Strange Occurrences on the Western Front

[Alan Lines]

Whether you believe in any of this or not I agree with Kate. I think we all visit for the right reasons so shouldn't be too concerned. Possibly the spirits in Mametz Wood have been agitated by those who have left unsightly holes in the ground after their metal detecting exploits!

[Guest Hill 60]

Although he died in the U.K his number indicates he was an original member of the Battalion and he definitely went to the front because I know he was transferred back to England on 24/4/15 whilst a Corporal but I don't know why.  Hopefully his records will explain.

Alan - I've had a look at McMaster's entry in the CEF Roll of Honour and it states he died of disease aged 39.

[Alan Lines]

Thanks Lee. This probably explains why he was promoted between his transfer to England and his death. At some point after arrivng back he must have recovered enough to carry out useful duties for which he was promoted before falling ill.

[Bert Heyvaert]

Abbaye de Vauclair, Chemin des Dames

memorial to the 29th division at Beaumont-Hamel

Bécordel-Bécourt, Albert

Bois des caures, Verdun

Le Mort Homme, Verdun

Mametz Wood, Somme ( people felt uncomfortable when entering "this terrible place)

Voie sacrée

Ridge Wood military cemetery, Ypres

Hedge Row trench cemetery and Bluff cemetery, Ypres

germa

[Bert Heyvaert]

german cemetery at annoeullin

Fort de souville

Abri des quatre cheminées, Froideterre

More interesting, Heijster wrote a whole chapter on talbot House, where several visitors claim to have seen Tubby Clayton's appearance...

Seems like something went wrong with this posting, but this are the places Richard Heijster describes as 'haunted' in his book 'mystery 14-18'.

regards,

Bert.

[Terry Carter]

A group of us were staying at Avril William's Guesthouse in Auchonvillers and after our evening meal we decided to walk to Newfoundland Memorial Park. It was a cold winters night and as we left the village the only light visible was those shining on the Moose standing on the memorial.

It was deadly quiet even the wind was completey still. Our shadows from the arc lights surrounding the memorial were casting long shadows all over the shell holed landscape. We only spoke in whispers. It was a creepy spooky atmosphere. The hairs on our backs was standing and our skin was tingling. Then suddenly a loud howl made us all jump and one of our party suddenly disappeared........followed by the loudest rasping, tearing noise you had ever heard.

It was Mavis, she had slipped in the mud down into one of the trenches and FARTED!!!!!

And if Mavis reads this I am done for!

I hope all the forum readers and Chris Baker for making it all possible a Happy Christmas and a peaceful new year

Terry

[paul guthrie]

This is the best post in the history of this forum!

[Chris_Baker]

I think I've met Mavis. Nice girl.

[ianw]

"Not spirits- just the gentle sound of the wind in the trees"

[aliecoco]

Hi Rodge D,

I just wanted to tell you about my experience at Essex Farm, Ypres.

It was the summer of 2000 and my first time visting the battlefields of the western front and I had taken a coach tour. When we visited Essex Farm we were standing around the graves listening to Bill our expert, and the information he was telling us. There was around 40 maybe in our group, but someone was standing right behind me. They were getting closer and closer until I felt they were almost on top of me! I was a bit cross because there was loads of room and we could all hear Bill, and I didn't know why they had chosen to stand so close to me. I looked round to see who it was. There was no one there!! I was at the back of the group!! And although I never asked him, I did hear another passenger say, as we boarded back on the coach. That upon looking into the concrete bunkers he had 'seen' wounded soldiers being treated!

I returned to Essex Farm in September. I did not get the same feeling as the last time, but despite being wrapped up, I felt so cold and shivery. This I did not experience in any other cemetery, and as we were doing a 'Holts tour', we visited loads. Apart from Essex Farm, I find the other cemeteries and battlefields to be very calm and peaceful, so far!

Hope this is of interest.

Alie.

[Guest Ben Jones]

Nothing to do with WW1 but the site of the edge hill battle in Warks/Oxon is always an eerie place to be. I have been to france & Flanders and have never felt uncomfortable there.

Ben

[paul guthrie]

The moose Terry refers too in his great post is a woodland caribou grieving for her lost young from faraway Newfoundland.

[Tim Birch]

Like Mark I find Langemark a forboding place. The first time I went there it was dull, overcast and pouring with rain. (Does it ever not rain in this corner of NE Europe!?)

I can say that as I first glimpsed the Comrades, my heart missed a beat!

Generally, however, I have found the cemetries to be peaceful havens, although I have at times been effected by feelings of great sadness.

Tim

[cooper]

This is my first visit to the forum and this article prompted my joining. Both me and my Father, together experienced a strange occurence on the Verdun battlefields.

It was a late summers afternoon ,I was about 22 years old at the time.

The car was parked at the Cote' 304 memorial on the Mort Homme ridge. There were no other vehicles parked.

We walked north east down the side exploring the woods and battlefield. We were approximately 1/2 a mile from the monument. We were in a strange area, as the vegetation on either side of the path was different. It was bare on the right and riddled with foliage on the left side.

We both decided to leave the path and contine over the cratered landscape. As we were walking both me and my father parted and continued. We were 15 - 20mts apart when we both heard some sounds.

It sounded like french whispers, we both jumped in to seperate craters and ducked to see if we could identify the source of the voices. The whispering stopped and both me and my father approached each other and both agreed that we heard french voices. This was strange as their was no one around for miles.

During the dicussion we noticied another sound, this sound was unusual as we could not tell from which direction it originated. It was like a very loud buzzing. The only way to describe it is to compare it with thousands of bees confined in a small space. (I know it sounds strange).

The buzzing started growing in volume , although there wasn't an insect to be seen. We decided to make a sharp exit at this point and jogged back to the path and the car.

We have walked the area numerous times before and since and never have we heard or experienced anything like this incident.

This may sound silly, but both me and my Father experienced this together and we cannot explain it.

Thanks for reading, hope it is of interest.

All the best.

James

[CROONAERT]

James.

Strange that you should mention the buzzing sound. I'd never given it much thought before, but I too once heard a noise exactly as you describe,this time near Louvemont. I also put it down to a lot of bees confined in a small space,but seeing as I experienced this in February,it couldn't have been (do bees hibernate?).The noise seemed to just be in the air?

-Are there any electrical items (pylons and the like) in the area?

Dave.

[cooper]

Dave,

Where we were, there are no pylons, just trees and untouches battleground. The area where we heard this is part if the Mort Homme ridge. This is several miles long and a mile or so deep. Most of the area is untouched. just the odd momument and track breaks up the shell scape.

The noise was in the air, we just couldnt pin point it's location, whcich we thought was very strange.

With reference to bees, I do believe that they only come out in late spring and summer months.

Thanks for the reply.

James

[cooper]

Dave,

Although I have been to Louvement, I cannot remember whether there were any pylons or such like there.

I dont think there was, was there?

What happened with your experience?

Cheers,

James

[Raster Scanning]

A few years ago I went to Belgium to visit the 1914 battlefields near Mons, as I walked alone, close to a small wood, I heard a buzzing increasing in intensity. From out of the wood came a huge swarm of bees. As I beat a hasty retreat, even though it was mid day it started to get very dark.

Suddenly directly above me I saw a light that increased in intensity. As I watched, it took the form of a winged figure that hovered above me for a while. It almost looked like an angel. This " angel " proceeded to envelope the swarm allowing me to escape unhurt. Has anyone else heard of anything similar?

John.

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

Sounds like the return of the Angel of Mons!

Ian

[Guest lesley]

like ian, when visiting the battlefields I have only experienced a feeling of peace. The one exception was last years visit to Plugstreet Wood. Being lazy my husband dropped me off at the entrance to the wood and went off to park the car. Whilst walking through the wood I became aware of an eerie stillness and a definate feeling of being watched. I continued onto the cemetery feeling more and more uneasy. Once inside the cemetery the feeling vanished. My husband caught up with me and I thought nothing more of it. He went onto Rifle House and I walked or should I say trotted back to the car alone. Feeling "girly" I said nothing. Back at the hotel reviewing the days visits I commented that the cemetery was the most peaceful we had visited. Brian agreed but went onto say that he didn't want to go back as he felt really uncomfortable walking through the wood, as though he was unwelcome. He to admitted the feeling went when inside the cemetery. Nowhere else have I felt like this even in the remotest locations.

[MartinWills]

A good friend and frequent visitor to the battlefields recalls on one occasion visiting a cemetery and simply walking around, taking in the environs as many of us do before stopping and looking down at the headstone in front of him, only to see his own name and initial upon it. His surname is not a common one and he still recalls being a little shaken by the experience.

I have found on occasion I have looked down at a particular headstone to find it is one of particular interest to me, for all sorts of reasons and I often wonder if somehow we are drawn to the spot in question.

I have also walked into war cemeteries at night, noting a true calmness but also a strange sense of being welcome amongst "friends".

Am I the only one!

[Guest lesley]

No martin you are not the only one. When actually in the cemeteries I not only feel welcome but also safe wherever I am and no matter what time of day.

[CROONAERT]

Although I have been to Louvement, I cannot remember whether there were any pylons or such like there.

I dont think there was, was there?

What happened with your experience?

James.

I certainly can't remember anything electrical in the area around Louvemont.

Anyway,what happened (must be around 12 years ago now) was this. I'd set off from Louvemont chapel for a wander in the woods,as I regularly do,following the line of an old trench to see where it took me.There had been some clearances in the forest at this time and various artifacts could be seen lying around,one of which caught my eye and took me off the trail.As it turned out,it was nothing spectacular (just an old bucket) but there was (the remains of) a French army boot nearby.As I went over to look at it,that's when the "buzzing" started.As you said,it was impossible to pinpoint exactly where it originated,it was just there,a constant buzzing that got louder if I stood still,but didn't seem to vary if I was moving.The noise was just "in the air".At this point,even though I was,I felt VERY alone!

I heard the noise until I returned to the chapel area,then noticed it had gone.

This is the only time that I've heard this in this area,even though I've been back many times.

I've heard of stories of "phantom hummings" that have plagued several areas in the UK,Europe and USA before.These have been put down to an unknown but natural phenomena and have affected the health of some of those living in the areas. Maybe these are cases of this? Who knows.

Dave.

[Christina Holstein]

I've not experience buzzing at Verdun but as I'm going back there this afternoon, I'll pay close attention. There are definitely no electrical pylons at Louvement, nothing but miles of trees and shrubs. I'm not normally bothered by the atmosphere at Verdun and I certainly don't believe in ghostly appearances but I have to say that there are areas I don't much like - Caillette Wood, for one, Haudromont quarries for another. I've walked through Caillette Wood alone but I can't think of anything that would get me into Haudromont Q by myself. I had a very strange feeling last September doing some exploring on the top of Wavrille Hill that I can only describe as 'things waiting'. I've been back since but haven't experienced it again. Once last November I decided to drive over the battlefield at 6pm on my way home and stopped at the Ossuary. I know the central area of the battlefield very well and wouldn't have expected to find it spooky but it was. The bell in the Ossuary tower began it ring, I was absolutely alone and it was pitch dark. It took all my will power to stand there by the car for the ten minutes that the bell rang and I'm not sure I'd do it again. Hardly a psychic phenomenon but it was a very powerfull feeling.

As to bird song on the Mort Homme and in other parts, since the forests are largely pine and beech there aren't places for birds to nest and not much for birds to eat. There are a few cheepings in the forest in spring but not much and for the rest of the year, the forest is largely silent. I've never heard cascades of bird song anywhere at Verdun although you get larks in the open country and there are hundreds of hawks.

Christina Holstein.

[Rodge Dowson]

Many thanks to all for replying and providing info on this emotive and intersting subject, to all the doubters I will say that I too was once one, until things happened before me that could only be real in a spiritual or ghostly sense of reckoning.

Verdun - I have been to on several trips and spent days - evenings crashing around on the slopes and woods that thousands of troops had died on and felt nothing, I have like others also been out in what were front line positions in the darkness and also had no problems. The night or day scenario makes no difference, I just feel that it is some sort of trapped energy force at certain places under certain circumstances that manifest itself to be seen by some people.