ALSACE VOSGES - Lingekopf - le Linge

From the opposite Schratzmännele we cross the road of the pass, the Collet du Linge, ... 

We make a walk, first along the French relics. Next we will visit the well organized and well preserved relics of the German trenches and bunkers of their 1st and 2nd lines.

For me this battlefied is one the most impressive, I have ever visited.

These trenches, along the road, formed the zig-zagging German 1st line in September 1915.

During three months the 3e Brigade des Chasseurs, reinforced by two companies of the 59e Régiment d'Infanterie Territoriale, digged on their side of the line their trenches and constructed their fortifications.

On 15 June 1915 a patrol of the 70th B.C.A. (70e Bataillon Chasseurs Alpins) tried a raid on the Crête, the ridge of the Collet, meeting fierce German resistance.

On 20 June 1915, being on the alert, the German troops bombarded the French positions, strengthening their own defences. De Pouydraguyn‘s 47th Division, made a second attempt to attack the Munster valley. The lines of Le Linge were confided to a new and young division, the 129th Infantry Division of General Nollet, consisting mostly of young soldiers of around 20 years old.

20 July 1915

The 26th was a day of haze, rain, and mud. This time the preliminary bombardment was successful. The French battalions of Chasseurs Alpins, the 14e and the 30e BCA, attacked at 18.00 hrs. The 30e BCA captured the ridge of Lingekopf, including the German 2nd line (out of 3), with very many losses! The 14e BCA occupied the Collet ("small pass") du Linge. Three attacks of German troops at the Collet were pushed back during the night, and until noon of the 27th.

During the night and the next day fresh reinforcements arrived, consisting of German elite units of the Jäger Bataillon 14 and the Garde Schutzen Bataillon.

27-31 July 1915

In the beginning of the afternoon of 27 July the French attacked the Schratzmännele and the Barrenkopf. The 15e Bataillon Chasseurs à Pied (BCP) occupied only temporarily the Barrenkopf. Though both sides suffered that day heavy losses, the Chasseurs made that day some 280 "rifles" prisoner of war.

On 29 July the French attack restarts at 15.30 hrs.. The 5e BCP attacked the Schratmännele from the Collet du Linge without success. The 120e BCP and the 11e BCA attacked at la Courtine near the Barrenkopf. The 11e BCA knew to reach the machine-gun post at the Barrenkopf. At 30 July the Germans launched an artillery bombardment, which would not prevent the French to launch another attack at the Schratzmännele 2 days later.

August - September 1915

On 18 August the battles intensified again. The 11e BCA conquered the Fort Lingekopf on the summit, but lost it again several hours later. The 27e BCA knew to reach the ridge of the Schratzmännele and to consolidate their positions.

On 22 August the 22e BCA captured the central bunker on the Schratz. The 23e BCA attacked again the bunkers at the Barrenkopf and occupied it for a few hours until a German nightly counter-attack forced them to retreat to la Courtine. Until the 24th there were attacks and counter-attacks from both sides. During these days the ridges of Le Linge changed many times of possession.

We enter the park of the "Mémorial du Linge", passing the interesting visitors centre and museum, following the eastern foot path upward.

The No Mans Land here was left of the footpath. It was not not more than 10 m. or less away from the French 1st line, on which we concentrate from now, and it's advanced posts along a steep slope. 

The French Lines

Everywhere on the ridge you will see white crosses and black crosses. These crosses mark the locations of relatively recently exhumed bodies of soldiers, missed in action in 1915.

White crosses for French soldiers, black crosses for German soldiers.

As the battlefield is still not cleared, some parts are still too dangerous to enter.

For an observation of the French lines you are obliged to stay on the path.

Sometimes the French barbed wire and advanced posts were not more than 2 m. away from the path.

We return downward the path to the entrance to begin our walk again.

This time however to focus on the German 1st line, on the east (left) side.

Lingekopf - German Lines

We start again with a view at the top. The summit itself is still forbidden terrain, because of the danger of explosives, and the possible presence of bodies of soldiers, missing in action.

But as long as you stay on the paths or in the German trenches, you are free to visit anywhere you will go.

For now we follow again the main western path in No Man's Land, concentrating on the German 1st line.

My late wife, Chris, just passed the first, southern "Blockhaus". The French line of October 1915 is just 2 m. from the path.

It shows how well organised and well built the Germans made their bunkers: steel U bars covered with lots of concrete.

On this page you will find some photo's of the unique collection of period photographs by Oberleutnant Dose (left on the period photo above) of the Prussian 187th Infantry Regiment, who served at the Lingekopf or le Linge in October 1915.

I am very grateful for the courtesy of my late penfriend, Herr G.F. Dose (+12-09-2008) from Germany, who allowed me to show you some samples of this well protected and well saved extraordinary collection of his father Oberleutnant Dose.

Herr Gerhard Dose managed some interesting websites. For this topic about the Lingekopf I also do warmly recommend a visit to Herr Dose's English version of www.vogesenkaempfe14-18.de/187.htm based on the notes of Oberleutnant Dose and the war journals of the  187th Infantry Regiment.

After this intermezzo we continue our walk along the German 1st Line.

In the meantime we have reached the most northern "Blockhaus", ...

... an observation bunker at the highest point of the 1st line trench, which offers this view in the direction of the Col du Wettstein and the Tête de Faux.

Of course I had to take a look inside this observation bunker. These trenches and fortifications were often constructed or repaired under enemy fire!

The Bavarian Wilhelm Betz was very proud of his bunker, improved in June 1916.

...and another one on the inside of the observation post. The inscriptions form proof of the improvements,  the Germans would still make on their trenches and fortifications long after the end of the battles in October 1915.

A Reminder: On 9 September 1915; new German attacks, with gas and flame-throwers. The French counter-attacks failed.

After a short turn to the north, we saw this bunker, which the French call the "Fort Carré".

The bunker used to be connected with underground tunnels to and from the third line. Nowadays the entrance to the tunnels has been filled in.

... to the most advanced point which the French reached in the German 2nd line.

A the end of October the front stabilised, and the great battles around the pass of Le Linge petered out.

Until 1918 each party along "The Forgotten Front" reorganized and strenghtened it's defences. Both belligerent parties worked often under enemy fire.

Sometimes there were still artillery duels and hand to hand combat fighting in the Lingekopf sector.

In the meantime we have arrived back at the southern slope of the Lingekopf.

A last view northward to the 2nd German line. 

Back at the parking of the battlefield, I advise you to visit the "Mémorial du Linge" Museum, ...

...to watch an interesting historic movie about the French mountain warfare in the Vosges, and about the transport of supplies and troops under harsh conditions from Gérardmer to these summits.

On the next photo page we continue with our explorations of the Lingekopf-sector with the Kleinkopf and the Barrenkopf.  Continue to the next chapter: "Kleinkopf - Barrenkopf".

Period pictures Courtesy of Herr G.F. Dose, © http://net.lib.byu.edu/estu/wwi/dose/01-Vogesen-01.htm.