FIRST WORLD WAR PAGES

( PAGE 2 )

In preparation for The Battle of The Somme, the summer offensive of 1916, several huge underground mines where dug and packed with explosive. The plan was that these mines, when exploded, would remove large section of Enemy trench works and therefore make attack an easier proposition. These mines were the biggest man made explosions up to that point.

The mine at La Boiselle, Lochnagar crater near ALBERT, exploded with the might of 60,000 lbs of ammonal creating a crater 300 ft across and 90 ft deep, throwing debris 2,000 ft into the air. If you would like to know more about an organisation that looks after this 'living memorial', owned by Englishman Richard Dunning, you can now visit their web site at Friends of Lochnagar.

Lochnagar Crater, La Boiselle, near Albert

The La Boiselle area was the starting point of attack of my home town's Pals Battalion, 10th Lincolns ( Grimsby Chums ). Their Divisional Memorial (34th Division ) is not far away along a grass path next to a cottage, and contains the names of the rest of the units that made up the Div.

34th Div. Memorial

(click on inscription to read )

At trip to the CWGC Cemetery at Ovillers threw up many a Lincolnshire Regiment grave. The history of the Grimsby Chums ( 10th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment ) can be found via the link.

Click to read inscription

If you do manage stay in ALBERT, or at least have some time to spend there, I would recommend a visit to the Musee des Abris. This is a small but well laid out museum situated at a side entrance to the Basilique. The museum is contained in the underground tunnels below the Basilique, dug as air raid protection during the Second World War, and has well presented audio visual exhibits, as well as the usual artifact cabinets. Allow mabye 1 - 1^1/2 hours for a good look around.

Musee des Abris, signposted outside the Basilique

The image of a CWGC cemetery is something you become accustomed to during a visit to the area. These are easy to spot, as the rows of white headstone contrast easily with the surrounding countryside. There are, however, cemeteries for the French and German dead. These tend to be much more solemn places in both feel and appearance. One such cemetery is the German Cemetery at Langemark ( near Ypres ) , Belgium. Each stone in the ground represents 10 - 20 dead, and this cemetery, as you would expect, contains a concentration of dead from the whole of the Belgian battlefront. After the war the enemy dead were not as welcome as the dead of the Allies.

Langemark German Cemetry, Belgium

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