Click on the description text to view the photograph.
- Overall view of the west battery with 601 Squadron buildings in the background - March 1966.
The guns had been removed but we were toild that some of the fittings inside the turrets were still in place. Unfortunately, part of Fort d'Ars and much of Fort Jury was sealed off due to the crumbling condition of the interiors.
Courtesy Earl Johnson
- Northwards-facing parapet of Fort d'Ars - March 1966.
A small part of Fort d'Ars was occupied by the Comm Centre, Classified Comm Centre, Intelligence Centre, COC, Switchboard etc. Much of the Fort was sealed off. Most of the wooded land around the fortifications were off-limits because of unexploded ordnance.
Courtesy Earl Johnson
- The entrance to the unoccupied part of Fort d'Ars - March 1966.
This is just below the parapet in the previous photo. The entry door is on the left.
Courtesy Earl Johnson
- The entry door as seen from inside the bunker - March 1966.
There are two narrow halves - one closing over the other, and held in place by a large turnbuckle.
Courtesy Earl Johnson
- Directions to the WC, French on the left and German on the right - March 1966.
I thought this was quite humerous as the French carefully avoided covering the original German sign. This is just inside the bunker entrance, hence the gun port to discourage visitors who might try to penetrate the entrance.
Courtesy Earl Johnson
- This is the WC that the signs pointed to - March 1966.
This is rather spartan by today's standards. I thought the floral wall decoration was somewhat peculiar for a fortification.
Courtesy Earl Johnson
- This was located near the WC - March 1966.
A ladder going up through two trap doors to a tiny observation turret. The turret was perhaps three feet across with a single vision slit. There was an adjustable stool for the observer, but the padding was gone. The turret itself was in the woods and out of bounds.
Courtesy Earl Johnson
- This is a salient or advance fire - March 1966.
I am uncertain of the terminology. It juts out from the main body of the fortification to enfilade anybody attacking. The light is rather poor as Metz is often very grey.
Courtesy Earl Johnson
- Inside the above mentioned salient - March 1966.
The triangular metal frames are machine gun mounts which slide forward into firing position.
Courtesy Earl Johnson
- A closer view of one of the mounts - March 1966.
When the machine gun is in its rearward position, two sliding iron shutters controlled by the levers above close the gunport.
Courtesy Earl Johnson
- This tiny cross was off the access road to Fort d'Ars. The detail on the dog tag is barely readable.
- March 1966.
Courtesy Earl Johnson
- Larger image of the dog tag which was on the cross - March 1966.
The detail, while severely faded, appears to read: "TONY AUCOIN, BRITANNY BAY, R-R-1, ONT."
Courtesy Earl Johnson
|
