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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Trenches in the dunes


egbert

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Mick, isn't this a WW1 UAV?

No — according to 'The Wing', No 48, Christmas 1918 (journal of RAF Felixstowe), and a newspaper article published 'on the eve of the separation trials of the Mayo Composite', the idea was to that flying boats carrying a fighter aircraft would fly standing patrols over the North Sea, looking for incoming Zeppelins. The fighter would then be released to engage the Zeppelin and still have sufficient fuel to return to land. The flying boat would stooge around at a safe distance and attempt to rescue the pilot if the fighter went into the sea; otherwise it would follow the homeward route of the fighter to ensure that it reached land safely.

The trial was certainly successful, but I don't know whether the idea was ever put into practice.

Mick

PS. Ian: Von Airfix-Revell and the Pour le Café — brilliant!

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You may well be right, and I have been caught by a rogue dealer on ebay :o

I believe this award came in several levels:

Full-cream

Half-cream

Fat-free

Be really careful, I once got had when I went for a Full-Cream at half the usual price. It turned out to be from the famous forgers of ''sour and pierce(d)''!

Jon

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  • 1 year later...

Hi verybody,

Starting with Egberts pics, I made the difficult exercise to seek for proof of the pics Egbert that posted, and after considerable time I found it

In attach pic of the bunker in the dunes.

Because of the brewery in it, it is well camouflaged.

post-7723-1198409874.jpg

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The same bunker after the war, without camouflage

The roof has a special shape because of the boilers of the brewery inside.

post-7723-1198410064.jpg

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I even found a pic of the dugout/tunnel during WWI (see post 25)

pic

post-7723-1198410254.jpg

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So it took a while until you actually found "my" bunkersystem. Hope you do not tell others about the exact location; though there are similarities to those pics posted in post #49 ff, the system seems to have changed in the last 1.5 years. Looks like the local Flemish beachcomber indeed misuse the relict as a brewery today

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Egbert,

I even found a pic of clients of teh brewery in WWI

Seems the beer was heavy stuff, no ersatz,

as they started to act funny after a while

and funnier...

Regards,

Cnock

post-7723-1198411198.jpg

post-7723-1198411278.jpg

post-7723-1198411323.jpg

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Egbert,

I won't tell the location, but stupidly I forgot to erase it on my second pic.

I was told by the locals, that there are still German souvenirs (steel helmets?) hidden in the basement of the blockhaus.

Regards,

Cnock

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Baron von Airfix-Revell took an aerial from the trenches next to the bunkersystem from 1100 meter altitude . Are you able to identify the exact location?

post-80-1198412007.jpg

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Trenches?

Looks more like chicken foot prints. Are You sure baron von Airfix-Revell handed You the right pics.

Cnock

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don't forget the Germans were mastesr in camouflage.....

Cnock

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don't forget the Germans were mastesr in camouflage.....

Cnock

Exactly!

Here is one of the very rare color photos from the very seaside end of the notorious "Vorhersehung" trench system, taken on a very cold Christmas Eve. As you can see threatening clouds gather across the doomed landscape

post-80-1198499639.jpg

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more threatening clouds

..towards the extreme right wing of the German Western front.

At the horizon the mole of Nieuport.

Cnock

post-7723-1198501202.jpg

post-7723-1198501279.jpg

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Judging from this one, which comes from the same series of aerials (I think), the sea in the first pic is on the right (pic was taken by a returning RNAS recce pilot).

The modern pic is of the dunes around Oostduinkerke Bad and the sea is ahead and to the left.

I'm about to close down for a couple of days, so I'll wish you and Egbert (and anyone else who's watching) a very Happy Christmas - oh, and belated birthday wishes for the other day ...

Mick

post-11021-1198507384.jpg

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Mick,

Thanks, wihsh You and Your family a Merry Christmas.

Aerial pic : near Carnac Battery?

Best regards,

Cnock

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Egberts' bunker is somewhere here. (2nd line position)

Exact location is 'Geheim'

Cnock

Left of previous pick is the Northsea beach where Egbert took his foto on a very cold Christmas eve.

Cnock

post-7723-1198667407.jpg

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Cnock,

The first aerial is of Lewin Camp, where the crews of the two forward batteries, Barrington and Eastney, lived.

The second is somewhere between the forward batteries and Koksijde, but I'm not exactly sure where. Judging by the ruined buildings along the sea-shore, I think it is also nearer to Nieuwpoort.

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This lonely Tommy also found the way to the brewery; equiped with his canteen and mess kit.

(August 1917 - taken pow by 5th Matrosen Regiment)

Regards,

Cnock

post-7723-1198683874.jpg

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