RUINS OF SOMMEILLES
"We discovered the body of a man of about sixty (M. Adnot) who had been shot, he had two wounds in his chest, and his eyes were still bandaged; that of a woman of about the same age (Mme. Adnot) with no visible wounds; another of a woman of about thirty-five years, whose right fore-arm, entirely severed from the rest of her body, had been thrown at some distance. Her clothing had been torn off (this woman appeared to have been violated). Then that of a little girl of about twelve years, who seemed to have met the same fate; those of three children of from five to ten years, two of whose heads had been cut off and thrown near the bodies."
TOWN-HALL, SOMMEILLES
After visiting Sommeilles, we retrace our steps as far as the cross-roads, which we met on arriving at the village, and continue straight on towards Laheycourt by G. C. 35. In Laheycourt (39 km.), through which we pass, the monumental town-hall on the right, shown in the photo below, is worthy of note. It was burned by the Germans. The church opposite was turned into a hospital, and was spared for this reason. A certain number of houses were burned, or destroyed by shells.
On leaving Laheycourt, pass a level-crossing, then follow the railway for about 2 km. The railway then leaves the road and goes towards Villotte and Lisle-en-Barrois, while the road continues along the Valley of the Chée towards Louppy-le-Château.
The right wing of the Fifth Corps experienced violent fighting in this region on September 6. After having lost Sommeilles and Laheycourt, it turned to bay at Louppy-le-Château, as also at Villotte on the 8th.
TOWN-HALL, LAHEYCOURT
Traversing Louppy-le-Château (44 km.), three-quarters destroyed by fire, the church will be noticed on the right, in a piteous condition from shelling, as shown in the photographs on p. [253]. It dates from the thirteenth century and was restored in the nineteenth. The steeple was destroyed and the roof has fallen in. The bell, which was recovered from amidst the ruins, has been set up on the ground, and still summons the inhabitants to the services held in the roughly repaired choir.