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No Man's Land: The International Group for Great War Archaeology




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Rain Stopped Play

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010
 
       

Thunder storms are a bit of a thing while we are in Belgium, this afternoon saw dark clouds rolling across the fields towards us.
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Dark clouds bringing heavy rain, swirling winds and the rumble of thunder. A gentle rumble this time, nothing like the sharp crack of thunder which woke us on Thursday night a matter of hours after we had laid Alan Mather to rest in the peaceful place that is Prowse Point, or the violent cracks that echoed over the battle scarred landscape the night after we had found him, as the team stood guard over the site.
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It may be a coincidence, but in the emotion soaked fields where men lived and died, there is an evocative echo of the big guns perceptible in nature’s voice.

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Hello from the Finds Room!

Monday, July 26th, 2010
 
       


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It has been a bit quiet the last few days as our dedicated diggers get down to the archaeology. We’ve got the usual finds coming out – 7.92 mm German rounds, .303 British rounds, shrapnel balls, some textiles (probably blackout), domestic items and a wonderful array of the aptly named “rusty crap”.
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We’ve also had a few nice finds that we will share with you.
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First of all, we have a shoulder badge that would have been worn by the Australian Imperial Forces, with a modern example for comparison:
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A piece of timber a with a standard .303 British round still in situ:

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Shirley and Rob cleaned up this nice example of a number 85 fuse made in September 1916, manufactured by ALCO.

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Lighting in the Dugouts

Sunday, July 25th, 2010
 
       

Over the last couple of days a selection of broken light bulbs have been recovered from Avril’s trench, if the large timbers are the remains of a dugout, it looks as though it may have had electric lighting.
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Cleaning in the finds room has revealed a batch number in cyrillic figures on the remaining glass.

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Thank you to our Sponsors

Sunday, July 25th, 2010
 
       

The Plugstreet Team would like to thank Ypres Flanders Battlefield Tours and Cherry Blossom B&B at Brandhoek, for their support.

Part of the fund has been put towards essential services to help make our stay on site more civilized.

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The project is still seeking sponsorship in exchange for advertising on our website, if you are interested in advertising on this site please get in touch

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Team Nosferatu vs Team Avril: The battle lines are drawn!

Saturday, July 24th, 2010
 
       

Plugstreet 2010 has produced the latest trench rivalry between the 2 teams excavating in the copse at St. Yvon. Latest reports have suggested that a verbal slanging match has broken out across the 30 metres of No Man’s Land between them. The latest exchange has been an argument over who has got the biggest timbers.
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Team Avril has struck the first blow with the sensational unconfirmed claim that the discovery of mirrored glass inside their trench is conclusive proof that they have the discovered the dressing room of a German officer. It is assumed that Team Nosferatu was angered by this when their leader, Jon Price, was unable to confirm or deny that the two puncture marks on Angela’s elbow were caused by a member of his team.
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As the stand-off continues, it is expected that eventually one of these teams will go over the top. Team Nosferatu is currently fortifying their 2 metre deep trench in anticipation for a German grenade attack by Team Avril.
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The Plugstreet Project 2010- Days 1 and 2

Saturday, July 24th, 2010
 
       

The Plugstreet Project 2010 is underway!
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Work began at 9am on 23rd July 2010. Three trenches have been opened overall and our four teams have been working hard through tough conditions to find the trenches of the German line.
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Team Kirsty (led by Kirsty Nichol) and Team Slither (led by Steve Litherland) are working on 2 trenches in close proximity to each other on an area to the north-west of St.Yvon. Team Colonel (Geophysics) has identified a German crenellated trench with a communications trench connected to it which is located far back from the German front line.
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Day 1 for these teams consisted of de-turfing and digging down about 30cm on very hard ground. On Day 2 (today) Team Slither found the crenellated trench with shell fragments and components of shrapnel ball explosives. Team Kirsty has had less success, with the somewhat unexpected discovery of Roman pottery, redeposited by the actions of the Great War!
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Team Avril (led by Avril Gibson) are extending the trench that they excavated last year. So far timbers and a post hole have been found.
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2010 has seen the return of Team Nosferatu (led by Jon Price) and they are back with a vengeance, complete with black high vis jackets! The team is resuming excavation of Trench 7, which, after digging to a depth of around 2 metres in 2008, is not yet finished. Days 1 and 2 have mostly consisted of digging to the 2 metre finish point from 2008.
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Day 3 looks set to promise some exciting discoveries as with past seasons! More news soon!
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Turning points

Friday, July 23rd, 2010
 
       

Our current trip to Belgium is something of a turning point in the story we are slowly revealing.
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Arriving on Wednesday morning the media team were soon installed in our home away from home, the Peace Village at Messines. The cameras were quickly unpacked and we headed down to Prowse Point to observe the Australian Army rehearshing the funeral service, timing every step to perfection. This rare opportunity to observe proceedings, ensured that we would be in a position to capture the best possible footage the following day.

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Soon afterwards the Mather family arrived for a tour of the battlefield, taking in Toronto Avenue cemetery, to hear the story of the 33rd Battalion’s struggle through the gas filled wood and to lay a wreath on the grave of another family member who lies there.
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Richard and Martin led a tour of our excavations in the small wood near ultimo crater and took family members into the field to stand at the place Alan had lain undiscovered for so long.
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There was a special poignancy in the Menin gate ceremony at 8pm that night, it was the last ceremony at which Alan’s name carved on the white Portland stone panel, would be relevant. Tomorrow he would no longer be counted amongst those with no known grave. After the service his family gathered around the wreath they had laid beneath the names of the 33rd Btn missing and his great great nephew was lifted onto the shoulders of his Australian Army colleagues to place a poppy beside the carved letters “A. J. Mather”.
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The funeral service was beautiful and very personal, the coffin being carried by bearers from the Australian Army, draped with the Australian flag and topped with Alan’s own medals, a bayonet and slouch hat with the patch of the 33rd Battalion. All of which were presented to his nephew after the coffin had been lowered and the volley fired, three haunting shots from the amassed rifles, which rang out across the valley and echoed from the trees of Plugstreet Wood.
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Alan’s family and invited guests went on to a reception hosted by the local Mayor and the public dispersed, leaving just a few of us in the tranquil cemetery, waiting for the road to reopen and vehicles to arrive to collect the equipment. As the workers from the CWGC brought the carefully bagged soil back into the cemetery and began their work, it felt like the closing of a vital chapter in the story of our project.

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Back in the Peace Village there was time to relax and reflect on events, with a presentation on the process of identification of our Australian followed by raised glasses and a brief pause before the 2010 dig began to open a new chapter….
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A proud day for the Plugstreet Team.

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010
 
       

Today over thirty members of the Plugstreet Team attended the burial of Pte. Alan Mather at Prowse Point cemetery. He was laid to rest with full military honours, a very moving service with readings by members of his family, a proud day for all involved.

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Find out more about the funeral of Pte A. J. Mather
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BBC Radio 4 Broadcast

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010
 
       

Martin & Richard will be on BBC Radio 4 “Material World” at 16:30 UK time today, talking about the recovery and identification of Pte Alan Mather KIA 1917, found 2008, buried 22nd July 2010.
www.BBC.co.uk/radio4

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Service of Reinterment for Private Alan J Mather

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010
 
       

Service of Reinterment

for

Private Alan J Mather

of the First World War
whose remains were found near
St Yvon
11.00 22 July 2010 at Prowse Point Cemetery

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So far from home, never forgotten
May you rest in peace, bearing an honoured name

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Welcome
By Lieutenant Colonel Michael Toohey
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Address
The Hon Alan Griffin MP, Minister for Veterans Affairs and Defence Personnel

Eulogy
Read by Pte. Mather’s family

Greeting and Prayers
Led by Chaplain Russell Mutzelburg, Principal Chaplain Australian Army

Grace and peace from the Lord be with you.
Response: And Also with you.
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We have come together today to thank God for the service Private Alan Mather rendered to Australia, Belgium, other allied nations and the cause of freedom;
to mourn and honour him; and to support each other in grief.

We face the certainty of our own death and judgement,
yet Christians believe that those who die in Christ share eternal life with him.

Therefore in faith and hope we turn to God, who created and sustains us all.

Let us pray.
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Hymn

[After the hymn the Bearer Party with coffin is led into the cemetery by the chaplain who reads the following Scripture passages while leading].
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Psalm and Prayers
Led by Chaplain Catie Inches-Ogden, Senior Chaplain Australian Army Headquarters

Jesus said ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die’ John 11: 25
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Psalm 23 – A Psalm of David
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;.
He guides me in straight paths
for His name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the dark shadow,
I will fear no evil,
for You are with me.
Your rod and staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
my cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

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The Rock. His work is perfect, for all His ways are just: a God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and right is He.
Blessed be the true Judge. The soul of every living thing is in Your hand. Your eyes are upon all the ways of the children of men, giving everyone according to their ways and according to the fruits of their doings.
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord
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Lowering of the Coffin
You are asked to stand.
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Chaplain Inches-Ogden says:

who died and is alive and reigns with you now and for ever, Amen.

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As the coffin is lowered the chaplain says:

and in the glorious company of the saints in light, Amen.

(Volleys will be fired after the “Amen” is said)
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The Ode
Read by Major General Brian Dawson
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They shall not grow old,
as we that are left grown old.
Age shall not weary them,
nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
we will remember them. We will remember them.
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Lest we forget. Lest we forget.

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The Last Post
Silence

Rouse
[you may be seated]

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Wreath Laying
Wreaths will be laid by:
Mr John Mather, Nephew of Private Alan Mather;
The HON Alan Griffin MP, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs;
Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie, Chief of Army;
The Representative of the Belgian Government;
Mr Gilles Deleu, Mayor of Comines-Warneton;
MC will invite additional floral tributes from those present.

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Anthems
The National Anthem of Australia
The National Anthem of Belgium
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Benediction
Led by Principal Chaplain Mutzelburg

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Go forth into the world in peace; be of good courage; hold fast to that which is good; render to no one evil for evil, rather, strengthen the faint hearted, support the weak, help the afflicted, honour all people; love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be with you all, evermore. Amen

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Prowse Point

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Further details for those wishing to attend

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