1915 : Haute-Chevauchee, Kaiser Tunnel

On the site of La Haute-Chevauchee in Argonne (forest road D38c) a historical path meanders by the ravine of the Meurissons (a network of French and German trenches and tunnels), borders the numerous giant funnels of the mines war, crosses the Kaiser Tunnel and leads to the military cemetery of La Forestiere where each tomb has its own hydrangea.

After the Bataille de la Marne, the 5th German army retreats and sets its frontline in the forest of Argonne, digging trenches to counter the attacks of General Sarrail's 3rd army. The German soldiers begin to build the Kaiser Tunnel [1] [2] [3] [4] in November 1915 to secure the communications with the front under the Kronprinz (Frederic-Guillaume) Cote. The soldiers dig kilometers of an underground city [5] [6] [7] with its various quarters : barracks, sanitary blocks, a temporary hospital [8] in the Northern end, a power station at the southern end, (air, water, lights...), storage depots [9] [10], headquarters and communication points. Soldiers live, run to shelter, eat and try to take some rest between two attacks, die in the dark, cold, muddy, damp tunnel. Nowadays, guided tours help - a little - to approach the definite horror of this situation.

Close to the Kaiser Tunnel can be seen the ruins of the Abri du Kronprinz, headquarters dugout of German Crown Prince Wilhelm, located in Bois de la Gruerie, Argonne, protected at that time by trenches and barbed wire [11] [12] [13].

See also : 1914 - 1918 Douaumont, Fort de Vaux and Voie Sacree and 1914 - 1918 Butte de Vauquois, Verdun

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