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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Today's harvest with the diggers in Boezinghe


tammilnad

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I have only just discovered this thread and have found it absolutely fascinating. Thanks for posting the photos.

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Frans,

as ever, these are great pictures. Please post some more as and when you are able. They do give an insight into the work done by the diggers.

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Just to complete the whole story, we found this morning the drawings made for the dugout.

The photo is exactly the same position as the drawing. Ieper is to the right.

I will just translate the words:-

1.Spoorwegberm Railway bedding

2.Zitbank Bench

3.Slaapplaats Bunkbed

4.Bominslag Explosion

5.Ingang Entrance

Bunk size is 58cm x 190cm

There was sleaping place for 14 soldiers (7 x 2 high).

The six German soldiers which were found were in the first two bunks from the right.

The gold wedding ring was given to the German authorities and they identified him as follows.

Inscription in the ring- Kruckeberg Ludwig

Went missing 31.07.1917 during the battle of Passendaele.

Belonged to the 8th compagnie of the 94th infantry regiment. Together with the 95th and 96th regiment who were stationed in the Zonnebeke area.

The 94th regiment was also known as The fifth Thueringse of the Groothertog (Archduke) of Saksen.

The dugout was captured with two other bunkers near the end of July 1917, by the Royal Ulster Rifles.

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post-6844-1117649239.jpg

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I just was told a few days ago they take the best things home and let the rest rot...

They found a German Stirn or Graben panzer. I did not ended up in a museum, but in a digger's private collection  :huh:

I would just like to reply politely to this.

We work with facts, not on hear say!

It is very correct that a German Graben Pantzer was found, actually not one but two. They were found at the end of last year in okt and nov.

The best example is already being shown in the Hooghe Crater Museum. The second which was not in such good condition is still being preserved, but will be shown when finished in one of the museums.

As I have said before in the topic regarding the snipers helmet, this is going to be excibited in the IFF museum.

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Cheers for the information, and keep up the great work. It means that people in the future get to see it.

I never knew about a snipers helmet, so thanks for that

John

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Frans

A thoroughly absorbing thread.

Congratulations

Glyn

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Frans,

Many thanks for sharing the fantastic photographs with us. It was very absorbing.

Regards,

Bill

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Here are some pictures of the work the Diggers did today. I have noticed that sometimes they are called the "remainder of the Diggers" but I can asure you that they are still carrying on there work at full strength as they have done for the last twenty years. As always one of the great supporters of the Diggers, Jacky Platteeuw was present.

Todays work was to the left and right of where was excavated three weeks ago.

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Top photo of a territorial badge T4.

Bottom photo of a mills grenade still in pretty good condition.

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Top photo of a spade still in the ground.

Middle, spade when removed.

Bottom photo shows you that every item is carefully documented and photographed.

post-6844-1117916806.jpg

post-6844-1117916823.jpg

post-6844-1117916845.jpg

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German stickgrenade found in the British 1915 trench.

471285554_4b2932a396_o.jpg

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Top photo of grenade with charge still inside.

Bottom photo shows some of the finds of today.

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469948584_9bc4ac87b0_o.jpg

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Thanks gents for a most interesting series of pictures. May I say that the sheer amount of physical work involved is impressive too! Or do you have a "Diggers Pioneer Unit"?! Phil B

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Frans,

Great pictures, thank you for posting these.

Andy

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Thanks gents for a most interesting series of pictures. May I say that the sheer amount of physical work involved is impressive too! Or do you have a "Diggers Pioneer Unit"?!  Phil B

We could do with a couple of these pioneer units.

Frans

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This is still a bit of a puzzle. A lens just like you used to have on the end of a projector. It has a brass ring on top. It was found next to a tentsheet, maybe a personnal item.

post-6844-1118162451.jpg

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This is still a bit of a puzzle. A lens just like you used to have on the end of a projector. It has a brass ring on top. It was found next to a tentsheet, maybe a personnal item.

We have been informed that the lens is most likely from a lantern.

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Just to complete the whole story, we found this morning the drawings made for the dugout.

The photo is exactly the same position as the drawing. Ieper is to the right.

I will just translate the words:-

1.Spoorwegberm    Railway bedding

2.Zitbank                Bench

3.Slaapplaats          Bunkbed

4.Bominslag            Explosion

5.Ingang                Entrance

Bunk size is 58cm x 190cm

There was sleaping place for 14 soldiers (7 x 2 high).

The six German soldiers which were found were in the first two bunks from the right.

The gold wedding ring was given to the German authorities and they identified him as follows.

Inscription in the ring- Kruckeberg Ludwig

Went missing  31.07.1917 during the battle of Passendaele.

Belonged to the 8th compagnie  of the 94th infantry regiment. Together with the 95th and 96th regiment who were stationed in the Zonnebeke area.

The 94th regiment was also known as The fifth Thueringse of the Groothertog (Archduke) of Saksen.

The dugout was captured with two other bunkers near the end of July 1917, by the Royal Ulster Rifles.

If it were Irish troops and the date was 31st of July, the only possibility is the 1st Royal Irish (and not Ulster, that was the former name)Rifles. The railway was the border between the 8th Div and the 15th Scottish Div, so a Scottish battallion might have captured the bunker too. I don 't know the exact location of the excavation, but the photos suggest that it is between North/ South Station buildings and Potsdam Farm. If that is true, it is very unlikely that the 8th Div captured the place. I think they didn't go further than the actual bridge crossing the A 19. There was almost no advance in the whole month of August. The 15th (Scottish), 16th (Irish) and 9th (Scottish) had been there also (the 9th made at last a reasonable progress), so there are more candidates for the capturing of the bunker.

Other remark: I am not sure if it was really the group which is actually known as "The Diggers" who did the excavation? I see for example Johan Vandewalle on a photo and probably Franky Bostyn had been involved too. All people who are belonging to different archeological groups at the moment.

Erwin

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Erwin,

I can be wrong (for I was not involved) but as far as I know : between Hellfire corner and Railway Wood ?

Aurel

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Erwin,

I can be wrong (for I was not involved) but as far as I know : between Hellfire corner and Railway Wood ?

Aurel

This would mean that the bunker was captured before the start of Third Ypres? The jumping-off line for the 31st of July was more or less Railway Wood.

Erwin

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