advance in September, 1914, was an important bridgehead which the French
had an interest in retaking. Its capture and subsequent evacuation
(November 16–18) are famous.
In the evening of November 16, French heavy batteries took up their
position at Fresnes-au-Mont, on the left bank of the Meuse, five miles
from St. Mihiel; but before attacking, the German howitzers on the
Paroches position had been destroyed.
The bombardment began at dead of night. Four hundred shells fell on the
enemy, causing the Bavarian ammunition dump to explode. At dawn, French
infantry, massed in the peninsula of Les Romains, crossed the Meuse on a
pontoon bridge, whilst the cavalry on the Fresnes road threatened
Chauvoncourt from the west. By ten o’clock the infantry were in sight of
the village. The Bavarians advanced by successive rushes—at each of
which they fired a salvo—then halted behind a little glen. The fight
became a fusilade, and would have continued indefinitely but for the
arrival of the French dragoons, who, with lances fixed, charged
furiously. The enemy, afraid of being cut off, retreated, followed by
the cavalry, who began the siege of the houses. Every window, door and
roof sheltered a Bavarian marksman. All day on the 17th the fighting
continued in favour of the French, who by night occupied the western
part of Chauvoncourt and slept in a French barracks. On the left bank of
the Meuse the Germans, two hundred of whom had surrendered, now occupied
only a few ruined houses.
But at five o’clock on the morning of the 18th an explosion was heard.
At the end of the main street three houses, luckily unoccupied, had been
wrecked. Orders were at once given to evacuate the occupied portion of
the town, which proved to be a wise precaution, for at eight o’clock the
whole south-west portion blew up, over an area of four acres. No
soldiers were killed, but civilians, who stayed on in spite of orders to
the contrary, were victims of their own imprudence.
Trenches and shelters are to be seen all along the road.
[Illustration: RUINS OF CHAUVONCOURT BARRACKS]
[Illustration: PANORAMIC VIEW OF ST. MIHIEL AND THE VALLEY OF THE MEUSE
SEEN FROM THE TOP OF PAROCHES FORT]
_Leaving Chauvoncourt, take to the right G.C. 34, which leads to_
=Paroches.=
The village of =Paroches= is an absolute ruin. The 14th century church,
with the exception of part of the belfry, has been almost entirely
destroyed (_photo opposite_).
_At the end of the village, on the right, near the Calvary and skirting
the wall of the last house, there is a military cemetery. Take, on the
left, the narrow road to_ =Fort Paroches.= Around the fort are numerous
defence works and the graves of French soldiers.
=Paroches Fort=, built to protect the approaches to Spada Pass, which
Troyon Fort defended on the north, is an old masonry fort. Visit the
shelters, inner works in concrete.
[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO PAROCHES FORT]
From the summit there is a fine sweeping view (_panorama above_) over
the
[Illustration: THE PLACE DES HALLES, ST. MIHIEL]
battlefield, the Valley of the Meuse, St. Mihiel, the “Camp-des-Romains”
Fort (p. 65), Versel Wood and Spada Pass.
_Return to St. Mihiel by the same road as far as the temporary bridge
over the Meuse and the Place du Manège._
_From the Place du Manège, take, on the right, the Rue du Saulcy, which
leads to the Place des Halles._
_To the right, on reaching the “Place,” is the Rue du Pont, which leads
to the_ ruined bridge. _Turn to the left, cross the “Place,” and take
the Rue Notre-Dame on the right._
_At No. 1 of this street is a 15th century house with a polygonal
turret._ Opposite at No. 2 is a 14th–15th century house, known locally
as the “Maison du Roi.”
[Illustration: THE MAISON DU ROI]
[Illustration: THE PLACE DU COLLÈGE AND CHURCH OF ST. MICHEL]
_Follow the Rue des Carmes, which is a continuation of the Rue
Notre-Dame, then the Place des Regrets to the Place du Collège._
_On the left stands the_ =Church of St. Michel.=
This 17th century church is recognisable by its old Romanesque tower,
which forms a vestibule in front of the building. It has three naves
with side chapels divided into five bays by fluted columns.
Note the =fine organ= (_photo, p. 68_), the pipes of which were removed by
the Germans. In the Chapel of the Baptismal Fonts is a stone Cupid
holding skulls.
[Illustration: THE SACRISTY, CHURCH OF ST. MICHEL
_As the Germans left it._]
The Church of St. Michel contains one of the finest of Ligier Richier’s
works, known as “_The Swoon_,” or “_The Fainting Virgin_.” It stands to
the right of the choir in a chapel with a door.
[Illustration: THE ORGAN, CHURCH OF ST. MICHEL]
In the Middle Ages it was customary to represent the Virgin standing in
contemplation of the wounds of her Divine Son, as described in the
famous chant, _Stabat Mater Dolorosa_. In the 15th century, on the
contrary, the Virgin was generally represented as described in the
Gospel of Nicodemus. In Richier’s group we see the Virgin, supported by
St. John, fainting at the foot of the Cross. The extreme simplicity of
the work renders it most pathetic.
[Illustration: THE HÔTEL DE LA DIVISION AND CHEVET OF ST. MICHEL CHURCH]
This work is only a fragment of a much larger group which comprised a
large Crucifix, and on either side of the Virgin, St. Longin, Mary
Magdalene and four angels, each holding a chalice to catch the
Saviour’s blood. The work was in painted walnut, as had been the custom
from the Middle Ages, but the worm-eaten wood gradually crumbled away.
In 1720 the Benedictines managed to save the crucifix and the group of
“The Swoon.” The crucifix is supposed to have been burnt during the
Revolution (1792). Now all that remains is a moulding of Christ’s head.
[Illustration: “CAMP-DES-ROMAINS” FORT]
_Leaving the Church, skirt the front of the adjoining Collège, and pass
under the arch of the Palais-de-Justice, thus reaching the_ =Place des
Moines.= In this square is the fine façade of the old abbey, restored in
the 17th and 18th centuries, the buildings of which have been
transformed into the Hôtel de la Division, Palais-de-Justice and prison.
Above the latter is the famous monastic library containing 13,000
volumes and valuable manuscripts.
_Besides the Hôtel de la Division is the_ chevet of St. Michel Church,
_looking on to the square of that name. By turning to the left in the
latter, the tourist comes back to the Place du Collège, which cross to
take the Commercy road (N. 64)._
_On leaving St. Mihiel, N. 64 climbs up a steep slope. A mile from the
town, on the left, is a_ concrete blockhouse _at the corner of the
Commercy road and that leading to_ Fort Camp-des-Romains. _Take the
latter to the fort._
Fort of the Camp-des-Romains
This is one of the two forts which protect St. Mihiel. Standing on the
end of a narrow peninsula formed by a loop in the Meuse, it dominates
the town from a height of 450 feet above the valley. (The hill itself is
1,200 feet high.) It owes its name to the remains of Roman
entrenchments, still existing when the fort was built.
When the German Army of Metz occupied St. Mihiel on September 24, 1914,
and crossed the Meuse, the Fort of the Camp-des-Romains remained
isolated, without troops in the plain to defend it, and absolutely
dependent on its own guns. The Germans left it alone for the time being,
confident of being able to take it whenever they wished. The 16th Corps
hastened to the rescue, but stopped in front of St. Mihiel. The Germans
finally dug themselves in and were able, from a position near the town,
to begin the bombardment of the fort with the aid of Austrian heavy
guns.
[Illustration: POST OF CARRIER PIGEONS AT FORT CAMP-DES-ROMAINS]
The guns were very quickly placed in position, and in a few days they
silenced those of the French fort, the turrets and bastions of which
were destroyed. In the end the heroic garrison were smoked out by the
enemy, who had reached the base of the fort. When the surviving
defenders, half suffocated, were able to leave the ruins, the Germans
presented arms as a tribute of admiration for their valour, and
permitted the captured officers to retain their swords.
All this sector, with a few slight changes, was to remain in the hands
of the Germans until September, 1918.
In spite of the terrific gunfire to which it was subjected, the fort was
not completely destroyed. In the moats and on the bastions are numerous
concrete blockhouses built by the Germans. Near the entrance is the
grave of Captain of Artillery Cordebard, killed in 1914.
From the fort there is a fine view on all sides over the valley of the
Meuse and the Forest of Apremont.
_Return to N. 64 which descends in a long zig-zag to the Meuse, which it
crosses._
_The road passes through_ Sampigny—considerably battered—where
President Poincaré’s country house was completely ruined by the German
bombardments.
_It next crosses the railway before entering Vadonville and again on
leaving_ that village.
Lerouville, then Commercy, are _soon reached_. The night should be spent
at the latter (_see information on the fly-leaf inside cover_).
Commercy is of no particular interest from a picturesque or artistic
point of view, but its “Madeleine” cakes enjoy a world-wide reputation.
[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO THE FORT]
[Illustration: PRESIDENT POINCAIRÉ’S HOUSE AT SAMPIGNY]
[Illustration: Plan of Commercy
_Arbitrary Signs_
A.—Old Château, now a Barracks.
C.—Barracks.
H.—Hôtel-de-Ville.
O.—Octrois.
P.—Sous-Préfecture.
T.—Theatre.
1.—Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville.
2.—Rue du Pont-des-Religieuses.
3.—Road to Metz.
4.—Rue des Capucins.
5.—Road to Nancy.
6.—Rue Levée-de-Breuil.
7.—Road to Bar-le-Duc.
8.—Rue Carnot.
9.—Rue de Lisle.
10.—Road to Verdun.
11.—Rue du Four.
12.—Rue de l’Eglise.
13.—Rue de la Gare.
]
[Illustration]
SECOND DAY
COMMERCY—PONT-À-MOUSSON—METZ
=A.—Commercy to Pont-à-Mousson= (_See above._)
=B.—Pont-à-Mousson to Metz= (_See p. 109._)
_Leave Commercy (Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville) by the Rue du
Pont-des-Religieuses which, after crossing the Meuse, joins N. 58. Take
the latter._
_Pass through_ =Vignot= (_2 km._) _and enter_ =Vignot Wood= (_French gun
emplacements_).
_After crossing the wood the tourist approaches_ =Gironville.= _Before
entering the village, on the crest to the right, is_ =Gironville Fort.=
_In the village immediately beyond the church, N. 58 turns to the left.
Continue along it for 500 yards beyond the church, then leave it where
it turns to the right, and take G.C.D. 10 towards_ =Apremont.=
_The road crosses the_ old French and German lines (shelters and
blockhouses), _then rejoins, 200 yards east of Apremont, G.D.C. 1 bis,
which take to the right towards_ =Bouconville.=
[Illustration: BOUCONVILLE VILLAGE]
_Before going to Bouconville, visit Apremont, Brûlé Wood and Ailly Wood,
if this was not done on the first day (see pp. 42–52)._
_Notice, in succession, on the left, the ruins of_ =Loupmont Village=,
_1,500 yards from the road_; =Montsec=, _further north_, dominating the
whole district; and =Vargévaux Pond=, _near the road_.
_Follow G.C.D. 1 bis, to_ =Bouconville.= _Enter the village, leaving the
fine_ =Girondel Pond= _on the right_.
[Illustration: NO-MAN’S LAND, NEAR RAMBUCOURT]
[Illustration: BEAUMONT CHURCH]
The 13th–14th century Church of Bouconville with its three naves is very
curious.
In the cemetery are numerous French graves.
The front line, after passing south of Apremont, continued first to the
right of the Bouconville road, then crossed the road to the west of
Vargévaux Pond, making a bend to include the latter within the French
lines, as also the village of Xivray, which was the junction of the
French armies with the American divisions. It then passed through the
hamlet of Seicheprey, and at Flirey rejoined the main road leading to
Pont-à-Mousson.
_Keep along the road towards_ =Rambucourt.=
_A little before this village, N. 58 is picked up again._ All the way
the road is camouflaged and bordered by numerous trenches. =Rambucourt=
was badly damaged. Numerous shelters were made along the road against
the houses, the basements of which were occupied.
[Illustration: AMERICAN AMMUNITION CONVOY ENTERING SEICHEPREY]
_After passing through Rambucourt, N. 58 leads to_ =Beaumont= (in ruins).
Notice the shelters in the houses. The curious church suffered badly
(_photo, p. 74_).
[Illustration: ROMANESQUE CHURCH OF SEICHEPREY]
_Four hundred yards beyond Beaumont, leave the National road and take
the Seicheprey road on the left._
Trenches, shelters and gun emplacements are met with, especially in a
hollow on the left. =Seicheprey= _is next reached_.
This village was the scene of one of the first successes of the American
Army. The Germans had taken it by surprise in April, 1918, and had kept
it for some time, when it was retaken by the 26th (New England)
Division.
Part of the belfry of the 12th century church is still standing (_photo
above_).
[Illustration: SEICHEPREY. THE MAIN STREET ON SEPT. 12, 1918]
_Near the church the road bends to the right and goes towards_ =St.
Baussant.= _Half a mile further on_ the French and German first line
trenches _are crossed_. _On entering St. Baussant_, notice in a house on
the right in front of the stream a large machine-gun blockhouse in
concrete. The loopholes are on a level with the roof.
[Illustration: ST. BAUSSANT VILLAGE, ON ENTERING
_The house on the left was transformed into a concrete Blockhouse. Above
the ruined wall: Loop-holes for the machine-guns. In the background:
Ruins of old Castle._]
=St. Baussant= is almost entirely in ruins. _To the right, on the hill,
stood the_ old château, of which only a few broken walls are left.
This village, being an important road junction, had been strongly
fortified by the Germans. It is one of the places where the American
tanks performed wonders, taking the position in less than half an hour.
The last house of the village, at the _I.C. 13_ crossing, on the right,
bears the inscription “_Café Hocquard_.” Here are three large concrete
shelters, the walls of which are five feet thick. _At the fork in the
road is_ a machine-gun blockhouse in concrete.
[Illustration: ST. BAUSSANT VILLAGE AND RUINS OF THE OLD CASTLE]
[Illustration: RICHECOURT VILLAGE AND THE RUPT-DE-MAD STREAM
_In the foreground: The bridge over which I.C. 19 passes. In the
background: Montsec Hill._]
_Take I.C. 13 to the left, which follows the Rupt-de-Mad stream and
becomes G.C. 33 on reaching_ =Lahayville.= _1,600 yards beyond this
village_ (greatly damaged), _leave G.C. 33 and take I.C. 19 to the
right. After crossing the bridge over the Rupt-de-Mad_, =Richecourt=,
razed to the ground, _is reached_ (_photo above_).
_Near a house on the left, at the end of the village, is_ a German
concrete shelter with the inscription “Pommernburg.” Other shelters of
less importance are to be seen among the ruins.
[Illustration: GERMAN SHELTER IN RICHECOURT VILLAGE
_This concrete shelter is seen on leaving the village by the road to
Montsec. Over the door is the word_ “Pommernburg.” _The village is a
heap of ruins._]
[Illustration: MONTSEC
_German Telephone Exchange on the road to Woinville._]
_Follow I.C. 19 as far as_ =Montsec= (_3 km._).
The village of Montsec is at the foot of the hill; it was badly damaged.
=Montsec Ridge=, or Hill 380, made a first-class observation-post for the
Germans, as it dominates the whole district from Apremont to Flirey.
Montsec was the scene of the fiercest fighting on June 17, 1916. The
French were unable to take it on account of its formidable defences.
From that time no surprise-attacks took place in this district.
[Illustration: MONTSEC. RUINS OF CHURCH AND VILLAGE]
On the crest, the Germans had constructed a system of tunnels, the
entries of which overlooked the region of Heudicourt-Buxières, and at
the end of which chimneys over 30 feet in height opened in the summit of
the hill. The observers climbed up the chimneys by means of ladders and
directed the firing of the artillery, which was massed in the
surrounding woods.
[Illustration: MONTSEC
_German Signalling Post._]
The system of trenches and shelters was remarkable. In some places the
shelters were furnished with electric light.
_To visit the military works of Montsec, go beyond the village along
I.C. 19 and stop at the last houses on the left, where there is_ an
enormous concrete shelter, which served as an artillery telephone
exchange, (_photo, p. 78_). _A narrow road leads from this shelter to
the entrances of the tunnels on the crest._ (_Time required to visit:
one hour._)
[Illustration: AMERICAN COLUMNS MARCHING TOWARDS MONTSEC (SEPT. 13,
1918)]
[Illustration: ESSEY CHURCH]
_After visiting Montsec return to St. Baussant by the same roads (I.C.
19 to Richecourt, then G.C. 33 and I.C. 13)._
_Follow I.C. 13 beyond St. Baussant to_ =Maizerais= (completely ruined),
_seen on the left of the road, and_ =Essey= _on the Rupt-de-Mad stream_.
From December, 1916, the village of Essey was close to the front, and
occupied by the Germans. The inhabitants and mayor remained during the
occupation, but were forbidden, on pain of death, to go more than a
short distance from their homes.
_In the village, at the corner of the Rue Béquille and the Grand Rue,
is_ a concrete blockhouse.
The church was partly destroyed. On its north front, protected by the
church belfry, were the Kommandantur’s quarters—an important concrete
construction with walls five feet thick.
_After visiting Essey, take D. 3, which passes in front of the church,
and follow it towards_ =Flirey.=
[Illustration: SONNARD WOOD
_American Cemetery. In the background, at the foot of the larger trees,
is the road D. 3._]
_To the right and left are_ numerous shelters. _Turn to the right
alongside Sonnard Wood, beside which, 50 yards from the road, are_ an
American cemetery _and, on the left, Mort-Mare Wood_.
=Mort-Mare Wood= is famous for the terrible struggles that took place for
its possession.
It was while reconnoitring over this wood in an aeroplane that _Senator
Reymond_ was killed on October 22, 1914. He was returning from a flight
over Mars-la-Tour, Chambley and Thiaucourt, with Pilot Adjutant
Clamadieu, and the machine was turning to the right of the southern edge
of the wood, when it was seen descending, apparently normally, between
the French and German lines. Machine-guns at once opened fire; the
Adjutant was killed and Senator Reymond wounded. The French came out of
their trenches and a fierce struggle, which lasted until night, took
place round the machine. Only then was Reymond able to crawl into the
lines, while the French carried back the body of the Adjutant.
Reymond was taken to the hospital at Toul, and was able, before he died,
to give an exact account of the mission in the fulfilment of which he
had met such a glorious end.
_On reaching the crest, the road crosses the_ old German first lines
(concrete blockhouses). =Flirey= _next comes into sight_.
This village, which formed part of the first French lines from 1914, is
almost completely in ruins, while the whole country around is laid
waste.
_On the right are seen_ the ruins of Toul-Thiaucourt railway bridge.
_Half a mile from the village, keep along D. 3, to visit the_ famous
=Flirey Quarry=, where there are numerous shelters and French graves. The
surrounding woods contain the emplacements of several batteries.
_Return to Flirey and take, on the right, N. 58 towards_ =Pont-à-Mousson.=
[Illustration: RUINS OF FLIREY VILLAGE
_N. 58, seen in the photo, passes through the village._]
[Illustration: FLIREY QUARRY
_In the background: D. 3 and Sonnard Wood._]
_One kilometre from Flirey, at the top of the crest, on the right, is_ a
military cemetery. _The road runs parallel with the_ old French
first lines, which followed the crest on the left.
_At the entrance to_ =Limey=, _through which N. 58 runs, there is_ a large
French cemetery _on the left_.
The village of Limey, famous for the hard and bloody battles fought
there in September, 1914, is in ruins. The west front of the church was
torn open. Numerous shelters are seen, two of them, in cement, being
very large; the first, _in the middle of the village on the right of the
main road_; the other, a machine-gun blockhouse, _in the last house on
the right_.
_Beyond Limey the road crosses a vast wooded district, known as_ =La
Haye=, which covers the whole plateau.
_Two and a half kilometres from Limey, on the left side of the road_, a
place called =Fond-des-Vaux= contains numerous French shelters (several in
concrete), and also a military cemetery. This is =Lampe Camp.=
[Illustration: LIMEY VILLAGE
_Concrete shelter on the right of N. 58, when coming from Flirey in the
middle of the village._]
[Illustration: LAMPE CAMP
_At the back, on the left: N. 58._]
Three hundred yards further along the road there are American graves _to
the right_.
_The_ =Inn of St. Pierre= _is next reached, from which D. 15 leaves to the
left towards_ =Thiaucourt.= _Take this road._
[Illustration: ST. PIERRE INN DRESSING STATION
_Arrival of wounded soldier._]
Throughout the war St. Pierre Inn, which is at the entrance to =Prêtre
Wood=, was the nearest dressing station to the front. The buildings
suffered little, thanks to the sheltering forest. _Prêtre Wood will be
visited on leaving Pont-à-Mousson._
[Illustration: FEY-EN-HAYE CHURCH AND CEMETERY IN 1915]
_Eight hundred yards from the inn, to the right of D. 15, the_
=Fey-en-Haye= _road debouches. This road is not available for motors._ A
visit to the village is interesting, as it was in the first French lines
(_distance there and back, 3 km._).
[Illustration: MAP]
=Fey-en-Haye= _is about 100 yards from the western edge of_ =Prêtre Wood.=
At the end of September, 1914, a bloody engagement took place there. Up
to the end of March, 1915, this unfortunate village was continuously
bombarded, and it was entirely demolished when, on April 2, 1915, it was
taken by a French battalion (169th Infantry). Its capture was the
prelude to the last series of attacks which, after seven months of
terrific fighting, ended on May 31, in the capture of =Prêtre Wood.=
Fey-en-Haye is now merely a heap of ruins. A number of trenches run
through it, and a few shelters still exist.
_After coming back to D. 15, continue along it as far as_ =Regniéville=, a
village of which nothing remains but part of the belfry of the church
(_photo, p. 85_).
[Illustration: FEY-EN-HAYE. PLACE DE L’EGLISE IN 1915]
[Illustration: REGNIÉVILLE VILLAGE AND THE RUINED BELFRY OF THE CHURCH]
For a long time Regniéville was the advance-post of the French line
between Mort-Mare Wood, _on the left_, and Prêtre Wood, _on the right_.
At the beginning of April, 1915, the French advance was especially
dangerous for the enemy, whose counter-attacks became more frequent. It
was evident that the slightest advance in the direction of Thiaucourt
would hamper the German communications between Metz and St. Mihiel, and
would hinder the revictualling of the troops as well as the steady
supply of reinforcements and munitions. That is why, on April 9, the
Germans made fifteen successive attacks to drive the French from their
trenches and the edge of Mort-Mare Wood.
[Illustration: AMERICAN GRAVES AT REGNIÉVILLE]
_Keep on towards_ =Thiaucourt.= _To the left of D. 15 there is an_
American cemetery (_photo below_), _500 yards from Regniéville. 1 km.
further on, fifty yards from the road, and before entering_ =Four Wood=,
lies a derelict Renault tank (_photo above_), _and beside it_ the graves
of its drivers. _In the Wood are_ numerous German gun emplacements.
[Illustration: FOUR WOOD
_Smashed Renault Tank at the edge of the wood_.]
_On reaching the crest_ (Hill 340), _on the right, alongside Saules
Wood, are_ two German gun shelters.
_Further on, at the “milestone” 4 km. from Thiaucourt, is a_ concrete
blockhouse (_photo below_).
_From I.C. 13, D. 15 descends in a large bend across_ =Heiche Wood.=