• Former history teacher builds 60-ft WWI trench in his backyard - Then invites history buffs for a re
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[h2]The home front: Man builds 60ft-long World War I TRENCH in his back garden - and then invites history buffs round for re-enactment[/h2] [code]-Former 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 -Mr Robertshaw has opened the trench to the public in the past, and hopes to create a website for schoolchildren to virtually explore the dugout[/code] [quote]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, and the dedicated 55-year-old even spent 24 hours living in its confines with a team of volunteers as part of his efforts to experience life as a WWI soldier. Andrew Robertshaw and 30 helpers spent a month shifting around 200 tonnes of earth to build the enormous three-room trench, which he hopes will teach people more about the horrific living conditions endured by British troops during the Great War. [B] Scroll down for video[/B] [tab]Endurance: Former history teacher Andrew Robertshaw built the trench to highlight the plight of WWI soldiers[/tab][img]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/11/01/article-2226235-15CB16A9000005DC-512_964x643.jpg[/img] 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. [tab]Replica: Mr Robertshaw enlisted the help of volunteers and soldiers from the 23 Pioneer Regiment Royal Logistics Corps for the ambitious project[/tab][img]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/11/01/article-2226235-15CB19AB000005DC-188_964x1301.jpg[/img] [tab]Living conditions: Mr Robertshaw and volunteers spent 24 hours living in the trench and re-enacting warfare[/tab][img]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/11/01/article-2226235-15CB181B000005DC-104_964x643.jpg[/img] [tab]Legacy: The historian said that, with Remembrance Day approaching, it was particularly important to reflect on what British troops endured[/tab][img]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/11/01/article-2226235-15CB1ABA000005DC-632_964x643.jpg[/img] [tab]Mr Robertshaw, whose grandfather fought in the war, said he wanted to show how soldiers lived when they weren't fighting[/tab][img]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/11/01/article-2226235-15CB1745000005DC-574_964x643.jpg[/img] 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.' The former teacher is in the process of creating a video for use is schools, which will explore the trench and include footage of some of his First World War re-enactments. Mr Robertshaw is also hoping to launch a website through which schoolchildren can virtually explore the dugout. The historian, who has opened the trench to the public in the past, said: 'I usually target war enthusiasts and societies like the Western Front Association, as it will mean more to them,' he said. 'I have just made a tester video for schools to use when teaching about the war and I have had an idea to make the trench available via the web.' Mr Robertshaw said such a website would help bring history to life for youngsters watching. ‘A website for the trench could be used by schools to give lectures which are much more realistic then looking at a black and white photograph, which is what we have at the moment,' he said. Photographs of Mr Robertshaw's 24-hour stint in the trench are also included in his book, entitled 24 Hour Trench: A Day In The Life Of a Frontline Tommy, which is set in April 1917. [tab]Warfare: Mr Robertshaw captured the 24-hour stint in the trench on camera for a book he wrote (Left) Re-enactment: Mr Robertshaw and volunteers donned replica uniforms and spent 24 hours living in the trench (Right)[/tab][img]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/11/01/article-2226235-15CB1BAA000005DC-983_470x706.jpg[/img][img]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/11/01/article-2226235-15CB13F8000005DC-912_470x705.jpg[/img][tab][/tab] [tab]Realistic: The 'troops' used rifles to fire blanks in the Surrey countryside as part of the re-enactment[/tab][img]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/11/01/article-2226235-15CB1408000005DC-118_964x642.jpg[/img] 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. Steven Andrews, 63, who lives next to the trench in Charlwood, told how he hears the sound of gunfire emerging from the dugout when re-enactments are taking place. 'My land borders Andy's land but we have never had any real problems,' he said. 'The only issue I have ever raised is that I have horses and when the re-enactments are going on they can get easily spooked. 'Last time we came to an agreement that Andy would stop shooting at certain times when the horses were out. 'We can hear the gunfire from the house, he uses real rifles used in WWI, but as it isn't very often we don't mind,' Mr Andrews said. Mr Robertshaw's latest book, 24 Hours In Battle, is due to be released next year. Images of the re-enactment are taken from the book 24hr Trench: A Day in the Life of a Frontline Tommy by Andrew Robertshaw, published by The History Press, [url]www.thehistorypress.co.uk[/url]. [tab]Teamwork: Mr Robertshaw had help from a team of 30 volunteers to build the trench in the garden[/tab][img]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/11/01/article-2226235-15CB1D9A000005DC-795_964x685.jpg[/img] [tab]Ambitious: The historian and his team spent a month working to create the sprawling dugout[/tab][img]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/11/01/article-2226235-15CB1D82000005DC-511_964x697.jpg[/img] [tab]Reality: Troops are seen in a trench in France during the First World War[/tab][img]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/11/01/article-2226235-0F7F8D0300000578-696_964x682.jpg[/img] [tab]Soldiers emerge from a trench and go over the top into battle during the First World War[/tab][img]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/11/01/article-2226235-01A9D2BF000004B0-479_964x704.jpg[/img][/quote] That's cool! [url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2226235/Historian-Andrew-Robertshaw-builds-60ft-long-First-World-War-TRENCH-Surrey-garden-highlight-plight-frontline-Tommies.html]Source (Dailymail.co.uk)[/url]
That's just straight-up fucking awesome :v:
Is he married I could only imagine what his wife was thinking
That is so awesome, I wish I could go and see those trenches he made.
They should do reenactments in the rain.
Damn, he did a stunning job.
I wish someone would do this would a modern day twist. I personally would love to get a closer connection with how our soldiers today have to survive in warzones and such. I know it's pretty harsh, but it's most clear when it's done first hand. I think that [U]some[/U] people don't give the respect our soldiers deserve because they don't realize they deal with tough shit, conflict or not.
Cool.
Well that's far more creative than your typical water feature garden. I like it.
[QUOTE=NO ONE;38289277]I wish someone would do this would a modern day twist. I personally would love to get a closer connection with how our soldiers today have to survive in warzones and such. I know it's pretty harsh, but it's most clear when it's done first hand. I think that [U]some[/U] people don't give the respect our soldiers deserve because they don't realize they deal with tough shit, conflict or not.[/QUOTE] I think WW1 is pretty forgotten nowadays, rather sad really.
[QUOTE=solid_jake;38289216]Is he married I could only imagine what his wife was thinking[/QUOTE] "You're sleeping in the trenches tonight"
[QUOTE=pvt.jenkins;38289314]I think WW1 is pretty forgotten nowadays, rather sad really.[/QUOTE] They had a much worse war around the corner to make everyone shudder.
Now he needs to contract mercenaries to shell his trenches for him, to be 100% authentic.
Not to mention that trench would be a great smoke spot
[QUOTE=PassTheBong;38289356]Not to mention that trench would be a great smoke spot[/QUOTE] "No sir, officer, we weren't hot boxing in the trench, it was a uh.. Gas attack simulation."
I think he should host reenactments all the time. Would be awesome, and could probably make his decent money.
[QUOTE=pvt.jenkins;38289314]I think WW1 is pretty forgotten nowadays, rather sad really.[/QUOTE] Well we don't really have anyone left from it to tangibly remind us of it. We still hear and learn of it, but we hear more of the wars that still have living veterans because we can go so and so lived through _____/fought at ________/saved ________.
[QUOTE=solid_jake;38289216]Is he married I could only imagine what his wife was thinking[/QUOTE] Front yard is probably her yard.
There is a man at my old work place that wants to do this and if he got the plans to do it that would be nice. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUuUyEKRlko[/media] He's got a hut in the middle of the range where he's got all this WW1 gear and books.
Looks damn good and accurate. I would join that, be the American doughboy coming in to help turn the tide. I even have a Springfield 1903
Thats pretty epic. I wish more people would take just an hour to learn more about WW1.
It would be great if his neighbors got fed up with his shit and built their own trenches from which to harass him.
do we have a link for this story? I want to send it to my dad.
I've always wanted to get land of my own and dig two opposing three-line trench systems. If anything I could open it to the public as an airsoft range or something, or rent it out to the one of the Great War reenactment groups. [QUOTE=NO ONE;38289277]I wish someone would do this would a modern day twist. I personally would love to get a closer connection with how our soldiers today have to survive in warzones and such. I know it's pretty harsh, but it's most clear when it's done first hand. I think that [U]some[/U] people don't give the respect our soldiers deserve because they don't realize they deal with tough shit, conflict or not.[/QUOTE] A modern day twist would be a pile of hesco barriers and corrugated metal overlooking some mountain pass in the middle of fuck nowhere. Watch Restrepo for a good idea of your average remote Afghani FOB. [editline]2nd November 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=pvt.jenkins;38289314]I think WW1 is pretty forgotten nowadays, rather sad really.[/QUOTE] If anything interest in the Great War is growing, very much so among the military historian circles, especially with the centennials coming up.
[QUOTE=NO ONE;38289277]I wish someone would do this would a modern day twist. I personally would love to get a closer connection with how our soldiers today have to survive in warzones and such. I know it's pretty harsh, but it's most clear when it's done first hand. I think that [U]some[/U] people don't give the respect our soldiers deserve because they don't realize they deal with tough shit, conflict or not.[/QUOTE] Airsoft is about as close as you'll get without joining the army proper. I had a game on a MOUT training facility that lasted two days straight without a break. The loud speakers constantly blasted gunfire, tanks and a woman getting raped, it was constant engagesments, barely five or ten minutes to reequip and head back out. At night the fighting got worse and we had to bunker down on the second story, half slept while the others kept the door secure. Shit's pretty intense. Still not nearly as bad as an actual warzone though.
[QUOTE=CodeMonkey3;38291289]Airsoft is about as close as you'll get without joining the army proper. I had a game on a MOUT training facility that lasted two days straight without a break. The loud speakers constantly blasted gunfire, tanks and a woman getting raped, it was constant engagesments, barely five or ten minutes to reequip and head back out. At night the fighting got worse and we had to bunker down on the second story, half slept while the others kept the door secure. Shit's pretty intense. Still not nearly as bad as an actual warzone though.[/QUOTE] Wowza. Come to think of it, I remember a former friend of mine had an older brother in the military and he at one point was stationed in Washington DC and even met President Bush and stuff like that. But anyways, I recall him talking about just a small bit of his training and how his platoon was ambushed in the middle of the night. They were sleeping in dugouts in the ground that they had to dig themselves (obviously). They were shot at with frozen paintballs. I think he said one of the guys had a rib broken from one of them.
[QUOTE=ColdWave;38289317]"You're sleeping in the trenches tonight"[/QUOTE] "WHOO HOO!"
I have always wanted to do that!
Damn, I'd love to be part of this.
Why can't all teachers be this awesome?
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