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Post Info TOPIC: BBC Trenches Flesquières
Thomas Buecheler


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BBC Trenches Flesquières
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Hello!

Do the BBC Trenches at Flesquières (Northern France) still exist?

Regards
Thomas

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James H


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The last I heard they were still there. Apparently they belong to Philippe Gorczynski, who discovered Deborah in 1998. If you can contact him, perhaps through Association 1914-1918 or at what I gather is the hotel that he owns - Hotel Beatus, 718 Avenue de Paris, 49400, Cambrai. Tel 0033 327814570. That's the latest info I've got.

When are you off to Pfetterhaus?

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mad zeppelin


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Please enlight me, what is a "BBC Trench".

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James H


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It now seems there are two trenches, one in France and one in Wales.

These were the scene for a 2001 BBC documentary that recreated trench life for 25 volunteers, some of them descendants of the original soldiers:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20010325/ai_n14520926

and there are these, which seem to be at Cambrai, if I understand this correctly:

http://www.tank-cambrai.com/pages/homepag.html

-- Edited by James H at 19:00, 2007-08-10

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Thomas Buecheler


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Hello mad zeppelin!

In 2001 the BBC built a trench system nearby Flesquières, Northern France with the idea to film a documentary series. Flesquières is a small village several miles south of Cambrai.
Volunteers manned the trenches and re-created the allday-live in 1916. 

The entire construction of those trenches took just 28 days. Of course modern equipment was used (machines). The Khahi Chums helped to put the final touches to the trenches. Real veterans visited the site, too.

You can read about this experience in Richard van Emden's book "The Trench".

Today the Trenches are in private hand and you need a permission to visit the ground.

Hopes this helps! Please feel free to ask for more details!
Thomas

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Thomas Buecheler


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Hello James!

Thank you for your reply. Perhaps I'll be able to contact Mr. Gorczynski. You know his hotel? It's a nice place to stay!

Due to illness the "Pfetterhaus Expedition" couldn't start as planned. But I'll keep you informed!

Regards
Thomas



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mad zeppelin


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James and Thomas, thank you both for the information supplied. - A lot of things seem to have changed at Flesquières since I last visited the place...

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