Butte de Montsec –
le Mont – Bois Haute Charrière et Géréchamp
South of the Lac de Madine lies arguably the best-known military-historical landmark in the Saint-Mihiel salient: the nearly 380-meter-high Butte de Montsec with its widely visible monument to the units of the 1st and 2nd U.S. Armies and other formations deployed in 1917 and 1918.
Overall situation:
The prominent elevation of the Butte de Montsec, which during wartime bore the tactical designation “Côte 380” among the French and was simply called “der Montsec” by the Germans, lay about three kilometers behind the front German lines throughout the entire war. These ran almost unchanged from the autumn of 1914 to September 1918, starting from the positions in the Bois d’Apremont over the long drawn-out ridge of “le Mont”, along the southern edge of the Bois de Géréchamp and the Tombois forest, continuing across open terrain including the villages of Richecourt and Saint Baussant into the Bois de Mort Mare.
Developments from September 1914 onwards:
Relevant combat actions occurred only at the beginning and towards the end of the military engagements in the Saint Mihiel salient. During the advance of Armee-Abteilung Strantz (Army Detachment Strantz) onto the Côtes Lorraines starting on September 19, 1914, the units of the III. Bayerisches Armee-Korps (IIIrd Bavarian Army Corps) advanced energetically from the fortress of Metz into the southern Woëvre plain. The objective was to take possession of the Meuse heights, the city of St. Mihiel, as well as the three strong French fortresses Camp des Romains, Paroches, and de Troyon, in order to create a good starting position for the encirclement of the fortress of Verdun and further advancement to the west.
To enable the advance of the 6. K.B. Infanterie-Division (6th Bavarian Infantry Division) onto the city of St. Mihiel as well as Fort Camp des Romains at the southern edge of the attack sector, the neighboring Fort de Liouville had to be suppressed by artillery fire. This task was to be accomplished by elements of the Prussian (18. Fußart.Regt. (18th Foot Artillery Regiment)) and Bavarian foot artillery (2. KB Res.Fußart.Regt. (2nd Bavarian Reserve Foot Artillery Regiment)) as well as an Austrian motor battery of the k.u.k. “Krakau Half-Battalion” consisting of two 30.5 cm Škoda mortars. The artillery units were to fire from positions north and east of the ridge of le Mont as well as the Butte de Montsec. The 5. K.B. Infanterie-Division (5th Bavarian Infantry Division) consisting of the 14. K.B. Infanterie-Regiment (14th Bavarian Infantry Regiment) and 21. K.B. Infanterie-Regiment (21st Bavarian Infantry Regiment) was tasked with capturing both elevations as well as the Bois de Géréchamp located to the south, in order to establish an artillery protective position there.
The order was executed starting September 21, 1914. Initially, no significant French resistance had been encountered anywhere. There were only brief skirmishes with patrols as well as sporadic artillery raids. The Bois de Géréchamp and the Butte de Montsec were occupied without a fight. In the area of le Mont, more intense fighting occurred with entrenched French units. During this, the Bayerisches Infanterie-Regiment 21 (21st Bavarian Infantry Regiment) suffered losses of 30 men killed and wounded on September 22, 1914. Nevertheless, le Mont was also quickly captured. Immediately thereafter, work began on the construction of firing positions for the artillery, which opened fire on the designated targets on September 23, 1914.
As early as September 24 and 25, 1914, units of the 6. K.B. Infanterie-Division (6th Royal Bavarian Infantry Division) succeeded in capturing the town of St. Mihiel and the Sperrfort Camp des Romains. Although the French continually endeavored to push back the German troops, the positional system of both sides became established along the southern edge of the salient. The forward positions remained essentially unchanged until the Franco-American offensive starting September 12, 1918.
Events from mid-1916 – 5. Landwehr-Division (5th Landwehr Division):
In early October 1914, parts of the 8. und 10. Ersatz-Division (8th and 10th Ersatz Divisions) were deployed in place of the Bavarian units of the III. Armee-Korps (III Corps) on the Butte de Montsec, the le Mont, in the Bois de Géréchamp, as well as in the adjacent sectors. The Bavarian regiments 14 and 21 moved further west into the area of the Bois Brûlé, as well as the Bois d’Apremont, where—well into the year 1915—very heavy fighting was to take place, above all for the French earthwork known as a field fortification on the Apremont road (today’s D 907).
From late April 1915, the preußische Garde-Ersatz-Division (Prussian Guard Ersatz Division) took over the sector consisting of the le Mont and the Bois de Géréchamp. Further advancement was no longer planned on the southern flank of the St. Mihiel salient, nor was it practically possible. Work began on the expansion of the forward position systems, rearward artillery positions, and large camp complexes in the extensive forest areas of the Woëvre plain to accommodate and supply the mass of troops. Many of these positions can no longer be found today, because they disappeared at the bottom of the Lac de Madine, which was dammed in the 1960s.
The area between the villages of Apremont-la-Forêt in the west and Xivray-et-Marvoisin in the east received its essential military character from mid-1916 onward. Thereafter, responsibilities at the southern edge of the St. Mihiel salient fundamentally changed. Units of the 5. preußische Landwehr-Division (5th Prussian Landwehr Division) took over the positions on the ridges of le Mont and in the Bois de Géréchamp.
The troops of the 5. Landwehr-Division had previously been involved in the northern Woevre plain in the heavy fighting of 1915 around the villages of Pinthéville, Riaville, Marchéville, Maizeray, and Fresnes-en-Woevre. They were to remain in the new sector between the Meuse and Moselle for more than two years, namely until the beginning of the Franco-American offensive in September 1918.
As early as March 1916, the 36. Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment (36th Landwehr Infantry Regiment) (part of the 5. Landwehr-Division) had moved into the position sector on le Mont. The Guard units had formed a mining company composed mostly of miners from the eastern mining regions of the German Empire. The mining company initially remained in the position to train the Landwehr troops.
The 7. Garde-Ersatz-Regiment (7th Guard Ersatz Regiment) had already begun the massive expansion of the Le-Mont-Stellung. The trench line ran along the upper southern slope of the ridge and was considered impregnable due to the steepness of the terrain. A strong outpost position was located around the village of Loupmont. This was exposed to constant French attacks, primarily by artillery. Thus, the mining company of the 7. Garde-Ersatz-Regiment had begun building a large tunnel right through the ridge to just above the village, through which a horse-drawn haulage railway later operated. The entrances of the tunnel were blown up by American units after the end of the fighting.
On the northwestern slope of the le Mont, large camp areas were created, such as the “le Mont West” camp and further east the two complexes “Klein-Gratin” and “Groß-Gratin”. Essentially, these camps consisted of rooms driven into the mountain, corresponding forward structures, and only a few brick or concrete buildings. In the northwestern, flatter terrain (Bois de Richichanois), accommodation areas mostly consisting of wooden barracks were also created, since the area possessed good camouflage due to the dense forest and was difficult to target with artillery.
Over time, across the entire width of the positions on le Mont, a very complex gallery and tunnel system with cross-connections, entrances from the rear storage areas and the forward defense points, ventilation shafts, etc., was created, which was systematically blown up in many places as part of the retreat of the German troops in September 1918. Some areas are nevertheless still accessible, albeit only with speleological equipment and associated with considerable hazards due to the unstable rock.
In the Bois de Géréchamp, construction activity proved incomparably more difficult than on the rocky ridge of the le Mont. The entire forest was very swampy due to the surrounding streams and ponds as well as the generally high groundwater. Dugouts and galleries filled with water, and fire trenches collapsed after a short time. The accommodation of the soldiers caused massive problems. Only after the construction of a complex drainage system and the installation of a large number of pumps was it possible to keep the water somewhat under control. Nevertheless, the dugouts, galleries, and trenches always remained damp. Rheumatic diseases as well as many cases of trench foot were the result.
During wartime, the almost unvegetated Butte de Montsec played only a subordinate role in terms of positions due to its distance from the front lines. Its exposed location, however, led to the construction of observation posts by artillery units and command posts. Later, a few machine gun positions were added. Starting in late 1916, camp complexes were established on its steep northern slope, as well as underground barracks and three larger tunnel complexes connected to the observation posts on the summit. The forests located further back were gradually equipped with camp areas. Essentially, these sometimes large complexes—above all in the Bois de Gargantua or the Ozière-Wald, in the Bois de Nonsard or the Gonsonmeix-Wald—were located on the territory of today’s Lac de Madine. Remains can only be sparsely discerned on the fringes of the lake.
The depression between the eastern part of le Mont and the western spur of the Butte de Montsec was called Sattel-Schlenke by the German troops. For security, several connecting trenches were constructed starting from le Mont to the positions in the Géréchamp-Wald and towards Montsec. Later, individual concrete installations were added, including the “Feste Braese” preserved on a meadow near the Richichanois Ferme on the D 12, which was a machine gun bunker. The surrounding areas of le Mont were also developed. Today, southwest of Varnéville near the D 908 at the edge of the forest of the former “Katzenbuckel” (le Petit Saussaimont) sector, a larger and perfectly preserved concrete artillery position with a firing direction toward Fort Liouville can be found.
As already described in the introduction, the major military engagements in the St. Mihiel salient took place elsewhere until 1918, above all in the Bois d’Ailly, in the Priesterwald, and on the western flank on the Combres Höhe (Les Eparges). The sector between Apremont and Xivray-et-Marvoisin held by the 5. Landwehr-Division (5th Landwehr Division) was considered quiet. Alongside continuous construction work, which produced the concrete structures frequently found today, smaller and larger patrol operations were the order of the day. In the years 1916 and 1917, the French remained predominantly passive and used the sector to refresh exhausted units. Detailed information about the events during this time, the extensive construction work, and the brisk patrol service is provided by the Regimental History of Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment 36 (36th Landwehr Infantry Regiment).
Franco-American offensive starting on September 12, 1918:
From the end of 1917, the situation in the West changed fundamentally with the entry of the USA into the war. Within a few weeks, the Americans had shipped several hundred thousand soldiers, hundreds of artillery pieces, aircraft, and other equipment to France. The balance of power deteriorated rapidly to the detriment of the German Army. Starting in March 1918, following the release of large troop contingents in the East as a result of the Russian capitulation, there were once again several major German offensives, collectively known as the “major battle in France,” with which the German Empire sought to force a decision. Although significant territorial gains could be achieved, the decisive breakthrough failed to materialize. By the end of August 1918, German troops were back in their starting positions, but now severely decimated.
In the course of several orientation talks between the French Generalissimo Foch and Generals Pétain, Haig, and Pershing in July 1918 at the Château de Chantilly near Paris, it was decided to eliminate the St. Mihiel salient that had existed for four years. At the insistence of the American General Pershing, it was determined that a newly formed US Army was to direct and carry out the operation under its own command. That was the birth of all subsequent American military activities outside its own territory down to the present day.
On the German side, the construction of several fallback positions had already begun in 1916, including the “Schroeter-Stellung” named after the responsible General der Pioniere with Armee-Abteilung C (Army Detachment C), Generalleutnant (major general) Johannes Schroeter, on a line running from Buxières to Nonsard and Thiaucourt.
From mid-1917, the construction of the “Michel-Stellung” was accelerated. This was conceived for the event of the complete abandonment of the salient between Manheulles in the north and the Moselle near Pont-à-Mousson in the south. By the autumn of 1918, it was essentially completed, consisted of about 1,000 mutually flanking machine-gun and infantry bunkers, and was to be regarded as an efficient defensive position.
It was planned, in the event of a major attack, to initially withdraw to the “Schroeter-Stellung” and, if necessary, further into the “Michel-Stellung”. Extensive plans and orders were drawn up for every conceivable case of a potential attack. The conceived scenarios received tactical designations such as “Michel Defensive Battle”, “Whole Front Defensive Battle”, or “Southern Defensive Battle”. In a staff-like manner, it was determined on the basis of maps and lists how the retreat was to take place. Ultimately, however, Clausewitz’s wisdom proved true once again: “No war plan survives the first clash with the enemy.”
In August 1918, Allied artillery and patrol activity increased significantly. An impending major offensive was becoming apparent to the German army leadership. On September 10, the Oberste Heeresleitung reluctantly and hesitantly ordered the initiation of the evacuation of the front salient, designated as the “Loki Movement”. The destruction of the military infrastructure and the withdrawal of the troops were designed for a total of eight days. Striking into this withdrawal, which was only just beginning, was the surprisingly early major offensive by American and French troops starting on September 12, 1918.
The main attack on the southern flank of the St. Mihiel salient was to be carried out by five American divisions between Seicheprey and Regniéville northward to a line formed by Thiaucourt – Vigneulles – Les Eparges. Following this, no further advance to the east was initially planned; rather, an attack in a western direction toward the Argonne region in order to encircle the German troops there. However, this further attack was no longer carried out. Instead, the American units were largely employed in the Franco-American Meuse-Argonne Offensive, which took place starting on September 25, 1918.
East of the town of St. Mihiel (Bois d’Ailly, Bois d’Apremont and Bois Brûlé) and also in the area of le Mont and Bois de Géréchamp stood units of the French 39th Infantry Division (39e division d’infanterie). Although the advance of the American units further to the east progressed rapidly, the French troops failed to break the resistance of the Landwehr units. Although the German positions on the le Mont had been shelled with gas shells, the garrison there and also the defenders in the Géréchamp Forest repelled the attack attempts, primarily by the French 153rd Infantry Regiment (153e régiment d’infanterie). However, when it became apparent that the German positions had been outflanked from the east and by the American units advancing from the Côtes Lorraines, and encirclement threatened, the withdrawal and abandonment of the positions—which the 5. Landwehr-Division (5th Landwehr Division) had defended for more than two years—took place on the night of September 13, 1918.
By September 15, 1918, the attack by the Franco-American forces was completed. After only four days of combat, this brought to an end a four-year period of German occupation that has left a lasting mark on the area in the former St. Mihiel salient and continues to do so to this day. There is no sector along the entire Western Front that features such a concentrated presence of remains of the German army in the fields, forests, and also the villages. Position remnants, bunkers, former camp areas, accommodation structures, and other supply facilities, inscriptions in old houses, and much more still shape the appearance and the local population’s memory of these four difficult years of German occupation today. They make the St. Mihiel salient a unique research space for the history of the First World War off the beaten tourist tracks on battlefields such as those at Verdun, the Somme, or Ypres. The charming landscape of the Woëvre plain and the Côtes Lorraines makes a visit distinctive and unforgettable, especially in spring and autumn.
were AI-edited (notice pursuant to Art. 50 Regulation (EU) 2024/1689).