Now all roads lead to France and heavy is the tread
Of the living; but the dead returning lightly dance.
Edward Thomas, Roads

Friday, February 14, 2014

Western Front Virtual Tour —
Stop 8: Messines and "Plug Street"






This week we visit some of the most famous sites south of Ypres, between the villages. The area is most famous for two events, the 1914 Christmas Truce and the 1917 campaign which began on 7 June with the explosion of 19 mines. As always, there are many more interesting things to see in the area than we have space to show you in this entry.



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Next Week: Antwerp


2 comments:

  1. 19 mines went off in 1917 to blow the top off of Messines Rige, but there were 21 laid and 2 did not go off. One went off in 1955 after a lightening strike during a storm and one is still down there unexploded.
    tmorgan58

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  2. 24 were laid, one under Petite Douve Farm was discovered by the Germans and 4 were not triggered.
    one was triggered by a lightning in July 1955.

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