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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Blockhouse removal and preservation


SteveMarsdin

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In the Ploegstreet area they're moving a WW1 blockhouse to a new location to preserve it.

post-48281-0-65619200-1442310246_thumb.j

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Hi Steve,

Far better than destroying them as so often happens.

Do you know if it is it going into a museum?

Peter

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A very laudable thing to do. On the Norfolk coast a WW2 example has fallen on to the beach below due to erosion and now sits upside down.

Mike.

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That is a serious piece of heritage preservation. Congratulations and thanks to all involved, albeit a pity it could not remain where it was - what is the reason?

Trajan

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It was "discovered" in a garden/field covered in rubble in 2012. Local campaigners sought to get it transferred to another site at Warneton for preservation. A local construction company offered their hardware (cranes etc) and expertise to get it moved, all 30 tonnes of it !!! I 'm not sure whether it will form part of a museum or not but the operation to move it certainly looks impressive, more photos here:

http://www.lavenir.net/cnt/DMF20150914_00702768?pid=2373326

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This style of "British" storage bunker can be seen, scattered, just south of Ypres (ieper).

There are two in a field west of Voormezele, four in a group in front of a farm, on your right, as you drive towards Ypres from Messines, just before the Bedford House Cemetery. Another in the bushes as you drive around the eastern-side ring road of Ypres, on your left just before Hellfire Corner roundabout. Have a good look at this one as you can still see the indents where the sandbags were, when it was poured.

Three more behind a light coloured brick house in Ploegsteert, just along from the Strand Cemetery.

I am certain that there are others.

Peter

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The bunker on Ieper ring road has been taken over by the local community. It is fitted with doors with loopholes, not for any aggressive reason but as a home for a protected species of bats.

Barry

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Bonjour aux amis du forum. Le bunker était sur une terre agricole et il gênait pour l’extension d'un hangar. Depuis des années la Société d'Histoire de Comines-Warneton et un écologiste et historien avaient signalé le risque de disparition du bunker. Heureuse nouvelle donc d'apprendre le sauvetage du bunker par et le soutien de la Ville de Comines-Warneton et d'une firme privée pour le déménagement. Maintenant le bunker est mis en place sur le site de la CHRISTMAS TRUCE sur le territoire de Comines-Warneton. J'ai des photos mais je suis dans l'impossibilité de les mettre sur le forum, Sorry. Walbeer

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A translation using Reverso.

Hello to the friends of the forum. The bunker was on a farmland and it hampered(bothered) for the extension of a shed. For years the Company(Society) of History(Story) of Comines-Warneton and an ecologist and a historian had indicated the risk of disappearance of the bunker. Happy piece of news(short story) thus to learn the rescue of the bunker by and the support of the City of Comines-Warneton and a firm deprived for the moving. Now the bunker is set up on the site of the CHRISTMAS TRUCE on the territory of Comines-Warneton. I have photos but I am unable to put them on the forum, Sorry. Walbeer

Peter

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Merci au traducteur. Dommage que je suis incapable de mettre sur le forum les photos. Walbeer Une aide pour la mise sur le forum des photos est la bienvenue. beernaertwalter@gmail.com Amitiés.

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Good news to see such a preserved vestige.

Attached is a bit of info on this structure, from "Armageddon's Walls".

The structure is/was unique in still having the original quarry tiled floor. Last time I visited....maybe 3 years ago....was disappointed to see it buried under rubble, but at least it has survived. The Australian Engineers constructors would have been honoured, I am sure..

Walbeer....could you confirm the floor is still existing, and the vent cut into the rear wall?

post-2649-0-05478100-1442516400_thumb.jp

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A translation using Reverso.

Hello to the friends of the forum. The bunker was on a farmland and it hampered(bothered) for the extension of a shed. For years the Company(Society) of History(Story) of Comines-Warneton and an ecologist and a historian had indicated the risk of disappearance of the bunker. Happy piece of news(short story) thus to learn the rescue of the bunker by and the support of the City of Comines-Warneton and a firm deprived for the moving. Now the bunker is set up on the site of the CHRISTMAS TRUCE on the territory of Comines-Warneton. I have photos but I am unable to put them on the forum, Sorry. Walbeer

Peter

Just in case anyone is mystified:

Privé can mean deprived, but here it means a private company. The rest of the translation is not very elegant but it will pass. Glad to see this structure is in safe hands and out of danger.

Cheers

Martin B

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Bonjour les amis, pour le mot ''privé'' c'est le terrain de l'agriculteur qui souhaite agrandir son hangar pour l'engraissement de porcs. Pour le bunker, pas de fondation, pas de fond le bunker était construit directement au départ du sol. Le toit intérieur est en tôle ondulée avec grande ondulation et il n'y a qu'une ouverture (la mesure d'une porte actuelle) donc pas d'autre ouverture. Le bunker était à l'angle de la rue du Petit-Pont et le Busschemers sur le territoire de Ploegsteert. Salutations Walbeer.

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Hi Mick, at the site of the (existing ?) Christmas Truce memorial near Comines-Warneton.

Steve

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Bonjour les amis, pour le mot ''privé'' c'est le terrain de l'agriculteur qui souhaite agrandir son hangar pour l'engraissement de porcs. Pour le bunker, pas de fondation, pas de fond le bunker était construit directement au départ du sol. Le toit intérieur est en tôle ondulée avec grande ondulation et il n'y a qu'une ouverture (la mesure d'une porte actuelle) donc pas d'autre ouverture. Le bunker était à l'angle de la rue du Petit-Pont et le Busschemers sur le territoire de Ploegsteert. Salutations Walbeer.

The Reverso translation is as follows:

Hello the friends, for the "private" word it is the ground of the farmer that wishes to enlarge his shed for the fattening of porks(pigs). For the bunker, no foundation, no bottom the bunker was directly built from the ground. The internal roof is in corrugated iron with big undulation and there is only an opening (the measure of a current door) thus not of other opening. The bunker was in the angle of the street of the Young-bridge(-deck) and the Busschemers on the territory of Ploegsteert. Greetings Walbeer.

Peter

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Hi Mick, at the site of the (existing ?) Christmas Truce memorial near Comines-Warneton.

Steve

Thanks Steve, the existing one at St. Yvon or has something else been erected ?

Mick

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Bonjour Walbeer

Attaché est on photo (octobre 1987) du l'abris, de derrière mur, avec conduit pour cheminée, que je s'informer de la poste mentionné ci-dessus. Il est sûrement le conduit est enlargé pour observatoire de command artillerie (vue de l'est, a une poste en Hill 63. A la occasion do photo, il existe aussi, en l'intérieur, un sol carreau rouge. Ils est les qui poser un question de.

Si ils existe aujourd'hui, l,abris est une vestige unique de la modele (Australien/Anglais), et tres bien pour sauvetage.

Amicalement, Peter

post-2649-0-53823700-1442673053_thumb.jp

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Bonjour, les amis, voici une photo concernant le bunker pendant son déplacement. Merci pour les informations reçues sur le sujet. Il est maintenant sur le site de la trêve de Noël Chrismas Truce. Voici un lien sur le St-Yvon. Walbeer. https://joutu.beel2xMwH_fOI

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Quelques photos. Walbeer

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