Great War Trenches: The Trench of Death in Flanders Fields

[@ks8452]

Thank you for the video. I'm still amazed at the sheer brutality of WW1. It changed the face of war completely. Best wishes from Michigan, USA.

[@peterdoig1557]

Another great video!

[@alternativebelgium]

Thanks again!

[@michaeldenesyk3195]

As a Canadian I know a lot about Canadian Military history in WWI, but not so much about the Belgians. Please post more videos about what the Belgian Army did in Flanders to defend your country.

[@alternativebelgium]

I definitely will! Thanks for your interest!

[@unimatrix501]

wonderful video! Thank you!!

[@toddnelson7393]

Thank you for making this video. I enjoyed it very much.

[@raiskis1]

Great job. Thanks.

[@alternativebelgium]

Thanks!

[@MichaelGreen-vn7dr]

Hi! Great show! Love to see it first hand. My Grandad was Royal Field Artillery, was at Flanders twice! 2nd time he got gassed and sent home to recover. Later KIA 1 Sept 1918 Somme, I was with him in France on 1 Sept 2018. My dad was called up 1 Sept 1939 -he was 21- became a Desert Rat! You do tours? MG

[@katgrey6239]

New subscriber here! From 🇺🇸 USA. Very interesting video.

[@alternativebelgium]

Thank you for subscribing! I’m glad you liked it. More to come!

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

As a Danish, many timers walker, years ago, of The 100 km Death March (Dodentocht), I have passed this trench many times! I think the second time I/we stopped and went inside the trench. Also the nearby Language Museum, telling about the Flemish speaking part of Belgium - and their "war" against the French speaking. Today power has mostly turned round and the Flemish part is much better off than the French part. But memorials from the war is found at many places, also a former church used as a watchtower.

[@stevenvaughn1679]

Thank you for this video I am a little bit of a history fanatic just love these stories

[@alternativebelgium]

So happy you enjoyed it! I love making them and sharing them with fellow history fanatics

[@StuRap]

Fascinating video, I had no idea they constructed trenches like this. Usually we hear about just the dirt and timber ones. Loved your Waterloo video as well, which brought me here and got me to subscribe. Happy to be your 300th subscriber and really looking forward to your future videos.

[@alternativebelgium]

Thank you for watching and subscribing!

[@lawsonsmith]

In Flanders Fields the poppies grow, between the crosses row on row ... a memorable battle field tour, for which thanks. Perhaps next Remembrance Day/11/11/23 , you could revisit this sacred site, wear a poppy and recite that poignant poem Flanders Field from the Redoubt. Lest we forget.

[@toddnelson7393]

It's on my bucket list to visit WW1 sites and the Waterloo site. I enjoyed both of your videos. Keep up the good work.

[@beeldpuntXVI]

We belgians have our own remembrance flower: a daisy, France a cornflower, Germany forget me not

[@monigall-konig4391]

Wo

[@jahmanoog461]

Thank you for sharing.

[@alternativebelgium]

My pleasure!

[@andrewmellon5072]

I came here by boat. I went to a number of Great War museums. All very good. If there is any improvement, to impress on school trips, the horror of it all. The casulties are to me not explained so you realise the amount of people who died a million is unimaginable. I am 70 growing up in Ireland, neutral, there were many spinsters whos beaus were killed. My grandfather suffered from pts for the rest of his life. I am named after my grand uncle who died in 1920 from lung damage caused by gas. He was 22. It seems in Ukraine is bombarding is still going on.

[@alternativebelgium]

Yes, unfortunately the war to end all wars was not that at all… so many parallels and similarities to contemporary wars

[@fastyaveit]

I have subscribed, I hope you post more videos, especially part two of Waterloo

[@alternativebelgium]

I definitely will soon!

[@fredwood1490]

It is kind of strange how old military instillations, especially the ones where active battle was held, can be so peaceful, sometimes even beautiful. These have been cleaned up and made presentable and safe but I have seen others much as they were left at the end of their wars, with Nature returning among the machines and detritus of war and there is a feeling of both sadness and wonder. Most military architecture is spartan by need and nature, (That's where the name comes from), and yet elegant, though seldom well built, all things being temporary to the end of the war. I remember being in such places and I remember the people I served with and some of the things, hardships and celebrations, we shared. Those are the true ghosts of such places, the memories of the soldiers, scratched into the walls and floors and among the equipment placed for use and never touched since, (Rare today).

[@alternativebelgium]

I agree and often say the same thing to people: some of these places where violent battles were fought are now some of the most serene and peaceful landscapes. It’s hard to really imagine what happened here if you’ve never been in a battle or war zone like most of us.

[@ace87286]

Thank you for an interesting video. However, I take exception to the description of British soldiers 'hiding in dugouts' while the excellent German engineers built bunkers. It's good to remember that the German army siezed Belgian territory with no intention of giving it back; they planned to keep their gains and therefore built permanent defensive emplacements. Whereas the British (and French) armies had the sole objective of expelling the Germans from Belgium by attacking endlessly, using trenches as jumping off points in battle, and had no use for 'permanent' defensive positions. This differences in motive and objectives explain why bunkers and trench systems on the Western front were constructed as they were.

[@alternativebelgium]

Thanks for the comment! I definitely didn’t mean it like that, the British were excellent diggers, their clay kicking method was much faster than the Germans. They each had their expertise. For Belgians of course, the Germans were the aggressors and occupiers. I meant hiding, not in a cowardly way, but hiding and protecting themselves from the artillery, be it in bunkers or dugouts. Those dugouts by the way were quite amazing structures, with soldier accommodation, first aid posts, kitchen, headquarters etc etc

[@Freedomone153]

Any more Waterloo videos?

[@alternativebelgium]

Yes, Hougoumont Farm is up! Working on a few more at the moment as well!

[@AndreKooijman]

Ezra River in the sub titles means the IJzer river

[@alternativebelgium]

Hi Andre, thanks for noticing this! I didn't check the subtitles (automatically generated) and indeed, it's 'IJzer' or even 'Yser' river, but definitely not Ezra River. Thanks!

[@ronaldwhite1730]

Thank you . ( 2024 / Oct / 27 )

[@janerikrasmussen]

jeg var os se det i 2022 og dengang kunne man ikke se noget spm helt. det hele var overgroet.

[@davidryan4454]

Love this video but these trenches are not the best preserved. They have been completely re-created in concrete filled sand bags & sanitized. The only vaguely original trenches are in Verdun forests, Meuse-Argonne & Newfoundland Park. Everything else has been messed with in some way .

[@juangarcia-kq8zp]

No more wars for Israel! See the Balfour declaration.

[@66kbm]

Nice video and informative. I dread to think how much unexploded ordinance is in that river though.