WW1 and WW2 Defences - Suffolk and beyond

On a beautiful spring day with the temperature easily in the 60’s, we decided on a quick drive up to the Arras battlefields and had a pleasant walk around the south east side of Monchy, covering the area around Bois du Sart and Bois du Vert, The Mound and Infantry Hill.  On the way we stopped off at the two German blockhouses at Wancourt and two cemeteries, Henin Communal Extension and Wancourt British Cemetery. Above: Images of the larger blockhouse, presumably a command post that was built for defence with several embrasures. The entrance and an embrasure can be seen in the first image. Interior images are poor as my cameras flash decided not to work!! ABOVE:  HENIN COMMUNAL CEMETREY EXTENSION, HENIN-SUR-COJIEUL (P. De C.). 5 miles S. of Arras, 2 ½ miles NE. of Boyelles Sta., 750 yards S. of village, near St. Leger road. Henin was 1 ½ mile behind front line at beginning of Battle of Arras April 1917, and was used from April to Nov. 1917....

During the week we spent some time in the Carnoy - Maricourt area, especially around Faviere Wood ( Bayern Waldchen  to the Germans). The German book, “An der Somme” is quite good for images of this area.   Above: Top image of Carnoy Hollow ( Carnoymulde ) form An der Somme. Bottom - the area today, image taken from Casino Point, a German Strong point which dominated the hollow. Not surprisingly, the British blew it up with a mine on July 1st.  Bayern Waldchen was just behind the German front line and was also in the area where the British and French attacks joined on July 1 st 1916 on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme.  The German defences in this area of the Somme were not as strong as those further north, possibly because they had been relatively quite compared to the constant fighting to the north during 1915 at La Boisselle, Ovillers, Serre etc. The wire was not as strong, there were inadequate deep dug outs and not enough communicatio...