egbert Posted 7 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 7 December , 2012 As I am walking down to the 850m level, I remember this image that shows the 2nd, maybe 3rd French lines, appr. where I am; view towards the cemetery and Molkenrain mountain THEN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 7 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 7 December , 2012 Obstacle belt protects the trench Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 7 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 7 December , 2012 .....and exiting the French trenches, crossing the cemetery, rush into the auberge for a nice lunch, gaining strength for the afternoon walk and blessing the wounded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Ring Posted 7 December , 2012 Share Posted 7 December , 2012 egbert In amongst the old ruins this appears to be a very peaceful and well looked after cemetery. One of your previous posts was an old photograph of a cemetery on a hill top - is this the same one ? Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 7 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 7 December , 2012 Tony -yes it is the same cemetery as in post # 391. Now you can see that I walked the French lines, decending by appr. 100m to cemetery level. After lunch in nearby auberge- I fear I have to walk back to 950m to catch up with subject matter- the HWK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Ring Posted 7 December , 2012 Share Posted 7 December , 2012 egbert Thank you. I find your posts to be very interesting and they have now 'opened my eyes". I was brought up to believe WW1 was the English + colonials V Germans and the battles were fought on the rolling farm land in France and Belgium. The distance between French & German lines in this area is only a short hand grenade throw away and this must have been a problem. Thank you again. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roel22 Posted 8 December , 2012 Share Posted 8 December , 2012 Must go there to see it for myself - now I'll just have to find the time. Roel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 8 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 8 December , 2012 The auberge dismissed us with full stomach and we could start our afternoon walk. Yes from now on (except the very first part) it is more or less a downhill walk, covering the North- and Northeastern slope of the HWK. The greater part of the walk goes along the 800m incline, thats why the path was called the "800m Pfad" by the Germans. For orientation please use this oversight. Arrow shows where I am "now" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 8 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 8 December , 2012 This is a more detailed view of the afternoon walk. This view from North towards HWK. Molkenrain behind HWK in the South. Note the steep North-slope of HWK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 8 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 8 December , 2012 From the auberge, reaching the HWK again, I had to cross the French cemetery again. I am heading to the forested area right behind the flag pole. This picture shows the HWK from direction Molkenrain...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 8 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 8 December , 2012 ....where the French located their artillery. This view from a French artillerry observer towards the HWK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 8 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 8 December , 2012 And the forested area mentioned before, is the place of the farthest German advance in 1915. The position, called "Eierstellung", was held 3 months only and than was abandoned because of its exposed position, resulting in too many casualties. What you see here is an architectural mixture of early German infrastructure and 3 years of French building efforts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 8 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 8 December , 2012 Unfortunately this historic location is in a bad state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 9 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 9 December , 2012 Not far away is a rock formation occupied by the French, called "Roche Sermet". It is appr. 200m from the first German line, but has a strategic value at the westside of HWK at 910m alt., due to its fabulous view across the West-and Northwest slopes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 9 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 9 December , 2012 Leaving the woods and approaching the cliff, lies French fortress "Roche Sermet". Here I am standing above the trenches, a view the French soldiers surely could not enjoy often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 9 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 9 December , 2012 Several covered walkways connect a couple of observer posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 9 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 9 December , 2012 The German line is some 200m to the right (North). View towards Gr. Belchem mountain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 9 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 9 December , 2012 Somewhere nearby, but 1920s when brushwood take control over the bleak slopes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 9 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 9 December , 2012 Entrance to shelter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 9 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 9 December , 2012 Inside a communication trench...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 9 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 9 December , 2012 ....and leaving cover, across the parapet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 9 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 9 December , 2012 Breathtaking panorama over to Sudelkopf mountain in foreground and Belchem mountain. The Sudelkopf , I have visited as well and it is spiked with the most spectacular fortress system I ever saw with km of underground , connecting galleries, hallways, fully hidden in the forest and unaccessible for the non experienced. You need very accurate trenchmaps to find them in the deep woods. Same place THEN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spconnolly007 Posted 9 December , 2012 Share Posted 9 December , 2012 More great photos egbert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 11 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 11 December , 2012 Thanks Sean! Now this was the last picture from the French side. As I said earlier, the German positons opposite Roche Sermet are appr 200-250 m away. I did not visit that part on the 900m level but departed to lower contour line 800m. (I will circle the North slope of HWK on exactly this level.) Nevertheless I do not want to withhold this picture that shows Anna-sap, roughly the same contour line as Roche Sermet which is on the left of this THEN picture. View towards West and Sudelkopf mountain (nobody shows any interest in the Sudelkopf I guess which I have visited and explored as well). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 11 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 11 December , 2012 Parallel to the French lines downhill (West) there are 5 major and formidable German fortresses between the 850 and 700m contour lines on a stretch of only 300m length (for orientation, see post #383). I will visit 3 of them on my way down to 800m contour line. First one is the upper fortress, named "Doppelkopf". As with all fortresses, the main features are all underground. This is one entrance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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