Vacquois.

This is coolbert:

"Le village disparu - - the disappeared village"

Here is the Great War [WW1] saga of Vacquois.

Scene of intense tunnel warfare during WW1. Perhaps the one site in all of France that most epitomizes the entire concept of tunnel warfare as it was fought during the era.

The small French village of Vacquois - - sitting atop a butte, dominating terrain - - vicinity of Verdun. Dominant terrain fiercely contested by both sides [French and German] more or less for the entire length of the war. Contested primarily UNDERGROUND. The weapon of choice being a tunnel packed at the far end with explosive, detonated under the front line of the enemy!!

"It provided a superb observation point for road and rail traffic from the Islettes pass, and therefore, eventually, all movement to and from Verdun."

"butte - - n. A hill that rises abruptly from the surrounding area and has sloping sides and a flat top."

FOR A PERIOD OF FOUR YEARS, NEITHER SIDE EVER TO DISLODGE THE OPPONENT, THE COMBATANTS ESCHEWING ABOVE-GROUND CONVENTIONAL FRONTAL ASSAULTS - - RESORTING TO TUNNELING AND SAPPING AS A MEANS OF OVERCOMING THE OPPOSITION!!

Dig a tunnel from your side of the butte so that it extended under the front line trenches of the enemy, pack that tunnel at the far end with explosive, and detonate. Mining, counter-mining, sapping and counter-sapping that went on more or less continuously for three years!!

Combatants too engaging in warfare, hand-to-hand, miners and counter-miners sometimes meeting underground, deliberately or otherwise, trench-raid style warfare being the result, but subterranean! Literally cave-man type battle. Picks, shovels, hand-guns, grenades, knives, fists, boots, etc.

[these tunnels to a large extent were probably dug by men who in civilian life were professional miners? I think so!]

Again, during that entire period, neither side being able to dislodge the other!!

The village of is now gone forever. A multitude of craters now exists were the battlefield once was. And under the butte it is estimated there is no less than TEN MILES OF TUNNEL!!

"The sappers of both sides shifted tons of Argonne rock, a loamy sandstone the French called 'gaize', to create an underground system of tunnels, on three levels, that eventually totalled 17 km (12 km German/5 km French), and between them exploded 519 mines (199 German/320 French)."

During the Great War, not only did Vacquois die for France, but so did the butte!! All it seems, from a military stand-point, for nought.

What remains is now a popular tourist attraction? Tunnels and craters galore? Well, if you like that sort of stuff!

coolbert.