Messines: Equipment Dump in Messines 1917
The second part of ‘WW1 Tunnels of Death: The Big Dig‘ will be broadcast on Channel 5 tonight at 8pm. This week the programme really goes underground as it looks at the dugouts, tunnels and mining system which was part of the Messines battlefield. These were all in an incredible state of good repair, as the photographs below show.
This image dates from January 1917 and shows a German materials dump in the centre of the village. Behind the Germans in the main square of Messines and the photo shows that even only a few months before the June 1917 Battle of Messines, much of the town was still standing. Looking at the equipment dumped here, one wonders how much of it was unearthed by the archaeologists!
Archaeologists in part of the German Tunnels
The same tunnel with the roof back on.
Great War Photos 
I’ve dived a supply ship loaded with trench timbers just like those. The timber was in good nick too as were the anti personnell shells. The 1/2″ dia lead ball bearings were coated so as not to give the wounded lead poisioning (Red X?). The cordite was yellow and just like strands of spaghetti and was all over the wreck as were the balls from rusted broken shell heads. sTEVE
15/11/2012 at 16:05
Reblogged this on Joshua Lisec and commented:
Ah, a trip down memory lane…
27/11/2012 at 16:25