Ken Wayman Posted 29 October , 2006 Share Posted 29 October , 2006 Made a casual visit to Ulster Tower cafe last Thursday and my long-suffering wife asked Teddy what was going on in Thiepval Wood as she'd seen men in working gear coming out of the trees the previous evening (what she was doing there I can't speculate!). The answer was fascinating. [but I expect many pals already know this, so excuse my enthusiasm!] The Somme Association, No Man's Land diggers and several other groups (including on that day some RIR squaddies) are excavating trenches in the wood and would we like to join a couple of lads who were being shown round? Couldn't believe our luck! Steve Roberts (of Trench Detectives) showed us round and made a superb job of it. Front line trench digs were well under way, including the early excavations of one of the saps used to enable units of 36th Division to lie out in No Man's Land prior to zero-hour. Another site was excavating what was possibly the dugouts of a battalion HQ. Finally, and most impressive of all, was the work of excavating a mortar pit - with the base-plate still in situ! Explanations of how the mortar team worked were very enlightening. Well worth a visit - ask at the Ulster cafe. Regards Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 29 October , 2006 Share Posted 29 October , 2006 How about your pics? Any taken? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Poilu Posted 29 October , 2006 Share Posted 29 October , 2006 Sound good Ken, this is a topic with some pics from some months ago - I guess they have progressed a bit now? Thiepval Wood progress, Battlefields in danger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 29 October , 2006 Share Posted 29 October , 2006 Just got back from the Somme and had a really interesting guided tour of the Thiepval trenches given by Teddy from the Ulster Tower. The archeologists were still working in various trenches but the most interesting part was when we came to a Stokes Morter position which was being excavated. The guy was still brushing away dirt etc from the base-plate at the bottom of the pit. A table spoon that was found was handed round that had initals and a service number stamped onto it. Last night I was told it has been identified to belong to a soldier, Hadfield, I think his name was, who served in the West Riding Regiment and Labour Corps. Also the remains of a tin of bully beef. The bully beef or whatever it had turned into after 90 years was put in a plastic container and passed around. It stunk to high heaven ! It was a excellent experience. I just hope over the winter months night-hawks do not get into the wood and damage the good work that has taken place in their quest for relics. Terry p.s. will post some piccies soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Wayman Posted 29 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 29 October , 2006 How about your pics? Any taken? Certainly have but only arrived home late yesterday so haven't downloaded to the computer yet. Will make every effort to do so in the next few days! Bear with me, I'm a technophobe! Cheers Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Wayman Posted 29 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 29 October , 2006 Sound good Ken, this is a topic with some pics from some months ago - I guess they have progressed a bit now? Thiepval Wood progress, Battlefields in danger A lot of progress! From the front line trench on the previous thread they have excavated a forward sap that was possibly used on 1st July. There's also a dugout 'complex', a mortar pit and other excavations that weren't safe to view last week. A broad picture is beginning to emerge and well worth a visit. Cheers Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Wayman Posted 29 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 29 October , 2006 Just got back from the Somme and had a really interesting guided tour of the Thiepval trenches given by Teddy from the Ulster Tower. The archeologists were still working in various trenches but the most interesting part was when we came to a Stokes Morter position which was being excavated. The guy was still brushing away dirt etc from the base-plate at the bottom of the pit. A table spoon that was found was handed round that had initals and a service number stamped onto it. Last night I was told it has been identified to belong to a soldier, Hadfield, I think his name was, who served in the West Riding Regiment and Labour Corps. Also the remains of a tin of bully beef. The bully beef or whatever it had turned into after 90 years was put in a plastic container and passed around. It stunk to high heaven ! It was a excellent experience. I just hope over the winter months night-hawks do not get into the wood and damage the good work that has taken place in their quest for relics. Terry Which day were you there, Terry? I was there with wife and daughter on Thursday morning. Saw the spoon with the bullet-hole, declined to smell the bully beef and watched the base-plate being excavated. By the way, we met last year on Carl Chinn's radio show one Sunday afternoon! Regards Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 30 October , 2006 Share Posted 30 October , 2006 hello Ken Yes I remember meeting you last year. What a small world ! I visited the Thiepval trenches at 3 pm on Thursday then afterwards walked up to Mill Road Cemetery for a visit. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 30 October , 2006 Share Posted 30 October , 2006 The spoon that was found on Thursday 26 October Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 30 October , 2006 Share Posted 30 October , 2006 Looking down into the Stokes Mortar pit. You can see the base plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 30 October , 2006 Share Posted 30 October , 2006 Played T. Is that some form of small 'round' in the bottom left quarter of your mortar pic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 31 October , 2006 Share Posted 31 October , 2006 Hello Desmond Not got a clue. The picture is cropped, for a closer view of the base-plate, from from the original that I took. By the way I have a couple of pictures of the bridge that you asked for. I will get them sorted. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Wayman Posted 31 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 31 October , 2006 hello Ken Yes I remember meeting you last year. What a small world ! I visited the Thiepval trenches at 3 pm on Thursday then afterwards walked up to Mill Road Cemetery for a visit. Regards Terry Hi Terry It's a really impressive visit round the wood, isn't it? I don't know about you but when I walk up to Mill Road and turn around to look back down the slope it always sends a shiver down the back of my neck. Regards Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Wayman Posted 31 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 31 October , 2006 How about your pics? Any taken? Would any kind soul give me an idiot's guide to attaching photos to a post please? Bear in mind you're dealing with a fully paid up dinosaur! Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted 4 November , 2006 Share Posted 4 November , 2006 I was staying at Avril's when NML came in for their evening meal (and we got them playing handbells!) Any news on the second trench they are excavating? They had first presumed that it was a communication trench, but kept finding German relics, so were having a rethink! Like others, after visiting the wood, we went to Mill Road.....a dozen schrapnel balls just laying on the surface...I don't mind finding round ones, but those with a flattened edge always get me thinking what it might have hit. Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Somme Association Posted 4 November , 2006 Share Posted 4 November , 2006 Thank you all for your great comments. I will post some of the pictures from the week. Carol Walker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Somme Association Posted 4 November , 2006 Share Posted 4 November , 2006 Some of our finds. As mentioned initial research of the spoon seems to suggest that it belonged to John W Hatfield, West Riding Reg. No 19982. 49th Division who relieved Ulsters on 3rd July in Thiepval Wood. Wounded then transfered to Labour Corp 376180. We would now hope to find out more. If anyone can help please let me know. The two crosses are carved in chalk. Carol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon R Posted 4 November , 2006 Share Posted 4 November , 2006 Whilst I can't offer any info. re: spoon/DWR I would just like to say tht I'm most impressed with these finds, both spoon and crosses. Are their any other examples of chalk crosses on the Western Front? Are any others known from excavation? Re: West Riding in Thiepval Wood - they were rotating in and out of the line relatively quickly so unless there is some very closely dated archaeology, it could be very difficult to identify DWR btn. from stratigraphic position. Was said spoon in section/bottom of trench/stray find? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Somme Association Posted 7 November , 2006 Share Posted 7 November , 2006 Hi Simon Spoon was found close to bottom of the trench. Pictures of excavated sap attached. Tours of Thiepval Wood are available for all at 11am and 3pm Tuesday to Sunday, April to November (included) . They leave from the Ulster Memorial Tower. There may be some exceptions such as hunting season when tours will not be available for obvious reasons. Carol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon R Posted 7 November , 2006 Share Posted 7 November , 2006 Most interesting - my Great Uncle John Lancelot Doughty, a private in the 1/4th DWR was killed in Thiepval Wood on 12th August 1915 so I'm particularly interested to read this. He's still there somewhere! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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