Visited some World War 1 sites during my vacation at the coast (lots of pics)

[Top-Gear-24]

I've been on vacation last week at the belgian coast, and while there I took the opportunity to visit some World War I sites.  I will post some of the pictures I took in this topic.

[kirk13]

Looking forward to seeing the pix mate

[Top-Gear-24]

So, first place we visited were the German trenches at Wijtschate, called "Bayernwald", here are the pics:









On the pic below you see one of the numerous mine shafts they dug on both sides, this one is called "Berta 4" and it's 30 meters  (about 98 feet) deep, and at the bottom there's a long tunnel, at the end this tunnel splits up in 2 directions and at the end of both these tunnels there was a listening post, to hear where enemy forces were digging their tunnels.



And off course, the Vic Explorer joined me in the trenches  .




There are more pics of different places on the way  .

[Top-Gear-24]

On the other side of the road I saw this small but beautiful cemetery, in the middle of the fields, called "Croonaert Chapel Cemetery", you find a lot of cemeteries like this, spreaded all over the west side of Belgium, some very big, some small (but in no way less beautiful).



















I found places like this to be beautiful and peaceful, but at the same time they send shivers down your spine ... 

[Top-Gear-24]

Next up was Hill 60, you can read a lot of info about this place on the first pictures below (I took pics from the information boards at the entrance of Hill 60).















You don't see it very well on these pictures, but this place is full of craters, just like it was almost a 100 years ago.

[MultiMat]

TOP pictures mate 
My grandfather fought in France during WWI but he died when I was a baby.
Thank you for the photos 

A Aussie movie was made about Hill 60 last year , a pretty good movie 

[Top-Gear-24]

Great to hear your grandfather was one of the brave men who fought for our freedom  .

And I only heard about that movie a few weeks ago, when I was doing some research about World War I.  Watching this movie is now on my "to do" list  .

[MultiMat]

  , My Grand Father apparently came back from the war quite a different man  .

Apparently he & his mates 'borrowed' a tram whilst in Paris  . Aussies abroad  .

The movie I think was made in Oz & not a big budget , I still enjoyed it though.

[Top-Gear-24]

Next up, I visited "Tyne Cot cemetery", talking about an impressive place ... 11.956 soldiers found their final resting place here ...



















On one side of the cemetery you find this wall, on this wall you'll find the names of 34.957 soldiers who are "missing in action (you can find the other 55.000 names of missing soldiers on "de menenpoort" in the town of Ieper). 



Feels very strange when you can suddenly see the face that comes with the name ...

[Chako]

Thanks for sharing. 

[jerseydevil]

Thank you for sharing the pics. So many unknowns and MIA, it's a really sobering thing.

[edap617]

Very interesting pics. Thank you.

[Top-Gear-24]

Last place I visited was "the trench of death", these are belgian trenches who were only 50 meters (about 164 feet) away from the German trenches.
























And as usual, the Vic Explorer came along ...



















And of course, I had to take a lot of pictures from the poppies (which became a symbol for World War I after the Canadian army physician John McCrae wrote his famous poem "in Flanders fields").


In Flanders fields (lieutenant-kolonel John McCrae, 1872-1918)

    In Flanders fields the poppies blow
    Between the crosses, row on row
    That mark our place; and in the sky
    The larks, still bravely singing, fly
    Scarce heard amid the guns below.

    We are the dead. Short days ago
    We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow
    Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
    In Flanders fields.

    Take up our quarrel with the foe:
    To you from failing hands we throw
    The torch; be yours to hold it high.
    If ye break faith with us who die
    We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
    In Flanders fields.













I hope you guys enjoyed it  .

Greetings from Belgium,

Eric "Top-Gear-24" Meuris

[Carlos]

Aside from the beauty of the photos and such an historical context, I'm totally impressed on the level of conservation and preservation of the battles ground. Most historical battlefields on my country have been taken by construction over the years.

[ducttapetech]

That is just WOW! Thanks for sharing.

[gustophersmob]

Wow, great photos, thanks for sharing.

The pics have a strange, surreal beauty about them.  But very sad and tragic at the same time.  So many lives lost or forever altered.  Its good to remember those who served as well as those who were affected by the war. 

Thanks for posting this.  Hopefully, the more people see the magnitude of people affected, the more likely we will strive to ensure it won't happen again. 

Your photos are very sobering to me.  Thanks again.

[Ashley]

Great photos. 

[Smitty44]

Thanks for sharing on this Memorial Day Weekend,may God bless them all.

[David]

Thanks for sharing!

[Gareth]

All very sobering mate.  Thanks for sharing your excellent pics.

[AimlessWanderer]

Absolutely staggering! Many thanks for sharing

[J-sews]

Hill 60: So much death and suffering, all for one "artificial" hill


Thank you for posting these photos Top Gear, as most of us will never be able to see this place for ourselves.