Post 1918, no mans land,when was this made safe

[widavies]

Hi All,

Just been looking at some of the photographs that have been posted on this site comparing the present day pictures of the war zones to those during the conflict and the stark contrast was amazing. So a big thanks for all those that have posted these pictures over the years.

Now I was wondering in the aftermath of war, who was responsible for cleaning up the mess of battle and how long did this take before the ground was declared safe enough for "everyday activities"? Also were casualties of the clear up post November 1918 listed as official war dead?

Regards

Will davies

[Dickie]

there's a thread here...

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/l...php/t45593.html

and, if you're flush...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0...1933674-7040725

[keithfazzani]

Whilst the book referred to After the Ruins is excellent, it is highly academic and I would suggest you get a copy from the library, as I did, before shelling out for it. It is full of statistics and is written for the social geographer, but there are one or two interesting chapters.

[widavies]

there's a thread here...

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/l...php/t45593.html

and, if you're flush...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0...1933674-7040725

Hi Dickie,

Thanks for the links, very interesting, it seems to be the first real effort in the modern day phenomena of land reclamation but for a profit at a risk. It brought up some interesting points too, such as the cost and waste of war.

As for the Amazon link, I'm flush enough to purchase the book, but NOT without the express permission of the other half as the thumb print is deep!!!

Regards

Will Davies

[widavies]

Whilst the book referred to After the Ruins is excellent, it is highly academic and I would suggest you get a copy from the library, as I did, before shelling out for it. It is full of statistics and is written for the social geographer, but there are one or two interesting chapters.

Hi Kieth,

I'll try and see if they have it at the local library on my next visit, but I'm not given to much hope as rural Libraries are not so well stocked!!

Regards

Will Davies

[J Banning]

You should be able to get it via inter-library loan though. Worth asking them.

Good luck!

[Dickie]

Will, I pass mine off as a birthmark!

Keith makes a good point, at that price obviously worth checking the libraries first.

[widavies]

You should be able to get it via inter-library loan though. Worth asking them.

Good luck!

Hi Jeremy,

Thanks for the tip, just hope I can work out my leave rotas and find out how long they take to be available. There are a few other titles that I've also wanted to get my hands on too, and this might just be an ideal way of doing it cheaply.

Regards

Will Davies

[centurion]

In the 1930s there were a number of deaths, amongst French farmers who had recently acquired tractors, caused by unmarked (and therefore uncleared) British anti tank minefields (the mines were 2 inch (toffee apple) mortar rounds buried with a new type of pressure fuse uppermost) It still isn't completely save (see the heading on Battlefield relics above) A few years ago a father and son where killed by a gas shell picked up near Vimy and a French farmer was badly injured after picking up what appears to have been a French Liven drum filled with Mustard Gas

[widavies]

Will, I pass mine off as a birthmark!

Keith makes a good point, at that price obviously worth checking the libraries first.

Hi Dickie,

Good retort, so I hope you don't mind if I steal it and use it the next time one of the lads bumps into me and possibly comments about my occasional absences from any one of the irregular but rapidly diminishing organised "events"!!!

Regards

Will Davies

[CarylW]

I don't know if this will tell you anything? May give a glimpse of how things were back then

It is rather a tongue in cheek, long little ditty, that was printed in the "Snapper" EYR Journal in 1919. The author signs himself T.T

"From the War area

1 In the eleventh month there was an armisitce; and the soldiers and the R.A.S.C.rejoiced greatly

2 And behold, they that had sojourned many years at a place caled Base journeyed to the places of battle; and when they saw the shell holes for the first time they marvelled and were amazed

3 But they departed again quickly when they that wore red tabs spake unto the soldiers and said,

4 The war is not yet over; inasmuch as the fighting is finished ye shall now start working.

5 Go ye unto the devastated areas and there ye shall find shell cases and duckboards, and ye shall pile them in a heap

6 But the tins containing bully beef and pork and beans and plum and apple ye shall forward to the place called Base in bundles of ten; and they shall return to thee as new after many days for thy sustenance

7 And those things must ye eat and be satisfied or thy murmurings shall be called frivolous; and ye shall be detained in a punishment compound, and thy days shall be long in the land

8 Thereupon the soldiers proceeded unto the devastated areas; and there did they collect all manner of refuse

and such other rubbish as is in this act mentioned

9 And the prisoners of war were also asked to gather refuse; and wise men from the East were called upon to hep

to help them

10 And when those wise men shook old grenades against their ears, they cried in a loud voice "Goodela" and suddenly departed into a far country

11 And they had to carry the refuse many kilos; because there were no wagons, G.S., nor were there any lorries, motors, soldiers for the use of

12 For they that had driven those things had been sent to Albania to find work

13 And they that wanted work could not find it and they that found work could not do it

14 Therefore the powers that be said unto them; if ye will go to France and exhume ye shall wear khaki

and be called soldiers

15 And ye shall receive soldiers' pay, and ye shall have thirty pieces of copper in addition each day

that ye shall dig; and there were many that gave up their old age pensions to join up

16 And there was a great heat over the land; and the grass burst into flame

17 Wherefore the shells had been placed in a heap burst into pieces and there was much fear among the people

18 Now many shells had been placed in a heap unto the habitation of the prisoners; and their officer said unto them

19 Get ye hence; and they went unto a place of refuge in hollow ground

20 Now they that had come to exhume had pitched their tents in the hollow ground and seeing te prisoners advancing upon them

21 They communed with one another, saying "Surely they that cometh are possessed of a devil"

22 And straight away they left their tents and retired in extended echelon; even they that had gone sick moved more quickly than those which had not

23 In the evening the fire died out; and the shells ceased their bursting, and the prisoners returned to their own habitation

24 But they that had sojourned in the tents in the hollow tarried yet a while, lest peradventure

the prisoners desired sweet converse with them

25 And only when gross darkness had covered the earth did they return to their tents;

and they that were lost were two men

26 And they continued so lost until found by the A.P.M.in a fair city, whither they had run

27And when they returned the Centurion that commended them said unto them that stood about;

"Rejoice with me, for they that were lost are found"

28 Go ye to the store and bring me an earthen vessel marked S.R.D. and lo, when it was opened there was no man that was absent

T.T"

Caryl

[cdr]

Well

It still is not safe

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/eu...ar-1824135.html

This is a story about the youngest Belgian victim of world war one (currently 26 years old)

Carl

[Christina Holstein]

In Verdun, where the French government handed the central area of the battlefield over to the national forestry department and the villages were not rebuilt, the local demining service reckons that it will take 300 years to clear all the ordnance still in the ground.

In the area that was returned to farming, clearance was still going on in the early 30s. Today shells and ammo are still found and accidents happen, as they do on the Somme and in the Salient. From time to time huge ammo dumps turn up but it's kept quiet until the authorities have had time to do the necessary.

Christina