The photos on this
page were taken by
Alexey Suhanovsky, of Arkhangel'sk, Russia, over the period of June 9-11, 2007 at what
had been the forward Allied positions on the railroad
located between Verst markers 444 and 446. The area at
Verst 446 is also known today as Kukhtoozersky.
Mr. Suhanovsky writes:
"The evidence provided by
the remains of the many fortifications in the area of
Verst 444 to 446 shows that they were the arena of bitter
battles between the Armed Forces. Its engineering history
is very rich. The fortifications which were built by the
Americans are actually lost in the enormous mass of
trenches, blockhouses and shelters that were later built
by the Bolsheviks and white troops of the region. What
you see today is the remainders of a solid military city
which was enclosed by the entire kilometers of trenches!
As we hike the 11.5 kilometers north from Emtsa, the
fortifications gradually strengthen as we approach
Kukhtoozersky. "
The modern map at right
shows the town of Emtsa (bottom) and the clearing at Kukhtoozersky (top)
which was the location of Verst 446.
A pastoral scene near Verst 446 (Kukhtoozersky).
The clearing at Verst 444, the forward-most position occupied by
the Allied forces along the Railroad Front.
Zig-zag trench, possibly dug by the British after the U.S .Army
left in June of 1919.
Trenches at Verst 445.
The remains of one of the many blockhouses at Verst 445.
A can of "M&V Rations" - British meat &
vegetables.
Discarded mess kits.
Bayonet with hand grip.
Recovered ammunition.
A disintegrating gas mask canister with charcoal pellets still
inside.
A French "VB" rifle grenade.
Company I of the US Army's 339th Infantry Regiment used them for
the first time -
and with deadly effectiveness - to repel the Bolshevik attack at
Verst 444 and 445 on 04 Nov 1918.
Hand grenades that were recovered from the abandoned trenches.
British "18 Pounder" artillery shell.
Alexey with a Red Army 152mm artillery shell.
The ground is littered with still-sharp shrapnel, like this piece
that Alexey posed on a broken tree branch.
Webmaster: Mike
Grobbel
This page created: 17 June 2007; Last revised: 05 Sept 2008
URL for this page: http://pbma.grobbel.org/photos/alexey/railroad_2.htm
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