Travels in France

 

 

                                                                                 

   

 

 

L'ossuaire de Douaumont above, designed to look like an artillery shell, can be found just to the east of the provincial city of Verdun, in eastern France.  In 1916, during the height of WWI, the Germans attacked in an effort to 'bleed the French Army white', resulting in what many historians consider the deadliest battle in history. During the 10 months of fighting, so many soldiers were killed that remains were often unidentifiable. Beginning in 1919, the French searched the battlefield and trench lines (still visible and dangerous today) and recovered bones from 130,000 unidentified  French and German soldiers which are stored within the Ossuary.
Text Box: L'ossuaire de Douaumont above, designed to look like an artillery shell, can be found just to the east of the provincial city of Verdun, in eastern France.  In 1916, during the height of WWI, the Germans attacked in an effort to 'bleed the French Army white', resulting in what many historians consider the deadliest battle in history. During the 10 months of fighting, so many soldiers were killed that remains were often unidentifiable. Beginning in 1919, the French searched the battlefield and trench lines (still visible and dangerous today) and recovered bones from 130,000 unidentified  French and German soldiers which are stored within the Ossuary.
I've always been interested in History, especially why nations risk all in war. Above are photos I took in 1999, at the American Military Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, off Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. If you've seen the beginning or end of Saving Private Ryan, you may recognize this scene. I planned the trip to coincide with the 55th Anniversary of the D-Day landings in June, 1944.

 
Text Box: I've always been interested in History, especially why nations risk all in war. Above are photos I took in 1999, at the American Military Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, off Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. If you've seen the beginning or end of Saving Private Ryan, you may recognize this scene. I planned the trip to coincide with the 55th Anniversary of the D-Day landings in June, 1944.  

   

                                                                    

 

 

 

 

                                                         

                                                       

                                                              

The French built the Maginot Line between 1929 and 1940 to ward off another German attack. It was an attempt to protect France & fight the next war on foreign soil. By building an ‘impregnable’ shield, with troops far below ground, France wouldn’t suffer losses as it had in WWI.

Top - left to right:  The picture at left is the blockhouse at Immerhof, a fortress built near the border of France and Luxembourg, a traditional invasion route of France. At top you can see observation 'cupolas', which were the only 'eyes' for the troops below who manned the guns. Next is a machine gun cupola overlooking a possible battlefield at Galgenberg, a fortress built near the border of France and Germany. The next picture shows one of  the hundreds of fully retractable gun turrets that the French constructed along the length of the Maginot Line. This one is located at Hackenberg, the largest of the Maginot fortresses. In its entirety (mechanism, armor, counter weight) it weighs nearly 270 tons! The dome contains twin 81mm mortars that could be retracted or raised to fire in any direction & was protected by 35cm of armor plate weighing 30 tons alone. Depending on angle of fire it’s shells could reach a range of up to11km at 20 rounds per minute. The last picture on the top row shows an underground tunnel found throughout the line. Tunnels were located up to 100 feet below the surface and connected every blockhouse, firing chamber, barrack and munitions depot of the fortress. In most fortresses, all personnel, munitions and machinery were moved using light gauge rail, which can be seen in this picture.

Bottom - left to right: The first picture shows the motto of the lines 'Fortress Troops', 'on ne passe pas', or 'They Shall Not Pass'. It was a symbol of the morale these special troops had for their role in defending France from a German attack. The remaining pictures show various schematics of the line and how it was designed.

While the Maginot Line didn't stop France from defeat, it was, and still is, engineering marvel.

Text Box: The French built the Maginot Line between 1929 and 1940 to ward off another German attack. It was an attempt to protect France & fight the next war on foreign soil. By building an ‘impregnable’ shield, with troops far below ground, France wouldn’t suffer losses as it had in WWI. Top - left to right:  The picture at left is the blockhouse at Immerhof, a fortress built near the border of France and Luxembourg, a traditional invasion route of France. At top you can see observation 'cupolas', which were the only 'eyes' for the troops below who manned the guns. Next is a machine gun cupola overlooking a possible battlefield at Galgenberg, a fortress built near the border of France and Germany. The next picture shows one of  the hundreds of fully retractable gun turrets that the French constructed along the length of the Maginot Line. This one is located at Hackenberg, the largest of the Maginot fortresses. In its entirety (mechanism, armor, counter weight) it weighs nearly 270 tons! The dome contains twin 81mm mortars that could be retracted or raised to fire in any direction & was protected by 35cm of armor plate weighing 30 tons alone. Depending on angle of fire it’s shells could reach a range of up to11km at 20 rounds per minute. The last picture on the top row shows an underground tunnel found throughout the line. Tunnels were located up to 100 feet below the surface and connected every blockhouse, firing chamber, barrack and munitions depot of the fortress. In most fortresses, all personnel, munitions and machinery were moved using light gauge rail, which can be seen in this picture. Bottom - left to right: The first picture shows the motto of the lines 'Fortress Troops', 'on ne passe pas', or 'They Shall Not Pass'. It was a symbol of the morale these special troops had for their role in defending France from a German attack. The remaining pictures show various schematics of the line and how it was designed. While the Maginot Line didn't stop France from defeat, it was, and still is, engineering marvel.