8 yrs ago, I started my 1st #FWW dig, as lead archaeologist, on new sewage collectors around the town of Messines. Trench maps from the desktop-study indicated we would cross several war-related features, but we discovered much more. I'll give an overview in the following days 
First feature we encountered was a German communication trench named Blauer Graben (Oyster Avenue). Only the bottom 30cm was preserved, but in a rather good condition. It was about 40cm wide and metal U-frames were used to support the floor and wall timbers.
#FWW #Archaeology
#FWW #Archaeology
About 100 metres to the south we found a second trench, dug by Allied forces after the Battle for Messines Ridge, connecting the new frontline with the rear. Its construction was simple with just duckboards- found only as soil marks- and no wall revetments.
#FWW #Archaeology
#FWW #Archaeology
More to the south, near the Wulvergemstraat, another German trench was uncovered. Based on the maps and its construction we believe this was an early trench that fell into disuse fairly quickly. The cable in the cross-section indicates it was reused to bury a telephone cable
In the southern part of the first area, 2 more Allied trenches were discovered. Both dug by New Zealand troops during their advance on 7 June 1917. They correspondent to the first objective, where the first wave had to dig in.
The Swan Pen was found in one of the trenches
The Swan Pen was found in one of the trenches
The most southern part of the 1st area was one of the most interesting parts of the excavation. Here we crossed the support trench of the German first line and its surrounding infrastructure. One of these was a buried telephone cable covered/protected with a thick metal L-frame
Just outside our excavation area there was a German tunnel shaft, “Schacht Hindenburg”. Blue clay from the tunnel had to be concealed. One method was to dump it in craters and cover them with ‘normal ground’. A method used on both sides of the wire. One such crater was excavated.
Besides the infrastructure, we also found the support trench itself, and how. At first we only found a big irregular feature that didn’t seem to make much sense. But the depth of the cross-sections and the preservation of the timbers looked very promising
#FWW #Archaeology
#FWW #Archaeology
The construction was uncovered in pristine condition resulting in lots of info on trench construction: a variety of wall revetments were used methodologically; evolution of floor boarding could be recorded because the floor level was raised 3x without destroying the earlier phase
Behind Eckert Graben we found a feature that we didn’t expect to find at all. This concrete shelter was completely underground and thus not visible on the aerials nor indicated on any map. The roof was destroyed and found collapsed onto the preserved wooden floor
The concrete shelter was accessible via a deep trench that was found in an astonishing good condition, although some of the walls collapsed. Revetments were made of big horizontal timbers in alternation with corrugated iron sheets, both supported by heavy beams
#FWW #Archaeology
#FWW #Archaeology
