The Tranchée des Bavarois, or Bavarian Trench, was part of a German system of trenches in the St Mihiel Salient, south of Verdun.

The positions here were strengthened from 1915 onwards and a large number of concrete structures put in place, from concrete lined firing positions in the trenches to infantry shelters and mortar and machine-gun posts.

This bunker was made by a Bavarian Pioneer company in 1915/16 and sheltered men from a machine-gun team who had a concrete-made firing position built right by the exit to to their quarters. The legend ‘In Treue Fest’ was written on the brass belt buckles worn by these Bavarian troops and was their army motto. Roughly translated means ‘Firm In Loyalty’.

This bunker is part of a preserved trench system which is on a St Mihiel Salient battlefield route which can be followed around this area of the Western Front.