THE FIVE GERMAN BLOCKHAUS OF CHAMPCOURT WOOD IN XURES

A few days after the declaration of the war, on August 20th 1914, the French offensive in the annexed Lorraine was abruptly stopped at
Morhange. The German counter-attack pushed back the French beyond the river Meurthe but the battle of « la trouée de Charmes » put an end to it. Then, the Germans turned to Nancy but the failed to succeed in the « Grand Couronné » fights. There was an end of all those events on September 13th 1914. The French recovered most part of the lost territory, but the stabilization of the front in autumn did not allow the reconquest of the following villages : Xures, Parroy, Coincourt, Réchicourt, Juvrecourt, Bezange-la-Grande and Mouacourt.

During the whole war, the zone witnessed nearly daily artillery duels. Hoping to maintain that position, the Germans settled down and in May 1918, they built numerous concrete shelters, among them, those five blockhaus. The men from the first Bavarian field
artillery regiment left remains of their presence on the above command blockhaus.