WW1 Battlefields

[jeeeensy]

Just returned from a week away in France, visited Albert, Verdun,Ypes MeninGate service,, to much to list. these piccs are from the Newfoudland
and German frontline trenches left as was, nature has taken its toll over the years but still there, and there are even the original barb wire pickets, still where they were originaly placed all those years ago very sobering, need not say more the piccs speak for themselves,
did not take to many on my camera as only a basic camera, have some other piccs of museums etc from the in-laws ,,, yes i know i had to take them along to, was just me the missus n my parents ,,somehow they got wind of it and tagged along, oh well at least i get to copy their photo's.

more piccs to follow later. Regards Nick

 

[jeeeensy]

This is one of the mines,,,66 thousand pounds on amonal was detonated under the German front line, again left as was and now is a memorial.

 

[dano1917]

WWI Battlefields

Great pictures Jeeeensy, I didn't know any of the front still existed. Must have been one great trip. Neat seeing the original barbed wire pigs still there. WW1 is my thing...Dano

 

[satan18]

Great pictures Jeeeensy, I didn't know any of the front still existed. Must have been one great trip. Neat seeing the original barbed wire pigs still there. WW1 is my thing...Dano

Hi Dano

I used to go battlefeild walking three times a year,and stay at an English guest house right in the middle of the Somme.

Under this house was a WW1 feild hospital that was in the cellar and still had scratchings in the walls made by the troops as they lay injured.

When you have done the regular tourist sites then we used to do our own
excursions ie mametz wood which was still fenced off and caterpillar valley
where we visited the cemetery there and on the book of rememberence someone had put a live mills grenade on the walloh:

We went to a place called concourlet i think the spellings wrong but we went at night to get a feel for things and got buzzed by an army of bats
which sht the life out of us:xd:

Plenty to see and places to go but dont pic anything up as the french are rather touchy about that now,and do arrest you and seize your vehicle if they suspect anything.:sad:

Best phil

 

[waffenamt]

Aye Jeeensy,looks like you had a cracking trip my good man!
Cheers for the write up and pictures. I keep threatening to make that trip out there but time and ready money seems to be an obtacle especially when i keep finding fuzes and ordnance up and down the country to be bought! :tinysmile_fatgrin_t

best

Waff

 

[tigbrand]

Trenches

Interesting pics Jeeeensy. Dano,there are areas in france even now that are off limits as they are so full of ordnance they will take years to clear.Perhaps some of the EOD guys can fill you in on the present situation? You may be shocked,i was when i realised how many eod bods still get killed sorting out the legacy of ww1,not to mention all the remains of the poor souls who never got found:sad:.Best Tony.

 

[pointblank0]

Those pics are brilliant. Seems very ghostly seeing all the pickets still there.

 

[jeeeensy]

Thanks for all the nice comments,,,here is another crater left after a mine detonation, ( Newfoundland fron line ),see how this one is long and not round,,this also has big waring signs warning that there is still live ammunition in the area.not to mention the remains of troops that were in there at the time.

 

[peteblight]

Ypres battlefield tours

Great pics!
If anyone's interested i have some really good contacts for battlefield tours in the area of Ypres in Belgium.
Instead of paying a company to take you there, drive down and then you are free to go where you want. Prior to going contact the tourist office in Passendale and ask them to arrange a tour for you. They'll put together an itinerary for as long as you want and provide the guide. You can specify interests, locations etc or leave it upto them. Once they've put a plan together you can review it and make sure it meets what you want to do and see.
Last time i went we used a guide called Noel Vallaeys - Extremely knowledgeable and speaks 4 or 5 different languages. He cost 100 euros for the whole day and we had 12 in our group so less than 10 euros for a days personalised guiding.
The tourist office will organise lunch to your requirements and any accommodation you require.

Hope this is of help

 

[DICKAREN]

Thanks for all the nice comments,,,here is another crater left after a mine detonation, ( Newfoundland fron line ),see how this one is long and not round,,this also has big waring signs warning that there is still live ammunition in the area.not to mention the remains of troops that were in there at the time.

Jeensey,
Your photo is not a crater but is Y ravine, a natural ravine that the Germans used for dug outs just behind their front line trench.
What did you make of Verdun? I find it quite a haunted place and very gloomy.
Richard

 

[jeeeensy]

That's strange ,, on the map and on the Monument it called it a mine crater, did i miss the the crater ??? it must have been damned close to this ravine,,,means i'll have to go back next summer then and locate it then

Verdun was very a eerie and still place but very nice, when you think Verdun was non-existant and all was re-built.

 

[dano1917]

V E R D U N must go someday

Everyone i've talked to that has visited Verdun leave there with an eerie feeling almost as though it is haunted. I can't say first hand as i've never been there, but if I were to go to France I would not miss Verdun, and relics are still in abundance as I have heard, nothing great, but chunks of shells and grenade bits and things on those lines. i have been told that the French authorities frown on people picking stuff up, but how could one resist the temptation. Verdun is definately on my bucket list and someday before I die I shall visit there and I shall pass...Two cents, two pence, three pesos, whatever, that's my story and i'm a sticking to it...Dano

 

[leeski]

very nice pictures jeeeensy looks like you had a very nice trip


regards lee

 

[jeeeensy]

cheers Lee,,was a good week there lots of driving but well worth it, plan to return and see the rest, after a Normany trip me thinks ,,, got a few more piccs and will post over the weekend, get the kleenex out waff some stuff in there for you mate :xd:

Regards
Nick

 

[jeeeensy]

museum pics

Not many but a few piccs from a couple of museums visited.

Regards Nick

 

[jeeeensy]

Few more piccs,,

 

[18pounder]

Everyone i've talked to that has visited Verdun leave there with an eerie feeling almost as though it is haunted. I can't say first hand as i've never been there, but if I were to go to France I would not miss Verdun, and relics are still in abundance as I have heard, nothing great, but chunks of shells and grenade bits and things on those lines. i have been told that the French authorities frown on people picking stuff up, but how could one resist the temptation. Verdun is definately on my bucket list and someday before I die I shall visit there and I shall pass...Two cents, two pence, three pesos, whatever, that's my story and i'm a sticking to it...Dano

you can find FAR more than just bits,especially after the fields have just been turned over.
Its strange because you have to train your eyes to identify irregular shapes in the soil,most folk just miss stuff.

Grenades tend to look just like potatoes!!
(i dont pick up grenades !!!)
I usually pick up stuff and then sort through it later,as it could be somthing very interesting.
I once found what looked like a small ball of wire covered in crap,after cleaning discovered it was a british tank regiment cap badge.
Two years ago a m42 german helmet.

I have family in belgium so i usually get the nod or get given stuff they have collected for me.:tinysmile_shy_t:
Most folk are more than happy to give me stuff they have, as its considered junk,and their just happy for it to go.

Folk seem to be making a fortune from relics,that in my opinion are basically interesting bits of scrap metal and can be found quite easily or bought locally for little cash.

Having trench maps of verdun helps alot too as they can guide you to hotspots,there is still much exploring to do and places that tourists dont go:tinysmile_twink_t2:

If you do go,go with someone that knows the area.


Doug