Bois Pernosse and Jäger-Tunnel
North of the Bois d’Apremont and the D 907 running from St. Mihiel toward Apremont were larger forest areas that remained largely undamaged during the fighting. They housed comprehensive German infrastructure facilities such as storage areas, medical facilities, artillery positions, light railway facilities, pioneer depots, and kitchens. Today, many remnants of these installations can still be found even in the front-line area, especially in the Bois de Gobessart, where the central German war cemetery of the St. Mihiel sector was also established.
During explorations in the southern front salient of St. Mihiel, one inevitably drives past one of these remnants without suspecting anything at first: the Jäger-Tunnel.
The tunnel was built in the first half of 1915 by the Bayerische Mineur-Kompanie 1 (1st Bavarian Miner Company) in the Bois Pernosse. Its southern exit is located near the junction of the D 171c leading to the memorial site of the Bois d’Ailly from the D 907. Located directly on the road, the southern exit gives the impression of a simple bunker if one does not know what it is. All traffic into and out of the Jäger-Tunnel, and thus a large part of the supply for the local front sector, was handled via it.
The Jäger-Tunnel connected the rear areas of the first German position in the Bois d’Ailly and the parts of the Bois d’Apremont adjoining to the east with the Marsoupe Ravine leading into the rear area. It housed material depots, quarters, and deep dugout barracks for reserve and standby troops. Furthermore, the partially deeply incised valley served for the concealed approach of troops quartered further to the rear and also of supplies unloaded at the light railway stations located further to the rear, for example at the Bayerischzell station formerly located near the Marsoupe-Ferme.
Today, the installation in the Bois Pernosse still has a length of about 200 meters and impressive dimensions. The striking main portal of the tunnel is easy to find today, but the original entrance is completely buried. Inside, the installation is unstable and dangerous due to remaining fixtures, mainly because of the partially still existing wooden structure.
were AI-edited (notice pursuant to Art. 50 Regulation (EU) 2024/1689).