Lewis Rogers Posted 8 December , 2019 Share Posted 8 December , 2019 I bought this postcard 2 years ago in the Dordogne. I feel it must be an image related to WW1. It looks like a column of German troops being held be French Troops. can anyone shed any light on it especially where it was taken.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heid the Ba Posted 11 December , 2019 Share Posted 11 December , 2019 (edited) Would this be early war as the cavalry are in the dragoon helmet rather than Adrians? Though they look to be in Horizon Bleu. Edited 11 December , 2019 by Heid the Ba Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMarsdin Posted 12 December , 2019 Share Posted 12 December , 2019 If it wasn't for the headwear I would have said post 11/11/18, possibly Alsace-Lorraine given the hills. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMarsdin Posted 28 December , 2019 Share Posted 28 December , 2019 Coming back to the photo: the hills in the background look too high for the Ardennes so that points to it been in Alsace or Lorraine, possibly Vosges area, With that amount of German prisoners it is either early August 1914 or end of war. Considering that there are leaves on the trees and the uniforms don't look early war (except helmets ?) it may well be1919 (or 1920). The building look like a garrison building: they all tend to be similar styles but the one depicted is very like one of a pair that stood at the north end of Caserne Kleber (now demolished) in Gerardmer. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWK Posted 28 December , 2019 Share Posted 28 December , 2019 (edited) Following @SteveMarsdin's suggestion: I found this postcard of the barracks at Gerardmer. The building in the middle looks like a good match. And another one: the roof of the building in question can just be seen behind the wide building. Edited 28 December , 2019 by JWK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMarsdin Posted 29 December , 2019 Share Posted 29 December , 2019 Thanks for posting, JWK. It would be great if we could date the original photo. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Rogers Posted 26 January , 2020 Author Share Posted 26 January , 2020 (edited) I have now been able to find a date and details of the action which led to the photo being taken. If you Google La Fontenelle you will find this information. "It was on the hill at La Fontenelle, a school garden before the war, that the front was established on 12 September 1914. The French occupied the summit, at contour line 627. The Germans dug in firmly on the Eastern flank, constructing powerful trenches from which attacks were then regularly launched. On 23 June 1915, with the help of the explosions of underground mines and the reinforcement of well-equipped heavy artillery, the Germans inflicted a severe defeat on the French by reaching the summit. However, on 8 and 23 July of the same year, two violent counterattacks saw the French troops regain a foothold on the hill. 1,500 prisoners were taken. After 25 July, mine warfare raged while raids replaced frontal attacks in the trenches. Despite the determination of the Germans, the heights of La Fontenelle remained in French hands. In 1925, a monument was inaugurated near the cemetery that hosts to the remains of 2,348 French soldiers. The German soldiers were brought together at the cemetery of Senones." I believe the photo taken in Gerardmer is of the prisoners taken in the second of these actions. I love solving a mystery!! Edited 26 January , 2020 by Lewis Rogers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 26 January , 2020 Share Posted 26 January , 2020 (edited) The 1905 barracks at Gérardmer reflect the fact that when Alsace and Lorraine became German again, some towns on the French side of the frontier became garrison towns. Gérardmer is only about 16 km from the important border crossing at Col de la Schlucht. I know Gérardmer but I can't recall seeing the barracks. As most of the town was destroyed and burned during the German retreat at the end of 1944 I suspect they didn't survive. Gwyn Edited 26 January , 2020 by Dragon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWK Posted 26 January , 2020 Share Posted 26 January , 2020 2 hours ago, Dragon said: I know Gérardmer but I can't recall seeing the barracks. As most of the town was destroyed and burned during the German retreat at the end of 1944 I suspect they didn't survive. It was located where Quartier Kléber now stands. Look for Rue Kléber on Google maps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 26 January , 2020 Share Posted 26 January , 2020 (edited) Yes, I know where they were. I was saying that I don't believe they survived. Without going and looking, I don't know whether there are any vestiges at all. There were at least nine other barracks proposed to complement the major ones at Gérardmer, Épinal and Remiremont. Many of the names will be familiar to anyone who crosses the Vosges from the west, towards the former German frontier: Raon-l'Étape, Fraize, Bussang and St Dié were among them. Bussang station is now disused but promotes itself to modern tourists as a frontier railway station. It has an astonishing rock war memorial in front of it. Edited 26 January , 2020 by Dragon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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