ForeignGong Posted 20 February , 2019 Share Posted 20 February , 2019 Hi All Are there any trenches to see in the Somme area or around Ypres. I will be there in two weeks with my wife cousin who has very little knowledge of WW1. I know the Passchendale Museum has a mock up set of trenches but I would like to see some original ones myself. Thanks in anticipation Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghazala Posted 20 February , 2019 Share Posted 20 February , 2019 On the Somme the Newfoundland Memorial Park is the place to go to see trenches. Drop in at Avril Williams’ Tea Rooms afterwards, she has uncovered a trench system st the rear of her property. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 20 February , 2019 Admin Share Posted 20 February , 2019 There's some short stretches at Sheffield Memorial Park at Serre, also at the Caribou at Gueudecourt. Also Thiepval Wood has a trench system ( booking required) The French sector also has some I believe. @CROONAERT will be able to help you with them. Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simond9x Posted 20 February , 2019 Share Posted 20 February , 2019 (edited) Sanctuary Wood (although usually lots of schoolkids), Newfoundland Park, Vimy Ridge, Bayernwald near Ypres Edited 20 February , 2019 by simond9x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 20 February , 2019 Author Share Posted 20 February , 2019 Thank you all very much for your input. Appreciate it Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigelcave Posted 21 February , 2019 Share Posted 21 February , 2019 Preserved battle field area just south of the Somme (Cow Wood), near Frise, which also enjoys beautiful views across the Somme valley and the British battlefields to the north; not far away, to the south, a small preserved area at Soyecourt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 21 February , 2019 Author Share Posted 21 February , 2019 6 hours ago, nigelcave said: Preserved battle field area just south of the Somme (Cow Wood), near Frise, which also enjoys beautiful views across the Somme valley and the British battlefields to the north; not far away, to the south, a small preserved area at Soyecourt. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEUZEWOOD Posted 21 February , 2019 Share Posted 21 February , 2019 Some trenches also still visible at Delville Wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horrocks Posted 21 February , 2019 Share Posted 21 February , 2019 (edited) 12 hours ago, nigelcave said: Preserved battle field area just south of the Somme (Cow Wood), near Frise, which also enjoys beautiful views across the Somme valley and the British battlefields to the north; not far away, to the south, a small preserved area at Soyecourt. The 'Bois des Vaches' is presumably the area close to the river to the west of Frise marked on google satellite as the Belvedere? Edited 21 February , 2019 by horrocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghazala Posted 21 February , 2019 Share Posted 21 February , 2019 Found this up behind High Wood last year. It is where the local farmers take the stuff that comes up from ‘The Iron Harvest’. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghazala Posted 21 February , 2019 Share Posted 21 February , 2019 This is Teddy Corrigan from the Ulster Tower giving one of his tours of Thiepval Wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigelcave Posted 21 February , 2019 Share Posted 21 February , 2019 4 hours ago, horrocks said: The 'Bois des Vaches' is presumably the area close to the river to the west of Frise marked on google satellite as the Belvedere? Yep - this is the Frise belvedere and, north of the river and towards the top of the bend, there is Vaux belvedere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Thomson Posted 21 February , 2019 Share Posted 21 February , 2019 (edited) 4 hours ago, Ghazala said: Found this up behind High Wood last year. It is where the local farmers take the stuff that comes up from ‘The Iron Harvest’. Ghazala, what time of year were those pictures taken? How does one contact the people at the Ulster Tower for a tour? Do these run regularly or by special arrangement only? Edited 21 February , 2019 by Michael Thomson Additional questions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghazala Posted 21 February , 2019 Share Posted 21 February , 2019 First week in September. I am there then every year then and stay with a lovely French couple at La Battery Valley Farm at Grandcourt. It is a working dairy farm and Mereille runs the B&B side. Lovely comfortable rooms and a cooked breakfast each day. I would not stay anywhere else now. If you find a friendly farmer he will let you walk behind his tractor. Great fun and amazing what comes up every year but you have to be very careful. Teddy and Phoebe have left the Ulster Tower now but the new people will be running regular tours into Thiepval Wood. You can book when you arrive or contact them through their website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Thomson Posted 21 February , 2019 Share Posted 21 February , 2019 Thank you for the excellent reply Ghazala. That accommodation sounds fantastic. We were in the area in the second week of September 2017 - we got to experience a tiny taste of the famous Somme mud as it rained a lot that week! The reason I ask is that I believe certain times of year are better to see the results of the 'iron harvest' than others and it looks like that was a particularly 'productive' harvest right there! I'll look for the Ulster Tower website, a tour such as the one you posted pictures of looks very interesting. Those trenches are remarkably well preserved/recreated and it would make for a fascinating visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted 22 February , 2019 Share Posted 22 February , 2019 I have only been on the Ulster Tower trip once with Terry, very knowledgeable and anecdotal, T and P will be missed but then we all have to retire somewhen. The trenches excavated give a good insight as do the marks in the soil of the Fields the opposite side of the valley. Definite and clear when we visited and have been past many times visiting great uncle in Connaught and not seen the opposite trenches so season does help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 22 February , 2019 Author Share Posted 22 February , 2019 Thank you all for the info, I now have to work out where we can fit them in. Appreciate the help. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancpal Posted 22 February , 2019 Share Posted 22 February , 2019 To throw another spanner in the works, have you considered the tunnels at Vimy Ridge or Arras? The names and numbers carved into the chalk walls span both world wars (certainly at Vimy) and both sides, I found them fascinating. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghazala Posted 22 February , 2019 Share Posted 22 February , 2019 Newfoundland Memorial Park Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghazala Posted 22 February , 2019 Share Posted 22 February , 2019 13 hours ago, chaz said: T and P will be missed but then we all have to retire somewhen. I wonder if Phoebe took her cat home to Belfast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 23 February , 2019 Share Posted 23 February , 2019 There are also some trenches to be seen in Rossignol Wood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 24 February , 2019 Author Share Posted 24 February , 2019 Once again thank you for your input, time is going to be the ruling factor. I have now a couple to choose from and will see how we go. Many thanks to everyone who answered. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horrocks Posted 4 March , 2019 Share Posted 4 March , 2019 On 21/02/2019 at 15:01, Ghazala said: Found this up behind High Wood last year. It is where the local farmers take the stuff that comes up from ‘The Iron Harvest’. I wonder if the CD dates from the 1916, the 1917, or the 1918 fighting... ...and who the artist is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ServiceRumDiluted Posted 6 March , 2019 Share Posted 6 March , 2019 (edited) On 04/03/2019 at 19:33, horrocks said: I wonder if the CD dates from the 1916, the 1917, or the 1918 fighting... ...and who the artist is? Looks like an angle grinder disc to me. I think anyone looking for trench remains on the western front has to consider the extra drive to Massiges in the Champagne. I'd also recommend the summit of Hartmannzwillerkopf. Both of these are in states of originality unlike anywhere I can think of in the British sectors. Edited 6 March , 2019 by ServiceRumDiluted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 6 March , 2019 Share Posted 6 March , 2019 (edited) On 04/03/2019 at 19:33, horrocks said: I wonder if the CD dates from the 1916, the 1917, or the 1918 fighting... ...and who the artist is? 5 minutes ago, ServiceRumDiluted said: Looks like an angle grinder disc to me. It looks like a pusher plate from a shrapnel shell, which given the context would make more sense: Edited 6 March , 2019 by Andrew Upton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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