Ave atque Vale Saturday, July 25th, 2009
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With the death of Harry Patch it seems that the last living link to the trenches has gone. Harry knew the world we are excavating and reconstructing through our work. To him the trenches were newly built, the tins weren’t rusty and all those names on the memorials were real, living, young people.
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How appropriate that the man whose passing marks this moment of shift should be one who did not want to fight but was conscripted and who held off killing for as long as possible.
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Harry Patch, plumber, fireman, gentleman and soldier.
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Filed under: Great War History by
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Standing To! Wednesday, July 15th, 2009
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It’s that time of year again.
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We will be on site from Friday 31 to Thursday 6th August at St Yvon.
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The main team will be looking for further evidence of the Australian fortification of the mine crater and of ground held following the Messines attack. In addition we hope to investigate the entrance to a German concrete shelter to see something of the architecture and stratigraphy of the access to it from the trench.
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While the main thrust of fieldwork will concentrate on the 33 Bn objectives from 7th June 1917, The Colonel will be leading a recce party to look at Hill 63 and carry out geophysical survey that we hope will inform work in coming years.
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As ever we will be joined by our Belgian friends, including members of the Comines-Warneton Historical Society.
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Not all the regulars will be with us in Belgium, we’ll be missing James, Chass, Lesley, Birger and Jon, but we do say “Congratulations!” to Sylvia who isn’t coming out on the paltry excuse that she is getting married!
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We hope to be continuing with the blog while we are away. Watch this space.
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Filed under: A Dig Diary by
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