Trench System near Flesquieres

[simond9x]

I recently visited the Flesquieres area and walked the (approximate) route taken by Deborah on her way from Trescault to Flesquieres. Having visited the new museum (it was closed but there was someone there who allowed me to visit for a few minutes), I set off back down the rain-swept tracks to Trescault. Partway there, I noticed what looked like a trench system in a heavily wired-off triangle of land. I took what photographs I could through the wire and just looked it up on Google. There does indeed appear to be a trench. I apologise if this is all common knowledge, or has been discussed before, but I wondered if anyone could tell me more about it please? 

 

Thanks in advance

Edited 19 March , 2018 by simond9x

[EDWARD1]

I think it may be Bilhem  Chapel Wood Switch

Edited 20 March , 2018 by EDWARD1

[WW1 Obsessed]

just tried to find some trench maps for you but NLS is down!

[EDWARD1]

[simond9x]

Thanks for that. Does anyone know anything about its current status? It's obviously on private land but has it been 'explored' in recent times, is it in a dangerous state, etc? There was one place where the barbed wire had been lifted looking as though people do sneak in. I was very tempted myself but it was pouring down, slippery, and I was on my own so discretion got the better part of valour!

 

I should add that, looking back at it (from SW towards NE), there looked like what may be a bunker or machine-gun post on the site. As it's raised above the surrounding fields, it would have had an excellent field of fire.

Edited 20 March , 2018 by simond9x

[nigelcave]

Just wondering - was this the area that was used to make that documentary thingy on television with re-enactors (come to think about it, I think it might have been volunteers from ?Hull?) about  a couple of 'quiet' days in the trenches - possibly about fifteen - twenty years ago? I know that it was in the Flesquieres area, because I visited it myself many moons ago.

[WW1 Obsessed]

trench map dated 20 sept  17. .. your trench is just N.E of the 29

flesq.pdf

Edited 20 March , 2018 by WW1 Obsessed

[simond9x]

Some pictures I took. The distance one isn't too clear but is taken looking back   towards the NE. It has what looked, to the naked eye, like a bunker running horizontally,  just below the crest and to the right of centre. Is Philippe on this forum? Maybe, as a local, he may know more about it?

[carlosrocha]

Yes, this was the area where the TV doc was filmed - for the life of me can't remember what it was called - maybe ' The Trench'?

[simond9x]

A-ha! So this is not an original WW1 trench, then? I googled "The Trench" and "Hull Pals" and it came up with this photograph. The lower shot looks like Flesquieres on the horizon and is about the right distance from the village. The upper shot is probably looking towards Trescault and the rolling fields look about right too. Well slightly disappointing but thanks for the input and clearing it up for me. I assume the plot has been disused since the programme was made? Does anyone have a copy of it? I don't think I ever saw it although I seem to remember some pretty scathing comments about it.

 

[nigelcave]

So there we are, sixteen years ago.

 

For some time - a year or so at least  - afterwards it was possible for the public to visit the trenches created for the programme. Inevitably, however, time and weather have done their bit - it would have cost a fortune in manpower and money to maintain them.

[Gareth Davies]

I ma pretty sure that  Philippe Gorczynski, of Deborah/Beatus fame, owns that patch of land.

[johntaylor]

This trench system is indeed modern - the book of the TV series is still available: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trench-Richard-Van-Emden/dp/0593049756/

 

Gareth, I'm sure the land is privately owned and it may be by the Association of the Tank of Flesquieres. There is currently no official access to the site.

 

John

[simond9x]

1 hour ago, johntaylor said:

This trench system is indeed modern - the book of the TV series is still available: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trench-Richard-Van-Emden/dp/0593049756/

 

Gareth, I'm sure the land is privately owned and it may be by the Association of the Tank of Flesquieres. There is currently no official access to the site.

 

John

 

Hi John,

 

It was the walk you describe on page 273 of your book that I was following (along with contemporary trench maps, photos of Deborah, etc). A very interesting, albeit wet and muddy, walk. Imagine my disappointment when I found that the museum was 'fermee' when I got there. Someone inside took pity on my bedraggled state and agreed 'seulement deux minutes, monsieur'.

 

Cheers,

Simon

Edited 20 March , 2018 by simond9x

[johntaylor]

Hi Simon, I'm glad the book came in useful as a guide.  The walk is fantastic and very atmospheric because the ground has changed so little in the last 100 years, which means you can follow the line of D Battalion's advance very closely (as long as you don't mind the mud!)

 

I'm also delighted that you managed to get access to the museum, albeit unofficially.  The opening was due to take place last week, though unfortunately I couldn't be there as I was in the US.  I'll post some more details on the forum as soon as the opening is confirmed, unless someone else beats me too it.

 

All the best, John

[simond9x]

Yes, it's a great walk and can be accomplished within 3 hours (including taking in Flesquieres). Very atmospheric - I can recommend it to anyone with an interest in D Battalion's advance that day. I took with me a print of Wylie's 'Dawn,The Sunken Road near La Vacquerie (20th November 1917)' . I know it's depicting a different place but the area to the half-left, as you emerge from the Sunken Lane before descending into the Grand Ravine, could almost be the same place. To stand there looking from the print to the rolling countryside around you is so very evocative of what must have happened there that day. Walking with ghosts indeed!