Historian builds 60' replica of WW1 trench in his back yard

[jollyjacktar]

He must have very understanding neighbors and family.  Photos and video at story link. 

Ground force: Historian builds 60ft-long First World War TRENCH in his back garden to highlight plight of frontline TommiesFormer history teacher used a JCB to shift 200 tonnes of earth to create the trench in his Surrey garden
Andrew Robertshaw enlisted the help of a team of 30 volunteers - including soldiers recently returned from Afghanistan
Historian and his team spent 24 hours living in the trench as part of the ambitious project

By Kerry Mcdermott
PUBLISHED: 13:33 GMT, 1 November 2012 | UPDATED: 14:15 GMT, 1 November 2012

Surrounded by barbed wire, sandbags and mud, this 60ft trench is barely distinguishable from those occupied by British soldiers fighting in the First World War almost a century ago.  The enormous dugout has been painstakingly recreated by an ex-history teacher in his back garden in Surrey.  Writer and historian Andrew Robertshaw and a team of 30 volunteers spent a month shifting around 200 tonnes of earth to build the enormous three-room trench, which aims to highlight the horrific conditions endured by troops during the Great War.

The father-of-one has even spent 24 hours living in the hole - which features a kitchen, infantry room, and officers' dugout - as part of an overnight re-enactment of trench warfare in the garden in Charlwood.

Mr Robertshaw - who acted as a military advisor on the Steven Spielberg epic War Horse - and a band of volunteers dressed up in replica uniforms and used rifles to fire blanks into the countryside during their stint in the trench.

'My grandfather fought in the war and was wounded three times,' said the historian, who also runs the Royal Logistics Corps Museum in Deepcut, Surrey.  'I wanted to show people that the war was about survival and not just about death. When the soldiers weren't fighting this is how they were living.  'The most common experience was living in a trench and trying to be as comfortable as possible while living in a hole in the ground,' he added.

With Remembrance Day approaching, Mr Robertshaw said it was particularly important to reflect on the living conditions endured by British troops.  'Many people will know someone who was involved in the war and it is a direct legacy to the world today,' he said.
Mr Robertshaw and his band of volunteers - which included soldiers from the 23 Pioneer Regiment Royal Logistics Corps - got a glimpse into the life of a Tommy when they spent 24 hours living in the trench and kept a diary of the experience.

'It's all about learning,' said Mr Robertshaw, who explained that all of the participants wrote about their experiences of cooking, eating and cleaning in the trench.  ‘I am an ex-history teacher and I just want people to know more about our history and the First World War is such a big part of that,' said the historian, who has appeared on the television programme Time Team and worked behind the scenes on Who Do You Think You Are?  ‘Particularly as Remembrance Day is coming up it is important to realise how those troops were living.'

Mr Robertshaw also took photographs of the overnight re-enactment for his upcoming book, entitled 24 Hours In Battle, which is set in April 1918 and will be released next year.  While the sprawling trench is overlooked by a number of other houses in Charlwood, Mr Robertshaw said he had received no complaints from neighbours and some even made cups of tea for the 'troops' during the overnight battle re-enactment.  Since building the dugout last summer Mr Robertshaw has sold his Surrey house and moved, but eager to hold on to the results of his ambitious project, he has retained ownership of the land housing the trench.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2226235/Ground-force-Historian-builds-60ft-long-First-World-War-TRENCH-garden-highlight-plight-frontline-Tommies.html#ixzz2AysjpGsj
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[my72jeep]

This guy has his own ty show about looking for WWI sites.

 

[jollyjacktar]

Yes, you're right.  He does look familiar now that you've pointed it out.  I've watched several of his programs in the past, he's very knowledgeable on this subject.

 

[fraserdw]

Bet that is good for property values!  Try that in Toronto!

 

[my72jeep]

I've been to areas of Toronto that look like that with out trying to.

 

[TN2IC]

Did he get a permit for this?

 

[Danjanou]

I've been to areas of Toronto that look like that with out trying to.

And I've been to some that would require that level of defence  o=r more ( mines) for the average homeowner to keep his property stuff and family safe

 

[my72jeep]

Danjanou Mil Points inbound that is a nice add on to my comment.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I've been to Crawley...

I hope his arcs are all facing south, with a robust E&E plan to Guildford and Aldershot via the North Downs way in case SMOC (Single Mothers of Crawley) overwhelms his puny defences. 

http://www.maplandia.com/united-kingdom/england/south-east/surrey-county/charlwood/

 

[CombatDoc]

When I read that he was from Surrey, I could understand his  need for robust home defences.  Then I realized he meant Surrey, England, not Surrey BC...

 

[q_1966]

That's bloody impressive. 

 

[a_majoor]

Pierre Burton described something like that in "Vimy" as a thought experiment for people wondering what living in a trench would have been like.

Luckily the creator of the replica trench didn't follow through with the rest of Burton's description and fill the trench with mud, offal, rats and lice while drenching the reenactors with cold water and random shell fire....

 

[Old Sweat]

Our local Catholic high school has (or maybe had) a section of trench constructed at the back of its property. Every November the kids refurbish and live in it for an overnight. It is a very effective way of driving home "we shall remember them."

 

[Maxadia]

Our local Catholic high school has (or maybe had) a section of trench constructed at the back of its property. Every November the kids refurbish and live in it for an overnight. It is a very effective way of driving home "we shall remember them."

That is, in every sense of the word, awesome.

If we tried that here, the school board safety inspectors would be all over it in a minute.

 

[my72jeep]

That reminds me how many of us went to a school with a range in the basment?  and would that happen today.

 

[Robert0288]

I know a couple of schools in Ottawa that had a range in the basement.  They no longer exist

 

[Journeyman]

If we tried that here, the school board safety inspectors would be all over it in a minute.

Well, some organizations have a bit of a legacy when it comes to "child....safety" 

 

[vonGarvin]

Well, some organizations have a bit of a legacy when it comes to "child....safety" 

Junior Hockey? 

 

[q_1966]

re: basement ranges closed down, I think it might also have to do with inadequate ventilation, lead dust and new regulations regarding it (In addition to schools being guns=bad).