History Nerds

History Nerd site no 487.

Between Verdun and Bar le-Duc is the La Voie Sacree, The Sacred Way. It was a backwater road that was the only way to supply the city of the Verdun during the terrible seige. After the war the French Government placed these stone markers every 100 metres along the route. While we were here a lady approached us and beamed with pride over our nerdish interest in these objects. By the way we both also have minature copies of the marker as well....Nerds

The Americans

Our day ended with a visit to the American Cemetery at Montefaucon. There is an enormous monuement (of coarse) that dominates the surroundings. The monuement is imbued with a great deal of Roman symbolism.

The graves of the American Servicemen stretch as far as the eye can see. It is the largest American War cemetery in Western Europe but no US President has ever visited it. They prefer the glories of Normandy and D-Day.  

Ils Nont Pas Passe

A very disturbing monuement at Hill 304 states the famous line from General Petain, "They shall not pass". Verdun was a war of attrition that a million men lost their lives in.

Douaumont Ossuary

Sunday began with a trip to the Douaumont Ossuary. It was built in the 1920's as a place were the bones of unknown soldiers could be stored. It is estimated that 130,000 soldiers are underneath the floor. We went to a Palm Sunday service in the chapel and heard The Passion from St Mark's Gospel in French.

Trenches

St Mihiel Trenches

 We crossed the Rhine and said Auf Wiedersehen Duestchland ---- Bon Jour Le France.

We travelled to the small town of St Mihiel, south of Verdun, and met a very special of McAuley College, Florence Lamousse, our guide for Verdun.
Florence brought along her pet Koala, Grafton, given to her by the first tour group in 2007. Grafton spent the night with some students to brush up on his strine.

Florence took us to some incredible trenches to the South of the village. These are the last trenches on the entire Western Front that have not been destroyed or restored for tourism. Here Florence shows us a German Officers command post.