Good initiative, but can't help wondering what the Planning department said. "Surrounded by barbed wire, sandbags and mud, this 60ft trench is barely distinguishable from those occupied by British soldiers fighting in the First World War almost a century ago. The enormous dugout has been painstakingly recreated by an ex-history teacher in his back garden in Surrey, and the dedicated 55-year-old even spent 24 hours living in its confines with a team of volunteers. Writer and historian Andrew Robertshaw and 30 helpers spent a month shifting around 200 tonnes of earth to build the enormous three-room trench, which aims to highlight the horrific conditions endured by troops during the Great War. The father-of-one has even spent 24 hours living in the hole - which features a kitchen, infantry room, and officers' dugout - as part of an overnight re-enactment of trench warfare in the garden in Charlwood. Mr Robertshaw - who acted as a military advisor on the Steven Spielberg epic War Horse - and a band of volunteers dressed up in replica uniforms and used rifles to fire blanks into the countryside during their stint in the trench. 'My grandfather fought in the war and was wounded three times,' said the historian, who also runs the Royal Logistics Corps Museum in Deepcut, Surrey. 'I wanted to show people that the war was about survival and not just about death. When the soldiers weren't fighting this is how they were living. 'The most common experience was living in a trench and trying to be as comfortable as possible while living in a hole in the ground,' he added. With Remembrance Day approaching, Mr Robertshaw said it was particularly important to reflect on the living conditions endured by British troops. 'Many people will know someone who was involved in the war and it is a direct legacy to the world today,' he said." Ground force: Historian builds 60ft-long First World War TRENCH in his back garden to highlight plight of frontline Tommies | Mail Online
WOW!! It took Andrew Robertshaw and a team of 30 volunteers a month to create the sprawling trench in his back garden in Charlwood, Surrey. The former history teacher, 55, and his helpers even donned replica uniforms and spent 24 hours living in the dugout, which he built to highlight the conditions endured by British troops during the First World War. The painstakingly created trench features a kitchen, infantry room, and officers' dugout. Read More: Historian Andrew Robertshaw builds 60ft-long First World War TRENCH in his Surrey garden to highlight plight of frontline Tommies | Mail Online
I don't believe my wife would wait. As soon as the first shovel hit dirt, proceedings would have begun.
I just saw this on another site and was about to post the link, but it looks like you beat me to it Gordon. Interesting project, but I hope he has a large property -- I wouldn't want to be staring out over the trench while having breakfast in my kitchen!
