Robert Mueller Posted 4 January , 2006 Share Posted 4 January , 2006 There is a series of small bunkers leading to a larger bunker in the farm fields south of Heninel. IGN 2406 labels the area les Grandes Vingt-Deux. Does anyone know the history of these fortifications and what part they played in the Battle of Arras. Thanks in Advance, Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 5 January , 2006 Share Posted 5 January , 2006 Robert, the place you refer to is Heninel Hill (les grandes vingt-deux on IGN is probably pre-war) and was a strongpoint of the Siegfriedstellung. There are, as you say, several bunkers on the hill. These saw much action during Arras. You will see that most of them are of a design unique to this location. Some also lead down to an underground trench beneath the hill (one or two still have passages down about 10-15 feet). Fighting on the Hill and around the bunkers is covered in "The HindenBurg Line" by Peter Oldham in the Pen and Sword series. If you have a photo of any one in particular, can probably give you some info on it. Regards, Mebu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
withcall Posted 5 January , 2006 Share Posted 5 January , 2006 Are these the bunkers with a triangular front ?- from memory there are four or five of them scattered over the hillside. We went down into one of them a few years ago, but couldn't progress beyond the old pushchairs and shopping trollies. I've got some slides of them at home. I'll have a look tonight and scan one in for people to look at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Mueller Posted 5 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 5 January , 2006 I took photos of the larger one on the top of the hill. It appeared to have a surface mount gun position on top, two entrances and several interior rooms. How can I send you photos? Theere were also 4-5 smaller ones in the field in what appeared to be an "L" orientation. They now are mostly debris from what I could see without trespassing the farm field. Thanks for your help, Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marco Posted 5 January , 2006 Share Posted 5 January , 2006 Hello Robert, Don't tell everyone about this lovely and quiet area! Some of the follow-up action after the line had been taken is described here: http://www.xs4all.nl/~aur/Individuals/barrie.htm Regards, Marco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
withcall Posted 5 January , 2006 Share Posted 5 January , 2006 If you have scans of the photos you can post them in the forum, provided they are not too large in byte-size, or send them to individuals as attchments. Sorry if I'm saying something you already know - otherwise you would have to send them snail-mail. We used to be quite friendly with the ex-mayor of Bullecourt, Jean Letaille - he took us up to a really big blockhouse near there that some of the farmers were trying to blow up. This was about ten years ago, and I don't know if they succeeded. I've got slides of that as well - I'll do some scans tonight and try to post them in the forum. Incidentally, that was the same year that Marc Bastiaan and his mate dug up the body of AIF Sergeant Jack White in a field near Bullecourt. Sgt White was buried in the autumn of that year in Queant Road Cemetery with full military honours, and amazingly, in the presence of his octaganarian daughter who then lived in Tasmania. I don't know what became of Marc Bastiaan. He had the most amazing collection of relics in his house at Henin sur Cojeul. We used to go and see him on a regular basis, but rather lost touch with him after his wife died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 5 January , 2006 Share Posted 5 January , 2006 Robert, just post the photo on this thread and I'll tell you what I can about it, Peter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 5 January , 2006 Share Posted 5 January , 2006 Here's some pics of the Heninel Hill bunkers in construction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 5 January , 2006 Share Posted 5 January , 2006 PS bottom right photo of previous post is Today (well a couple of years ago!) If you visit them you will see 2 steel observation posts which were cast into the face....one of the photos shows this lying in front, ready for fitting. Here they are just after capture........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 5 January , 2006 Share Posted 5 January , 2006 Can somebody pinpoint the bunker complex on a modern map for orientation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
withcall Posted 5 January , 2006 Share Posted 5 January , 2006 I've scanned in a section of the IGN Serie Bleu map. Unfortunately the map has been well-used and is rather creased. The bunkers I'm on about are marked with dotted rectangles and referred to as 'abris' which I think is the French for 'shelter' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
withcall Posted 5 January , 2006 Share Posted 5 January , 2006 Here are some scanned-in slides. The first is from the top of one of the bunkers, the second a view from inside, and the third the big bunker which the farmers were trying to get rid of. I don't know if it's the 'master' bunker which mebu refers to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Mueller Posted 5 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 5 January , 2006 (edited) Thanks to all for great info and help. I'll try to post my photos tonight. The Abri on the map locates the largest of the bunkers that I saw. The smaller bunkers are to the north, roughtly along the line of the "road" and 50 meters or so into the field to the east. Does anyone know how these different positions supported each other? Can I assume that the larger one was a command bunker with the others being observation? or machine gun positions? By the way, it is a very peaceful area and the views northeast are to Cuckoo Passage and Rookery Cemeteries. Both are good examples of those quiet, lonesome, small cemeteries that I favor. Robert Edited 5 January , 2006 by Robert Mueller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Mueller Posted 5 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 5 January , 2006 Here is the larger bunker. Note: visible in the distance in the Cross of Sacrifice of Heninel Croisilles Road British Cemetery. Unfortunately hard to see due to low resolution of this image. This photo shows the top of the bunker with entrance on the left and observation (?) cloche on the right. The other side of the bunker was a mirror image of this side. I did not photograph the smaller bunkers as they presented little of interest except for their siting up the slope of the ridge. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
withcall Posted 6 January , 2006 Share Posted 6 January , 2006 Pretty clear that the farmers were defeated in their efforts to get rid of it. Judging by mebu's diagrams and plans it's not surprising - the 'iceberg' principle is very much evident Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 6 January , 2006 Share Posted 6 January , 2006 Robert, in reply to your question of how they supported each other.......here is the defence system for the Hindenburg Line between Heninel and Fontaine, as laid out by the engineers and planners. If map doesn't appear I'lltry again as having difficulty with scanner......Mebu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 6 January , 2006 Share Posted 6 January , 2006 This map may be a little larger/clearer. The bunkers under discussion are upper left, and illustrate the layout for defence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 11 January , 2006 Share Posted 11 January , 2006 Robert. I have sent to you emails with (hopefully) better scans, are these more easily read? Peter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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