|
|
|
|
|
|
© Stéphane Compoint
|
|
Battle of Verdun : The National Sacred Way (which connects Bar le Duc to Verdun) during the Great War. 75 km long, it is now marked by specific milestones, surmounted by a french fighter helmet adorned with palms. It was only after the war it was called the "Sacred Way" by french writer Maurice Barres, in reference to the ancient roman Via Sacra, leading to triumph. From February to December 1916, nearly 2.4 million men are transited by this way. Trucks transporting equipment and troops swept over without stopping at the rate of one vehicle every thirteen seconds on average. During the summer of 1916, 90,000 men and 50,000 tons of ammunition, supplies and equipment borrowed it every week to feed the furnace of Verdun. Quarries were dug all along the road and soldiers constantly throwing stones under the wheels of trucks to fill the ruts. (This historic photo archive is not available for sale and only presented here to set the context).
|
|
|
|
|
