Photos from the Railroad Front
Part 1

These photos were taken over the period of May 26-28, 2007 in the village of Emtsa (Yemtsa) and at what had been the forward Allied positions on the railroad located between Verst markers 444 and 446. What had been Verst 446 [map] today has the place name "Kukhtoozersky". This was where the Allied push down the railroad stalled out in the middle of October 1918. Located further south on the railroad at Verst 433, Emtsa (pronounced "Yemt-sa") [map] remained in Bolshevik hands throughout the campaign.

Mr. Suhanovsky writes:

"We were in Yemtsa from 26 to 28 May, 2007. We investigated both sides of the Vologoda (now Northern) Railroad. With GPS we were able to fix the defense installations along the 3 km length from Verst 444 to 446. The blockhouses, shelter, trench, prickly barrages and other points correspond precisely to the old Allied maps. These are the interesting places, where there are no people. The objects of front lie everywhere and they are wonderfully preserved."

(All photos courtesy of Alexey Suhanovsky, Arkhangel'sk, Russia)


War Monuments in Emtsa, Russia.

 


"Red Army Forever" Monument
honoring the Bolshevik soldiers of the Russian Civil War.
Emtsa, Russia

 


The railroad station at Emtsa on the Archangel-Vologda Railway.
The Allied advance along the Railroad Front stalled out just north of here in mid-October of 1918.
Emtsa was a Red Army strong point throughout the winter of 1918-1919.

 


Close-up of the station at Emtsa on the Archangel-Vologda Railway.

 


"The Iron Road"
Hiking north along the Archangel-Vologda Railway toward the location of the old Allied forward positions.
The 959 km marker is located about 3 km north of the station at Emtsa and 8 km south of Verst 446.

 


Part of the barbed wire entanglements that protected the forward positions.

 


Trench leading to the forward observation post at Verst 444.

 


A stream in the woods near Verst 444.

 


"No Mans Land" - a clearing near the forward positions at Verst 444.

 


The lake that is located midway between Verst 445 and 446.

 


A prettier view of the lake.

 


The remains of a blockhouse near Verst 445.
The logs used to make the blockhouse have been salvaged for other uses and only the earthen foundation marks its location.

 


Trenches that have remained undisturbed for 88 years.

 


This huge sinkhole crater is the result of natural karst action, not the result of explosives.

 


Artillery shell shrapnel.

 


Recovered artifacts - a bayonet and a pair of tent stakes.

View more Railroad Front photos in Part 2 and also here

View his photos taken at the Dvina River Front

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This page created: 05 June 2007; Last revised: 05 Sept 2008
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