Metz, France
Combat Operations Centre (COC)
Photographs

I was fortunate enough to spend a day (Thursday - 7 November 2002) in the Metz area. I originally wanted to visit the Chateau. It was deserted except for an uncooperative security guard at the main gate. All the buildings were in some state of disrepair and the grounds were overgrown. I was tempted to scale the fence to the west, but these days with video surveillance etc, I didn't want to take a chance on being caught.

So, I drove around to the bunkers just to see if there was a way in. I had tried in 1976, 1981, 1990 and again in 1996 - all to no avail. But 2002 proved to be my lucky year! I only had a few hours in Metz and as soon as I saw the opening, I crawled in, saw that I had reasonable access, and then drove back to Metz to buy a good flashlight.

I thought that by photographing rooms and areas that were rather distinctive, anyone who had worked there would immediately recognize the area, and hopefully provide some details as to what I saw.

The bunker is mostly a collection of empty rooms and has obviously not been used for anything since the RCAF moved out - with the exception of beer parties as the place was littered with empty beer bottles. It was a bit difficult to proceed with only a small flashlight to frame the photos, but it appears as if most of these turned out OK.

The two top floors were accessible - but there was a passageway leading down to the rear where another bunker sits - and this was totally flooded.


Click on the description text to view the photograph.
  1. This photo shows the location of the entrance into d'Ars bunker - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  2. This photo shows the location where access was obtained - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  3. The access corridor within the bunker - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  4. Another view of the access corridor within the bunker - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  5. Cement wall on the inside of the metal access door - 7 November 2002.
    If you look at the first photo, you will see a metal door which served as the main access to the bunker. The cement wall in this photo is on the inside of the metal door. Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  6. The access area, looking outside of the bunker - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  7. Unidentified access to a lower level within the bunker - 7 November 2002.
    This location is immediately to the left of the door that I crawled through. There was a little alcove with this ladder going down to water level.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  8. The remains of one of the washrooms - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  9. The remains of another washroom - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  10. The remains of what appears to be a room which was used for communications - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  11. Another view of the remains of the communications room - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  12. This corridor was flooded and not accessible - 7 November 2002.
    This corridor was on the lower floor and led to another bunker which you can see if you walk around the back of the main bunker.
    This corridor Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  13. The remains of an unidentified corridor - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  14. The remains of an unidentified corridor - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  15. The remains of an unidentified corridor - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  16. The remains of an unidentified corridor - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  17. The remains of what appears to be a kitchen area - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  18. The remains within an unidentified room - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  19. The remains within an unidentified room - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  20. Unidentified access to yet another room - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  21. This location appears large enough to have served as the main operations room - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  22. Unidentified fixtures within the bunker - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  23. The remains within an unidentified room - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  24. The remains within an unidentified room - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  25. The remains within an unidentified room - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.

  26. Directions dating back to World War II - 7 November 2002.
    Courtesy Jim Bauman.


Photographic Credits

All photos are used with permission.

Return to the Details Page
Return to Top of Page

About This Page

Updated: November 10, 2002