Shells

[tonyh]

Here is something You don't see everyday

Live artillery shells plowed up and placed by the side of the road for collection...

This place is between Passendale and ypres.

My wife asked if I wan't to keep one as a souvenir...

Err... no.

Tony

Tony

 

[Reiben]

Quite wise. As you dont want to be its first and last victim.

Got any other pics of your trip you want to post? Trenchs etc?

Been thinking about going on one of those battlefield tours.

 

[tonyh]

Bit of a **** up really...

My Wife and I were there on a Mini Holiday.

Drove up there thinking the trenches would be easy to find.

Didn't research it at all...

Next time.... And, there will be.

Tony

 

[Ted]

Well, just look for the really un-even grounds. All of it is still from the incredible artillery barrages. Last year I stumbled across some re-build trenches in Northern France, it was amazing. Grenadiers could actually throw grenades into eachothers trenches, they were about 60 feet apart. I am not sure where they were exactly, but if you are interested I'' find it out for you!

 

[Dean]

If they were only 60 feet apart, there is a good chace that they were the first and second lines of defence of the same side. Having 2 opposing trenches that close together was extremely rare.

Dean.

 

[Ted]

That is what struck me too Dean. But it said so on the information charts all around the area. The was also a difference in construction patterns that points towards two parties builing the trenches.... I'll have a look where it was specifically, because it was very interesting!

 

[Ted]

Right here we are! My best guess is that it was near Sissonne, north of Laon in Picardy. Because there were different war cemeteries, both common wealth and German. (There was also a memorial for fallen French colonial soldiers.) On one of the secondary roads this place was marked and there they were, accompanied by a museum if my memory serves me correct!

 

[Dean]

I have heard of that happening, but I was also told theat neither side allowed it for long periods of time. The reason why I doubted it at first was that every time I read about this, they never mentioned where it was, so I assumed (after a while) that it was an urban myth of sorts.
At 60 feet apart, chances are that one side or the other would have withdrawn to a more defensible position after a very short period of time. It does make an intersteing historical site, though.

Dean.

 

[Ted]

You make perfect sense Dean. But the funny thing is that the two trenches were elaboratly worked on. They were at leat man height, well reinforced and must have taken some time to get done like that. On the other hand it would have been an extreme kill zone at such a distance... I am curious what really happened there and how things evolved.