Man builds 60ft-long World War I TRENCH in his back garden

Interesting read .. :)

Regards,
Doug

Historian Andrew Robertshaw builds 60ft-long First World War TRENCH in his Surrey garden

WOW, That's kind of cool, Looks like they didn't have any trouble finding reinactors to fill it up either. I wish he was my neighbor, that looks like fun after all the diggin's done.

Yep... I have become more interestd in the WWI trench setup, since 2008 when I saw a TV special on one. Somebody accidently found it in their field... and started digging... and digging... and digging... It was VERY large, with the above mentioned rooms.
Not knowing much about WWI, I really didn't know how extensive the trench networks were. Or the underground "war" taking place.
Thanks for posting the link, great read... although I can't image selling a house and keeping the trench network in the "backyard".... Guess the new home owners can't be that picky!

Mr Robetrshaw has been on several TV shows of digging up the trenches. Always interesting to watch as he is such a professional. Wish he was my neighbor.

I was in the last remaining piece of British Trench in Europe a few years ago. Can't remember the name of the place but they had a small cafe and lots of glass slides of WWI, some were pretty disheartening.

Just asked my friend I went with and he said it was close to Ypres.

They recently uncovered some remains used for 1stWW training on Salisbury Plain. They found the usual stuff. old tins, remains of old webbing blank cartridge cases etc etc. I seem to remember that some locals also dug up some that had been used on the Yorkshire moors/Sheffield way that showed upon the recent aerial photos.

We had a Webley .38 pistol at Warminster that was found several years ago, still in its holster on the belt that had been left inb a trench that was hastily filled in in 1944 or so. Some platoon commanders course digging in the same place dug it up. I left it in the workshop used oil tank and when I took it out after a year, it worked - and I fired it!

Heres a question, when the men went over the top and never made it back, what happened to all their belongings? Did a team come along and gather service kit for return to stores and personal kit for return to family? I ask as the photo in the article appears to show alot of items on the back wall of the trench as the men are about to advance.

He needs to introduce rats and lots of them in the trench. Realism.

He sure did a great job on that. That is a lot of work for a handful of guys. Looks authentic!