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Remembered Today:

Visiting woods.


nikp

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Hello all,

We are visiting The Somme and Ypres in a few weeks. I would like suggestions as to the best woods to visit where we can find evidence of trenches etc. I am aware that High Wood is out of bounds. We have visited Delville and Thiepval woods so any others would be of great interest.

Cheers.

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Ive always  understood that the French are very protective about their woods, a lot we have been past have no entry signs posted so apart from Thiepval/Connaught trip last year with Teddy I would also like to know if there are any that we either wont get shot in or that allow visitors.

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It's much further south, but the Chemin des Dames has a lot of more accessible woods, especially California plateau near Craonne. There are also forest trails near Vimy ridge.

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Have a look at Adinfer Wood just to the north of the battlefield, near Gommecourt.  It was used by German artillery throughout the battle of the Somme.  There are still lots of gun pits, command posts and one well-preserved signal blockhouse.  Some Jünger connections, too, if you are interested in him.

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3 hours ago, Hedley Malloch said:

Have a look at Adinfer Wood just to the north of the battlefield, near Gommecourt.  It was used by German artillery throughout the battle of the Somme.  There are still lots of gun pits, command posts and one well-preserved signal blockhouse.  Some Jünger connections, too, if you are interested in him.

 

But if you enter it is private property. We merely stopped at perimeter to look at some concrete structures and we observed from passing vehicles and also a car stopped a discreet distance and remained until we got back into our car. that was March. Likely to get challenged here?? 

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There is a public footpath through the wood and one can walk around the perimeter. On the south side one can see the remains of German gun pits over the fence. Continuing on as one approaches the exit of the public footpath from the wood on the east side, there is the signalling station about three yards into the wood. Weak-willed battlefield tourists who do not have complete and utter respect for the rights of territorially challenged French landowners (who may or may not have a proper legal title to the land they claim to own) may  find it impossible to resist the temptation to slip under the wire for a closer inspection of this magnificent structure. This is a question for the individual concerned.

similar remarks could be made about the gun pits and command posts along the northern edge of the wood. These can be accessed by taking the public footpath east through the wood and turning left when one is about 80% of the way through. It was here I think Junger spent one of his birthdays.

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Shrewsbury forest  along the Menin rd past Hooge  turn right at Clapham junction,as you enter the wood turn right keep walking to the edge of the wood German bunkers remains of trenches you look around you will see lots

if stuck pm me

:poppy:

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Polygon Wood - 3 bunkers and you get Black Watch Corner thrown in for free.

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Hello all.

I simply will not enter a wood with NO ENTRY or PRIVATE PROPERTY etc. Very tempting though in can be just to venture a little further for a peek at this or that. The reason for me is simple, I don't want to get the reputation for people who Battlefield tour that they don't care and will go where they please. I note that these signs are in English, so there is no excuse if caught out. Just respect the local bye laws. It would I think be selfish for me to wander with out thinking of those who tour after me.

Just my thoughts.

G.K.

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Thanks for all the advice. We have no intention of entering any no go areas. Any that are private will be walked round if appropriate. Any with full access are the ones that I am interested in, irate farmers allowing !!

 

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The Bois Wailleux in Soyecourt, in the southern (French) sector of the Somme, is well worth a visit, open to the public all year round.

 

http://www.somme-battlefields.com/memory-place/soyecourt-wailleux-copse

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Also Rossignol wood, I visited in 2015 and don't remember any signs blocking access. More Junger connections.

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Far too far away from the Ypres area, but anyone looking for this sort of stuff should visit Verdun area.  Loads of trenches, forts and bunkers, hardly touched since the war.  And hardly any tourists either :D 

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On 2/13/2018 at 21:03, NickPS said:

Polygon Wood - 3 bunkers and you get Black Watch Corner thrown in for free.

You would if it was in Polygon Wood ... but you can still see it for free!

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4 hours ago, geraint said:

And there's always Mametz Wood from the dragon memorial.

Except that now that the Great War-friendly Marquis has gone to his eternal reward, not so straight forward going in to it, I gather.

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Hmm. That's new.

What's the score there these days? Its been two years since I last trod those god-forsaken fields of anguish!

Edited by geraint
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I honestly do not know, but I gather from local int. that it is not as it had been before (which was on a trust basis of sticking to paths etc). Someone else on the Forum is bound to have the correct information - worth a separate thread?

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There is a small copse south of Arras which is situated in a small valley. At one time it was subjected to fierce fighting as the site is still littered with shell holes and covered with shell splinters. In addition there are Mills bombs and German egg grenades present on the surface. Artillery must have been present as there are also fragments from a gun carriage. The area is almost a time capsule.

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Nigel - I'll open one on Battlefields in Danger subforum. Cast your net around and see what you find.

:wacko:

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Farbus Wood, which still has a line of concrete gun shelters in it (in the old visitors' centre at Vimy there was a photograph of one of these taken after its capture, complete with gun in it).

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