credit. Sean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 1 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 1 December , 2012 Now I am standing in No-Mans-Land , French first line 12-15 m behind me, looking to wards Feste Dora. You will recognise an observer station and below a MG opening. As all fortresses on summit the underground hallways are all interconnected with each other. The Dora entrance looks pretty unimpressive, but the real value lies underground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 1 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 1 December , 2012 Overgrown by summer grass lie scattered the visible surface parts of Feste Dora. When walking around, pay attention to the zillion tons of barbed wire and chevaux-de-frises, like the one on left side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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