_After turning to the right at the crossing mentioned above, keep straight on._
About 2 kilometres from Fresnes the road from that village to Witry-les-Reims crosses an old Roman causeway, at the side of which, slightly to the south of Hill 118, the Fort of Fresnes was built in 1878. This fort was blown up by the Germans during their retreat in 1918. Its ruins are impressive. In the moats of the fort are German trenches and shelters extending right up to the walls of the fort.
_The village of Witry-les-Reims is next reached._ It suffered severely from the numerous bombardments, which its situation near the first lines rendered inevitable.
_After crossing the railway (l.c.) at the entrance to the village, keep straight on._ The ruined church _is on the left, near the entrance to the village_.
Except for one tower, which dates from the 12th century, the church is modern. The spire was destroyed by the Germans. The belfry, used by the enemy as an observation-post, was struck by French shells.
Like many of the villages around Rheims, Witry-les-Reims is of Gallo-Roman origin. More than two hundred Gallic sepulchres and cinerary urns have been brought to light. The objects thus discovered, including a large number of vases, now form the _Bourin_ pre-historic collection.
_After visiting the church keep straight on. At the Mairie_, of which only the front remains standing, _turn to the right into the Rue Boucton-Fayréaux. Follow this street to the Place Gambetta (about 200 yards distant), where turn to the left._ The entrance to "Pommern Tunnel," which connected up the German rear and front lines (_photo, p. 163_), is in this square.
The German inscriptions in the tunnel have been taken down, and the entrance blocked up, on account of the roof and walls giving way.
[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO "POMMERN TUNNEL" AT WITRY-LES-REIMS]
_Leaving the Place Gambetta, take the Rheims-Rethel road (N. 51) on the left, then the first street on the right to the_ =Fort of Witry=.
_Just outside the village the road crosses_ the old Roman causeway from Rheims to Trèves, _and a little further on passes to the left of the_ =Fort of Witry=.
The =Fort of Witry= suffered but little from the bombardments.