jainvince Posted 1 April , 2011 Share Posted 1 April , 2011 When we visited the Redan Ridge in April 2009 the last vestiges of the craters were being infilled with rubbish presumably prior to restoration to farming. Looking at the site of the Carnoy Craters they appear to have suffered a similar fate:- http://www.geoportail.fr/en_UK/visu2D.do?ter=metropole I know that there are some remains of craters when approaching Lochnager on the right in the village of la Boisselle but are there any more to be seen? I'm interested to know as we are visiting the Somme area in a weeks time and am planning the trip. Bernard P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain mchenry Posted 1 April , 2011 Share Posted 1 April , 2011 Bernard, You mention the Glory Hole at La Boiselle. Also surviving today are craters in the Tambour and also in Bois Francais near Fricourt. All however, are on private land. Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piorun Posted 1 April , 2011 Share Posted 1 April , 2011 Hawthorn can be clearly seen - although it is filled with hawthorns. Antony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willy Posted 1 April , 2011 Share Posted 1 April , 2011 Do you mean mine craters or shellholes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu Posted 2 April , 2011 Share Posted 2 April , 2011 There is the crater at High Wood, on the eastern side ( I think ! ), it can be seen through the fence by the track that runs up the side, it is now filled with water. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jainvince Posted 2 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 2 April , 2011 Thanks for the information. I remember now having been to Bois Francais near Fricourt but at the time forgot to go to the Tambour Craters. I think we wandered about amongst the craters and recall getting stung by some creature or another. However, well worth it. As to type of crater, taking my son and just wanted to show him some of thse remaining on the Somme before showing those around Messines. Bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david Michael jarvis Posted 4 April , 2011 Share Posted 4 April , 2011 And then there is the Casino Point crater near Carnoy. Filled in years ago but you can still see the dip in the ground as it settles. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 4 April , 2011 Share Posted 4 April , 2011 Bernard, depends on what you mean by craters. By the side of the D50 going north out of Albert, in the trees on the embankment to the railway, is a lot of broken ground with numerous shell craters. Some patches give a good impression of how it may have been. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Wade Posted 4 April , 2011 Share Posted 4 April , 2011 I seem to remember there's at least one large crater in the woods behind the jumping off trench near to the Accrington pals memorial at Hebuterne. Pas de Calais. France. It's probably a large shell crater though, rather than a mine crater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willy Posted 4 April , 2011 Share Posted 4 April , 2011 I seem to remember there's at least one large crater in the woods behind the jumping off trench near to the Accrington pals memorial at Hebuterne. Pas de Calais. France. It's probably a large shell crater though, rather than a mine crater. Hence my earlier question, craters or shellholes, if it's just disturbed ground by shellfire you want to see, their are numerous places to visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piorun Posted 4 April , 2011 Share Posted 4 April , 2011 Craters are mine craters, shell-holes are shell-holes. Bernard wanted to see craters. A. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Wade Posted 4 April , 2011 Share Posted 4 April , 2011 Craters are mine craters, shell-holes are shell-holes. Bernard wanted to see craters. A. <Pedant mode> With regard to the battlefields, a crater is just the resulting hole in the ground from an explosion near or under the surface. A shell hole is still actually a crater. </Pedant mode> And no matter what type, I'd hope they would still be of great interest to a lad experiencing the battlefields, especially if he could actually stand in one. There's a large one just downhill from the jumping off trench near to the Accrington Pals memorial and it's a big 'un too. Standing in the bottom and imagining the size of the explosion that caused it is very thought provoking. IMO it's worth visiting just as much as Lochnagar or Hawthorn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jainvince Posted 4 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 4 April , 2011 Thanks for the information. Andy The crater near to the Accrington Pals memorial. Is that the one in Sheffield Park and if so where is the crater, please? Been to the park before but don't recall it. As to which craters I'd like us to see, any really as traces of the Great War are slowly dissappearing. Bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willy Posted 5 April , 2011 Share Posted 5 April , 2011 If it's general disturbed ground and on the Somme try Newfoundland park, Roadside Aveluy wood,Mouquet farm, The Glory hole, Tambour, Sheffield memorial park, Delville wood, Bernafay wood, Hawthorn crater, Lochnagar crater, among others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 5 April , 2011 Share Posted 5 April , 2011 Bernard, If you are visiting to look at surviving vestiges or remnants (need to pick words carefully...we have seen that some people can be a bit pedantic)in some locations concrete structures (pill boxes, bunkers etc)are left to tell the tale in otherwise "ordinary" locations. Some, such as many 1918 British structures, did not see any action but some definitely have a story to tell. There was an offer on this site recently of a free guide to such vestiges. Regards Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piorun Posted 5 April , 2011 Share Posted 5 April , 2011 <Pedant mode> With regard to the battlefields, a crater is just the resulting hole in the ground from an explosion near or under the surface. A shell hole is still actually a crater. </Pedant mode> Thanks, Andy. I was just in grumpy mode . Apologies to all. Enjoy the trip, Bernard. Do remember that mine craters and their scatter zones are de facto graveyards. Yours, Antony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Wade Posted 5 April , 2011 Share Posted 5 April , 2011 Anthony, I did wonder. Excellent point about the human remains still buried in and around the craters. The crater I mentioned is at Sheffield Memorial Park, just downhill from the Accrington Pals and Barnsley pals memorials. There's a lot of disturbed ground on the downhill side of the trench. The jumping off trench (as you probably know) is just inside the treeline and the crater is just downhill a bit from the trench. Here's a picture of a fat bloke stood in it, wonder how on earth he's going to climb out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jainvince Posted 5 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 5 April , 2011 Once again, many thanks for the information. Our trip will include Mons and the retreat to Le Cateau as well as taking in the tanks walk and Deborah and a look around Cambrai. There's not a lot of remains to be seen around there (though our hotellier dissagrees) thus wanting to see some of the features remaining on the Somme. Afterwards, we are travelling via Vimy, doing some bunker spotting around Armentieres before searching the scub in the Salient. We will be visiting Newfoundland Park and walking to Redan Ridge, we may just have time to continue to Sheffield Park, returning via the Sunken Road and Hawthorn Crater. Bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Ryckeboer Posted 5 April , 2011 Share Posted 5 April , 2011 Bernard, If you are travelling via Vimy, visiting the trenches (with craters!) and tunnels is a must. Guided tours every hour: http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/vimy_contact And also worth a visit (To much forgotten, to my own opinion): Zivy and Lichfield Crater http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=4002336&mode=1 Kind regards, Joris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frajohn Posted 5 April , 2011 Share Posted 5 April , 2011 Hi Crater in High Wood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agh57 Posted 5 April , 2011 Share Posted 5 April , 2011 I'm sure I read somewhere that the crater at the Sheffield Memorial Park is the largest shell crater on the Western Front. I can remember where I read this and I'm not sure if it's true but just thought I'd throw it out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sly Posted 10 April , 2011 Share Posted 10 April , 2011 Hi there, Several mine craters were visible in the Somme on the "forgotten side", I mean in the French sector south of the river. - On the heights of Frise in the large wood towards Dompierre, access is restricted and difficult but the craters can still be seen and are pretty big. - At the sucrerie at Dompierre were big craters (and some smaller that the French blew up on July 1st), the craters have been filled up but a slight depression still exists. - Probably the biggest to my knowledge in the area was at Fay, north of the village. It was a mine from 1915, I should have some pics somewhere and I will post them. It has been filled up in the 1980's with earth when the new railway Paris-Lille was under construction, at that time the mayor of Fay did try to protect the big craters and to classify them as historical sites but unfortunately it didn't work. Map here: - Another one exists in the "Bois Madame" near Vermandovillers, it was probably a german mine. Sly PS: also see this post: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=34074 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warbuff1 Posted 11 April , 2011 Share Posted 11 April , 2011 Excellent photo. I thought i'd just share with you the fact that my Great Grandfather Sapper John Franklin 174/178th Tunneling Company RE helped to blow one of those mines on 8th Sept 1916 & was wounded in the process. I never knew him but I always feel a sense of pride & humility whenever I visit High Wood. Not to mention i find it such an eerie place even when the sun shines as seen in this photo Wayne Hi Crater in High Wood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agh57 Posted 12 April , 2011 Share Posted 12 April , 2011 Possible stupid question time, but I've got a trip planned in July and we are planning to visit High Wood. Is the crater accessible or is it on private land? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piorun Posted 12 April , 2011 Share Posted 12 April , 2011 High Wood is private and, the last time I heard, the owner isn't keen on "visitors". I believe there's still a lot of ordnance about. Other Pals are likely to be more knowledgeable. Antony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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