Webmaster’s Note: This is part to of the “Then and Now” blogpost focusing on Griffin Group photos in the Bois de Consenvoye and on Richêne Hill. Readers are encourage to view Part 1, which appeared yesterday. For reader’s convenience, the ABMC Summary of Operations map has been repeated below.
Caption: Griffin Group Photo A.M. 162. American Dead. 325.2 – 280.4. 8 January, 1919.
Location: Looking at the above map, the “then” photo was taken along the tree line just East of the gravel road.
Source of Then Photo: Griffin Group Photos, National Archives.
Source of Now Photo: Graham Gaulke.
Caption: Griffin Group Photo A.M. 172. Consenvoye Road Across Mollevile Farm. 325.1 – 281.4. 4 January, 1919.
Location: Looking at the above map, right along the gravel road–Western side. Due to the summer growth, it is difficult to see the bend in the road, but it is there. It is also difficult to see the “cut” in the hillside directly in front of photographer’s position where the two bunkers stood; but it is there too.
Just a few meters further up the road is a Wellblechunterstand (corrugated iron bunker) whose roof has been strengthened with concrete. It contains a concrete platform, most likely for a generator or similar piece of equipment. The Unterstand was not photographed, because the Webmaster did not have a “then” photo to match up.
Source of Then Photo: Griffin Group Photos, National Archives.
Source of Now Photo: Graham Gaulke.
Caption: Griffin Group Photo A.M. 150. P.C. 116th Inf. Bois de Consenvoye. 325.0 – 281.5. 8 January, 1919.
Location: On the Western side of the gravel road, approximately where the tree line ends on the Eastern side of the road. Lining up the exact then and now photo proved very difficult because of the growth that exists now. However, the concrete entrance is the give-away.
This German concrete bunker was the piece de la resistance of this photo hunting exercise. On its western side there are six angled holes in the ceiling–at regular intervals–all of which are angled at about 340 degrees. This implies that the bunker had mortars or other similar projectile devices that could fire at targets on Richêne Hill or the D19 running into the Bois de Consenvoye. The webmaster would love to hear from anyone that has more information on this bunker and its purpose.
Source of Then Photo: Griffin Group Photos, National Archives.
Source of Now Photos: Graham Gaulke.
Additional Photos of the Large German Concrete Bunker
View from above showing the size of the bunker and the roof cave in. It is not known whether the bunker was blown up after the war or whether it collapsed due to its weight.
Another view of the same, showing also the size of the main chamber.
Details of the roof and the angled firing holes. One can see the size logs that made up part of the roof.
One of the firing holes; from the top looking down.
One of the firing holes; from the bottom looking up.
