[quote=DailyMail]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.
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?
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.
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[t]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/11/01/article-2226235-15CB16A9000005DC-512_964x643.jpg[/t]
[t]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/11/01/article-2226235-15CB1408000005DC-118_964x642.jpg[/t]
[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[/url]
I know this is the Daily Mail but honestly this is pretty neat.
Holy fuck that looks scary accurate.
Sorry but he's failed unless he has rats the size of dogs, shell shock and trenchfoot, until he has all of those he'll just be a poser.
[QUOTE=Savyetski79;38290544][url]http://www.facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1222900[/url]
Totally already posted about.[/QUOTE]
Oh, right. Do I just delete this then?
-snip-
Needs more guts, shit and puke. 2/10
[QUOTE=ElectricSquid;38290554]Oh, right. Do I just delete this then?[/QUOTE]
I really dont know or care about what you do. I just wanted to give you a friendly reminder. :eng101:
Imagine that area as a paintball course? Damn...
[QUOTE=Pierrewithahat;38290541]Sorry but he's failed unless he has rats the size of dogs, shell shock and trenchfoot, until he has all of those he'll just be a poser.[/QUOTE]
This whole thing is an insult to WW1 veterans like Pierrewithahat.
[QUOTE=Governor Goblin;38290914]This whole thing is an insult to WW1 veterans like Pierrewithahat.[/QUOTE]
I was joking around but really until someones having their feet chewed off by a monster rat and everyones swimming in their own piss and shit in the trench it just won't be totally accurate.
[QUOTE=Pierrewithahat;38290928]I was joking around but really until someones having their feet chewed off by a monster rat and everyones swimming in their own piss and shit in the trench it just won't be totally accurate.[/QUOTE]
Thanks captain obvious, glad you're here to explain that to us.
[QUOTE=Governor Goblin;38290996]Thanks captain obvious, glad you're here to explain that to us.[/QUOTE]
Sorry I offended you so much, I rated you heart because that stick up your ass must be rather painful.
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