The cemetery on the Route de Solesmes

Located on the road to Solesmes, this cemetery not only evokes the fate of this town, occupied by the Germans from 26 August 1914 to 9 October 1918, but most importantly the first battle of Cambrai, from 20 November until 3 December 1917, the German offensive of March 1918 and this second battle of Cambrai, the last battle on the Hindenburg line, which was to finally liberate the city in October 1918, the town by then having endured terrible destruction.

Later the town was "adopted" by the County Town of Birkenhead. The cemetery had been created by the Germans during their occupation from March 1917. They had constructed a few monuments and a stone cross there. On 11 August 1918, the Bavarian commander of the town had handed over the maintenance of the cemetery to the town. Afterwards the German Military cemetery that was in Cambrai was transferred there to the Saint-Sépulcre cemetery. The graves have now been regrouped. The remains of 10,685 Germans, 192 Russians, 6 Romanians and 502 British are to be found there.

13 km to the north east of Bapaume on the road between Cambrai and Bapaume is the Louverval Memorial. It commemorates the 7,048 British and South African soldiers who died at the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917 and whose graves are unknown. The Battle of Cambrai, marked by a breakthrough on 20 November, a cessation on positions on 22 November and a German counter attack between 23 and 29 November, resulted in a limited gaining of ground but taught the Allies some valuable tactical and strategic lessons. For their part, the Germans had discovered that their line of defence was vulnerable. The Memorial, situated on a terrace at the far end of the military cemetery, was designed by H. Chalton Bradshaw and the sculptor C.S. Jagger, whose two bas-reliefs illustrating battle scenes are to be admired.

1917 had been a terrible year for all the fighting nations during the ongoing First World War. At the end of the year, the British, seeking to destroy the Hindenburg line (the defensive system for the territories occupied by the Germans), decided to launch an offensive to the south of Cambrai involving the large-scale use of tanks. The battle was merciless: the first battles were a great success for the British troops, except at Flesquières, but the Germans, at first thrown into confusion, very quickly started a powerful counter-offensive. For 15 days, attacks and counter-attacks were to follow in succession, with neither of the two armies chalking up decisive success. The human losses were enormous: 45,000 British and 55,000 Germans were killed, as whole villages were destroyed. During the First World War, a new weapon appeared on the battlefields: the tank. Tanks were designed to support the attacks of the infantry, driving them across enemy lines. During the battle in November 1917, the "Tank Corps" of the third British Army (a total of 476 tanks) was engaged to break through the Hindenburg line.

The objective of the battle was to take the strategic positions of the Flesquières ridge and the Bourlon woods before targeting the liberation of Cambrai. At Flesquières, the British attack came up against fierce resistance from German troops, who managed to destroy or immobilise several tanks. One of those destroyed was buried by the Germans in the spring of 1918. In November 1998, thanks to a handful of enthusiasts, it was unearthed. Today this war relic can be seen in Flesquières. At Cambrai, the memory of this battle lives on through the monument to the soldiers from the Cambrai regiments, opposite the gate to the citadel and through the French Remembrance monument listing all those from Cambrai who died in combat during the Great War. The Louverval cemetery is an important place of remembrance for them.

Characteristics: - 26.5 tonnes - 8.50 metres long - 3.20 metres wide - 52 cm wide tracks - 5 machine guns with 13,000 to 30,000 cartridges - Crew of 8 men.
It was on the Flesquières ridge that the most important episode of the Battle of Cambrai took place. Overlooking the valley, it is possible for us to imagine the starting point of the British attack on 20 November 1917, on a front of about 8 km stretching from Havrincourt to Bonavis. There used to be a mill there, but since it could be used as a reference point for the British artillery, it was destroyed by the Germans. Today there is a project to build an orientation table showing the Hindenburg line's defensive system and erect a monument to the glory of the soldiers who fell on the battlefield.

This raised German bunker is characterised by its shape and its use, as it served as an observation tower. In fact, its position allowed communication with Cambrai using visual signals. The observation post was attached to the château garden. The building is still very well preserved today.

An exact replica trench was created for the filming of the documentary "he Trench" by the BBC. Tours of the site are possible on request to complement a tour of the tank.
 

Flesquières Hill British Cemetery

In this cemetery, as in all those with more than 400 graves, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has built a "Remembrance Stone" on which is engraved the inscription "Their Name Liveth For Evermore". In addition, the cemetery contains the graves of 589 known and 332 unknown soldiers. Next to the British are buried the soldiers from New Zealand and Australia who took part in the fighting at the end of the war.

Orival Wood British Cemetery

The remains of the famous English poet, Lieutenant Ewart Alan Mackintosh are buried here. In the same place there are also the graves of Canadian and German soldiers killed in the Flesquières sector.

This 38 metre high islet with its natural beauty, battered by wind and tide, overlooks the entrance to the Brest Narrows. Protected by the sea but accessible at low tide, it has been used as a refuge since prehistoric times. Its position made it highly coveted, and the Dukes of Brittany set Le Perzel Château on it in the 5th century. However, its moment of glory came during the 17th century, when the King's engineer proposed that the island be fortified by building on the existing ruins. Vauban established a battery which was involved in driving back the English.

At the end of the 19th century, the islet was abandoned and a more powerful battery was created on land, behind it. The last time it was armed was by the Germans, who sited 75mm and 20mm canons on it, and hid machine guns around the fort. Under heavy bombardment, it surrendered to American troops in September 1944.

Bertheaume lay abandoned for 45 years until it was reborn out of its turbulent history in 1992. After Herculean restoration work (when workmen physically carried materials to the site) it was opened to the public once again.

Today, the accurately restored site invites you to discover its past through numerous exhibitions and events.

Bertheaume Fort

Tel: +33.(0)2.98.48.26.41

Group visits can be arranged on request. Evening visit entitled "Tales of Bertheaume": every Wednesday in summer

Open April to November: 5 April to 4 May 2pm to 6.30pm every day. 5 May to 27 June and 6 to 28 September, 2pm to 6.30pm Tuesday to Sunday. 28 June to 31 August: 10am to 7pm.
October: 2pm to 6pm on Wednesdays and Sundays, 25 October to 2 November 2pm to 6.30pm every day. Open 2pm to 6pm on 5, 8, 9, 10 and 11 November.

Ticket office closes 1 hour before the site.
 

Entrance: Adults: €3.80 Preferential rate: €2.90 Reduced tariff (young people aged 12-18, students and job seekers): €2.10 Children aged 6-11: €0.80
 

Plougonvelin village official website

A prestigious museum The Army's Health Service Museum, is situated in the monument grouping of Val-de-Grâce in a splendid cloister. This museum is a traditional institution, which was completely restructured and attached to the Army's Health Service School. A historic site The Benedictine abbey, transformed into a military hospital in 1793, and thus preserved from the revolutionary destructions, was built on the XVII Century. It results from the wish of Anne of Austria, thanking this way the birth of Louis XIV. Its realization is the result of the work of several famous architects, for example: François Mansart, Jacques Lemercier, Pierre Le Muet, Pierre Mignard, Michel and François Anguier. The church symbolizes the nativity and is the most sculptured church of France. It is the most exhaustive example of the French Baroque art.

The voluntary pedagogic presentation of the collections helps to give, to all kind of visitors, a better understanding of the bases and multiple vocations of the Medicine of the Armies. Every topic is further developed by the use of an audio-visual production. It is developed in occasion of temporary exhibitions. The first halls of the museum evoke the personnel of the Health Service, in particular the evolution of their uniforms and their teaching. It also illustrates the principal mission of the service : the medical support of the armed forces during the conflicts, from the collecting of the wounded men on the battle spots and their evacuation, to the hospitals in the rear on the ground, the sea and the air.
The visitor also discovers the research activities of the Health Service, which so often were put into rhythm by the conflicts and for the benefit of the armies. The wax forms point out the research activities in the oral and face surgery field, during the war of 1914-1918. The Carli, Sudre or Leriche statuettes testify to the research of the Health service in the domain of the psychiatry. A decompression chamber as well as a "Véronique" rocket head, illustrates the underwater medicine and the aerospace medicine. The research undertaken by the military pharmacists, during their discovery journeys around the world, on war poisons is exhibited as well.
The participation of the Army's Health Service in the civil domain is recalled since the XIX century, by its human actions, its care for the population, the creation of medical schools or Pasteur Institutes and the fight against the big diseases. Exemples are Calmette, Yersin, Jamot. The Army's Health Service has also a vast experience in the progress of hygiene. In particular the food and clothing hygiene but also the general house and behaviour hygiene. Its experience is predominant in the fight against metropolitan or exotic infectious diseases. For example, diseases like typhoid, meningitis, the plague, the viral hepatitis and malaria.
The visitor can also admire the collection of pharmacy objects of the doctors Debat. It is fitted out in the old kitchens of the Benedictine nuns and gathers Italian and French pieces of earthenware, instruments of medicine and mortars. The "Majoliques" are Italian ceramics of the Renaissance and which illustrates the production of Faenza, Montelupo, Deruta or Venice. Here it is possible to discover the instruments of the pharmacy and medicine domain, like the amputation saws or special trepans, first-aid kits and microscopes, for the majority coming from the 18th century. A pharmacy is reconstituted and exhibits earthenware and porcelains coming from Ile-de-France or the Netherlands. Other ceramics, coming from factories in Lille, Rouen, Nevers, Nîmes, Saint-Cloud, or also in the South-west or even the Far East are exhibit close to the blown glass bottles. The collection of the 103 mortars is one of the most prestigious worldwide. This splendid typology shows objects of the ancient Egypt to our days, coming from productive areas and realized in all kind of materials.
Museum of the Arm's Health Service (Musée du Service de Santé des Armées) : 1, place Alphonse Laveran 75230 Paris Cedex 05 Tél. : 01 40 51 51 92 - Fax : 01 40 51 51 93 Timetable Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday : from 12 a.m. to 5p.m. Group visits on reservation under the Phone number : 01 40 51 51 94 Tariffs Adults :4,60 €. Children (under 12 years) : 2,30 €. Free entrance for children less then six years, active militaries, the civil staff of the Ministry of Defence. Public Transports RER (Train) : Port-Royal. Subway : Goblins. BUS : 91, 83.

Cette maison fut le lieu de retrouvailles familiales pendant toute son enfance et sa jeunesse. C’est dans une famille unie autour de valeurs communes (patriotisme, ferveur religieuse, sens de l’engagement…) et dans un contexte géopolitique en plein bouleversement, que s’est forgé le caractère du futur Président de la Ve République.

Monument historique, la Maison natale Charles de Gaulle a pour vocation de faire découvrir à un large public l’enfance et la genèse de celui qui deviendra le plus illustre des français.

La Maison natale Charles de Gaulle a fait l’objet d’une campagne de travaux de grande ampleur en 2020 qui a permis de conforter la structure de l’habitation mais aussi de la rénover complètement (décors restaurés, pièces de vie réhabilitées, jardin d’hiver restitué…). La maison recrée l’ambiance d’un intérieur caractéristique de la bourgeoisie industrielle du Nord à la fin du XIXe siècle telle que Charles l’a connue enfant.

Une visite 100 % immersive !

Ancient Genoese fortified town constructed in the 13th century in the south of Corsica, the citadel of Calvi is made up of a series of walls crisscrossed by narrow streets perched on the top of a chalky headland. Inside this very ancient citadel (also known as 'Ville-Haute') are several public and religious edifices: the former palace of the governor, the primatial church, the law court, the town hall and the college. At the entrance to the citadel visitors can read an inscription engraved by the Genoese: Civitas Calvi semper fidelis ('The city of Calvi, forever faithful').

While the citadel in Bastia evokes the long domination of the island by the Genoese, the citadel of Bonifacio can lay claim to being the first fortified town in Corsica. In the name of the Pope, Lord Boniface ordered the building of a fortress in 830 to which he then gave his name. It was later modified and enlarged to keep up with military technical advances. Situated to the west of the town high on a narrow plateau, the citadel was built to protect the southern coast from the incursions of the Saracens.

Bastia was founded in the 14th century and was the capital of Corsica throughout the period of Genoese domination until 1768. On the high ground overlooking the entry to the small port of Marina di Cardo, the Genoese governor of the island, Leonello Lomellino, ordered the building of a fortress, or 'bastiglia' in Corsican, which became his residency, and was later occupied by his successors. The district of Terra-Nuova grew up around this citadel. The ramparts were added between 1480 and 1521. However the present appearance of the citadel and the other constructions forming the defences of Bastia date back to the time of Louis XV.

Fermont Fort, located 5km east of Longuyon in the north of the Meurthe et Moselle, an area popular with tourists known as the "triangle of fire", ranks with Simershof and Hackenberg among the largest Maginot line fortifications to be open to the public.

This large fortification, built between May 1931 and February 1936 is part of La Crusnes fortified area. It is made up of seven combat blocks and two entrance blocks (for men and ammunition) linked by a network of over two kilometres of underground passageways.

In June 1940, under the command of Captain Aubert, the fort valiantly resisted several attacks by the Germans. On 17 June combat block no. 4 was attacked unsuccessfully. Another assault four days later against the entire fortification resulted in the loss of 80 soldiers (killed or wounded) on the German side and just one fatality and one serious injury on the French side. Although undefeated, the soldiers of Fermont Fort crew were obliged by orders from French command to surrender on 27 June 1940.

At the entrance to the fortification, a memorial in memory of the troops "delivered unbeaten to the enemy" is a just reminder that the majority of the fortifications on the Maginot line were still standing firm in the face of the enemy when the Armistice took effect on 25 June 1940.

The French Ministry of Defence, which owns the 27-hectare site, passed its upkeep, management and promotion to the Friends of Fort Fermont Fortification and the Maginot Line Association (AAOFLM) in 1975.

The site, which has been open to the public since 12 June 1977, is visited by an average of 20,000 people each year. The two-hour trip begins in front of the munitions entrance. Visitors enters a goods lift to travel 30 metres underground to the heart of the fortification, and are then directed towards the munitions magazine (M1), within which a museum depicting the daily life of the crew of the fort has been created. They then travel on a small train - an authentic shunter - to combat block no. 4. From outside the fortification, on the top of the structure, visitors can admire an impressive artillery bunker with 3 crenels measuring 75mm. A few hundred meters beyond lies no. 1 block with its 75mm turret.

After walking outside, visitors return inside the fortification. They board another small train to the barracks and electricity plant with its four 225 horsepower diesel generators, designed for use should the external electricity supply have been cut off. The conclusion to the visit is the exterior museum featuring a large number of artillery exhibits, including three turrets recovered from Brehain fortification (around 12km south-east of Longwy, on the plateau which faces Luxembourg).

During the summer, the association organises a number of events in addition to these visits. In August 2003 the Fermont Fortification was transformed into a giant exhibition venue for the work of contemporary artists from the region. It was also completely metamorphosed in March 2003 when a part of Olivier Dahan's film "Crimson Rivers 2: Angels of the Apocalypse" was filmed there with Christopher Lee, Jean Réno and Benoît Magimet. The Meurthe et Moselle Departmental Council was conscious of the need to preserve the fortification without damaging it. It commissioned a study into realising the potential of Fermont Fort from a specialised consultancy, which resulted in a credible, sustainable plan for the promotion of the site as a tourist attraction.

Fremont Fort

Contacts: Friends of Fort Fermont fortification and the Maginot Line association

9, rue Albert Lebrun 54260 LONGUYON

Tel: +33 (0)3 82 39 35 34

Fax: +33 (0)3 82 39 26 46

email :ligne.maginot.fort.de.fermont@wanadoo.fr

Administration office staffed: Monday - Wednesday 2pm to 6pm and Friday 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 6pm.

Please wear warm clothing and suitable shoes.

Allow two hours for your visit.

Opening hours and tours:

1 - 30 April Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays 2pm to 3.30pm

1 May to 30 June one single visit Monday to Friday at 3pm, Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays 2pm to 3.30pm

1 July to 31 August every day from 2pm to 4.30pm

1 September to 3rd weekend in the month open every day, visits at 2pm and 3.30pm

3rd weekend in September to 31 October Saturdays and Sundays, visits at 2.30pm and 4pm

Open every day all year round for groups, by appointment with the administration office.

Entrance: Adults: €8, Children aged 7-12: €5 Group: €6 (30 people minimum)

Official Fermont Fort website

Fortweb website on European fortifications

Avec ses 19 blocs de combat et ses 10 km de galeries, l’ouvrage du Hackenberg est le géant de la Ligne Maginot.

Sa construction débuta dès 1930 parmi les tout premiers. Il fut en fait le prototype des ouvrages d'artillerie de la ligne Maginot. 1800 ouvriers environ travaillèrent avec des moyens relativement rudimentaires pendant six années pour construire les 19 blocs de combat et percer environ 10 kilomètres de galeries. Après 1933 et l'achèvement du gros oeuvre, on installa l'équipement intérieur et l'armée française prit livraison de l'ensemble en 1936.

Après la déclaration de guerre en 1939 et la période de vigilance maximale de la 'Drôle de guerre', le Hackenberg remplit son rôle lors de l'offensive allemande de 1940 et sa reddition ne fut effective que quelques jours après l'armistice. En novembre 1944, il fut investi par la 3e armée américaine du général PATTON lors de la terrible bataille pour la libération de la Moselle.

Sous la conduite d’un guide de l’association AMIFORT, le public y découvre des installations d’origine en parfait état de fonctionnement, une usine électrique et des groupes électrogènes en état de marche, des salles reconstituées à l’identique et un musée militaire.

La visite se poursuit à bord du petit train d’époque qui transporte les visiteurs vers les blocs de combat, dont l’imposant bloc 9 où l’on peut assister à la démonstration du fonctionnement de sa tourelle d’artillerie de 163 tonnes.

Après une sortie en surface, les visiteurs découvrent le bloc 8 qui porte encore les stigmates des combats de 1944 entre les troupes allemandes et américaines.

C'est un voyage dans le temps et dans l'Histoire d’une formidable fortification du XXème siècle que les bénévoles et salariés de l'association AMIFORT vous proposent.

L’ouvrage du Hackenberg est l’un des très rares ouvrages militaires possédant un circuit pédestre balisé par le Club Vosgien qui vous permet d'admirer les dessus de ces 19 blocs de combat en transitant par le Mur Antichar de 800 mètres de long et 8 mètres de haut, une curiosité unique en Lorraine.

La visite du fort dure environ deux heures et se déroule dans un environnement souterrain où la température est stabilisée à 12° toute l'année. Pour votre confort prévoir des vêtements en conséquence.

Compte tenu des contraintes liées à la visite d'un ouvrage souterrain ancien à plusieurs niveaux, seule la découverte de quatre-vingt pourcents du parcours est assurée pour les personnes à mobilité réduite. Les poussettes sont acceptées.

Une boutique souvenir vous est proposée à la fin de la visite.

Sources : ©GROS OUVRAGE MAGINOT DU HACKENBERG - PHOTOS libre de droit Crédit photo association AMIFORT