Building of the A19 - where any remains found?

[MartH]

Regarding the building of the A19 and all the remains that should have been found. Does any forum member know what happened?

It a question that often comes up when I go to Ieper with my group of friends and we are walking near the A19, (some of which came to Ieper before the A19 was built).

Most of use are aware where the A19 goes (and other might attach the bit from google maps), and I think its fair to say that route goes over the most fought over ground in the whole of Western Europe, just think of the bit from between Nonne Bossene and Black Watch Corner, up to Poldark Chateau, the area was fought over at the apex of attacks/defence for 4 years off and on.

Now it seems, that whenever a new road or development takes place near Ieper remains of the fallen and old dugouts are found, but having taken part in this forum for over a year I have never seen a reference to the building of the A19, - there are references to the planned extension and Cross Roads. I have read Terry's post on the numbers of remains discovered since the GW but seen no "spikes" in numbers due to my perceived impact of this road. I have googled the subject - nothing

Surely when this ground was dug for the motorway (when was it exactly?) vast numbers of bodies, remains, dugout where found, but there are no references to what was found or the many re-burials this area should have required.

So am I being cynical with my title and that really everything was swept away, or was lots found and I should change the title of this thread? Or was nothing there in the first place? Either way I would be most interested in what happened.

Moderators apologies if this is in the wrong part of the forum, feel free to move it.

Mart

[Graham-McAdam]

I'm told by the local historian that when the A26 was similarly built west of Cambrai, through the heart of the battlefield and Hindenburg Line bits and pieces, that not a trace was found of any remains. Miraculous, isn't it.

[Steven Broomfield]

Interesting. I suppose it would be unkind to surmise too much, but presumably the builders have time deadlines.

[Gunner Bailey]

The AWA are on the case

http://home.scarlet.be/~tsi82057/eng/index2.html

Hope this link works

Gunner Bailey

[MartH]

Thanks Gunner, but this is not the original build of the A19 but the extension, I checked the link, and it is useful, but has nothing about the original build, they also have been written up in archaeological journals, but the here and recent past.

Graham, very interesting, so this practice was not just confined to Belguim

I regret to say that my cynical half thinks that when we are using the road there are remains in the foundations from both sides that should have been given a proper burial.

Mart

[59165]

Its like that 'theme park' by Ypres.

Stuff found while it was in the public eye but since the new rides have been built,over many an acre,nothing,zilch,nada,rien.Same on the new ind est along from Point du jour.Hectares cleared of ordnance by the authorities & the detector lot but,Caterpillers went in super quick time.

Lets not mention the Vimy bypass yet though.Plenty time yet

Wierd,eh?

[asdarley]

I had a couple of experiences that would support the "blind eye" theorists. Years ago I knew a quarry worker who had an icsthosaurus skeleton in his garden that the quarry had unearthed. He took it home as it would have been smashed up...mangement didn't want to reveal it as it would have held up work. So officially it never existed. Also my dad once brought home a Roman era skull (human) dug up in road works. The site foreman was desperate to "lose" it as he knew reporting it would stop the job!

[Mark Hone]

Friends in the Ieper area have suggested to me that many bodies and artifacts may have been found and quietly disposed of during construction of the A19. Disquiet over this was apparently a long term reason for the founding of groups like De Diggers and the extensive archaeological work done in advance of the proposed extension to the motorway and other projects like the Boesinghe Industrial estate.