Hohenzollern Redoubt, German military fortification in Auchy-les-Mines, France
The Hohenzollern Redoubt is a German military fortification in Auchy-les-Mines built on former mining waste heaps and extending across roughly 300 yards. Its curved design provided defenders with strong positions from which to resist attacks from multiple directions.
British forces attacked this strongpoint repeatedly between September and October 1915 during the Battle of Loos, suffering around 3,763 casualties in those efforts. Later in March 1916, British tunneling operations detonated four large mines beneath German positions, fundamentally reshaping the contested ground.
The name references the Prussian ruling family and reflects German control over this strategic location. Visitors can observe how the fortification was integrated into the landscape and understand its importance to the war's narrative.
The site is located at 320 Chemin du Mont d'Auchy near several Commonwealth War Cemeteries and the Notre Dame de Lorette Museum. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear as the ground can be muddy or uneven in places.
The fortification still shows traces of British tunneling work and chambers dug beneath the ground for explosives. These underground passages are part of the larger story of mine warfare tactics during the First World War.
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