The WWI Trenches, Where So Many Fought and Died

[@thebreakfastmenu]

I feel like WW1 gets overshadowed by WWII a lot. This is really interesting stuff.

[@64maxpower]

I agree. In many situations I feel it was more barbaric. In ww2 man progressed enough to kill each other quicker.

[@Tobi-ln9xr]

@@64maxpower Ever heard of the Eastern Front?

[@clarsach29]

I think it depends on your perspective....from a USA perspective WWI only began in 1917 after the Lusitania was sunk, and it ended in 1918. For Europeans, WWI lasted 4 long years. WWI was also a lot longer ago but for us on the European side of the Atlantic I think both wars are remembered equally. Pretty much every town and village in the UK (and France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany) has a war memorial to the dead from both world wars listing those from the town who gave their lives and the lists of names are always much longer for WWI than WWII.

[@HateTheGameTX]

@@clarsach29From an American perspective, the Lusitania was sunk in 1915. And nobody alive today in America is old enough to even remember WWI. Those of us that care about history know that the war was long happening before America entered. So your comment was pretty silly.

[@venomm4563]

@@64maxpower Holocaust, mass murders, experimentation, East Front... yeah, WW1 was definitely more barbaric...

[@thecanadianmotorcyleshow7716]

I believe the item you did not know what it is was used as a water pump to get rid of rain and ground water in the trenches. Very well done thanks for showing us.

[@UNCLE-DRONY]

A sump pump. ✌🏼😎

[@DangerGrouse]

Indeed

[@CherisseJackominic]

You are a genius.

[@thecanadianmotorcyleshow7716]

@@CherisseJackominic first time that has ever been said in my life

[@aaronlovell6026]

Your right it's a water pump. It's a hand crank model. In heavy rains some one would have to be steadily cranking on it.

[@frankdomingo191]

Chris you explore some of the most interesting places. You crawl through muddy and slimy places. Your travel partner whom I assume is your girlfriend or wife that we occasionally hear or see is one really tough lady to follow you through the muddy tunnels. As for this location, I’m glad the gentleman who owns it decided to keep as a museum. We need constant reminders of the hell of war in hopes to maintain peace. Another great video.

[@scottrider641]

World War I...the war to end all wars. Such an interesting yer solemn tour. Thanks for bringing this to us, Chris

[@owbeer]

the war that started the second world war.

[@Semtex_1992]

WW1 was the beginning of the franchise. Part 3 is coming soon.

[@angeloangelojoseph1494]

The Battle of Ypres was 1 of the major battles of WWl fought by the Canadians, we learned about it in school. Thanks for bringing the story to KZbin. Great job.

[@rentonarc]

Also Vimy Ridge . The Canadians were a great asset to the British . Lots of farm boys who knew how to shoot a rifle . I’m very proud of my forefathers . Brave and gave their lives in tremendous conditions .

[@angeloangelojoseph1494]

@@rentonarc Canada built a massive war monument at Vimy.

[@rentonarc]

@@angeloangelojoseph1494 thank you for sharing .Much respect.

[@hamlufet]

Thanks for showing us these historic places in Belgium, Chris!

[@neilfoster814]

What an amazing place! It's hard to grasp that soldiers not only fought in those trenches, but ate, rested, wrote letters, slept and did their daily ablutions there too. My Grandfather was on the Somme in July 1916 at age just 17. He survived, I don't know how, but he did. RIP to all those who didn't come home.

[@Lee2k4]

Bullets flying over your head, the screams of men being blown to pieces, one can only imagine what it was like to be a young soldier in those trenches

[@AlexanderIsraelsson-v6i]

avarage day at my school ( i live i bosnia)

[@dianemakarevitz798]

Truly a moving video, Chris. I bet it was a deep felt experience for you. Let there be peace on Earth.🙏🙏☮️☮️❤️

[@joeyquagmire6051]

keep dreaming about peace

[@dianemakarevitz798]

​@@joeyquagmire6051 I will. We all should.

[@joeyquagmire6051]

@@dianemakarevitz798 i agree! But with different races or religions it will never happen.. people hurt others while they dont even realize it.. evryone has their own desire for peace what will create hate for others. Those who do not understand true pain can never understand true peace.

[@stepps511]

Thank you, Chris. One cannot begin to imagine the horrors that took place in that locale, and that being just one of so many. No war is a walk in the park, but that particular war was especially devastating. Your video certainly brought that home, along with your descriptions. Again, many thanks for you and your devotion to history.

[@PETER-c4n]

Well done Chris. A really good presentation. Thank you. My first visit to Sanctuary Wood and up the road to the Hill 62 monument was in 1996, and I went round the very wet and muddy trenches. An atmospheric place with no birdsong. You're spot on about the trenches, dug by the Canadians in early 1916 and defended by them when the Germans attacked from the top of the wood on 2nd June. After hand-to-hand combat, the Canadians were driven back down through the wood, but later counter-attacked and drove the Germans out, pushing them back up the slope beyond the trees. Many of the men who died here were 'Missing' and are recorded on the Menin Gate. The shattered trees are indeed the last ones remaining from WW1. The mechanical device you saw in the trench was a 'trench pump' used to clear the water. The German graves were relocated to Langemarck. This museum used to be run by the original owners son who used to sell the decorated artillery shell cases, but I guess he has passed on by now. He said in 1996 that his Father had thought that "one day people will want to visit where their menfolk fought". A very far sighted fellow! Also, if you like trenches and tunnels, I can recommend Vimy Ridge.

[@EliseMartini-h4s]

This was very interesting. Thank you Chris for bring us this history lesson.

[@proximaJWT]

I like how you research and communicate the history so well in your videos.

[@oldirtybeuner]

We have so much history in Belgium! 🇧🇪 Thanks for sharing this on youtube. I did a stealthcamp earlier this year in the Ypres area. It is a very mesmerizing location

[@SunsetBoulevard111]

My mom was a Rosie Riveter during the last 9 months of WW2 in Canoga Park, CA. She was one of hundreds of thousands of 16 year old girls that said they were 18 in order to help in the War effort. Momma spoke little of that time but when she did her eyes, face lit up with pride, honor and of course she would get emotional about it and get teary eyed. RIP Momma March 1928 - August 2023.

[@adair4544]

Where in Canoga Park?

[@georgewashington3393]

Wrong war...🙄

[@iwantanewhead2976]

M!Lf

[@christhomas6199]

@@adair4544 San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles county, California

[@wendysmith8246]

Love this Chris!!! Enjoy hearing about historical war and learning and seeing these things. Thank-you Chris for sharing this history 😊✌️

[@jontooke846]

That was so incredible thanks so much. You are amazing I love your channel on you tube

[@sueelliott3206]

Wow!!! Amazing that the owner had the where-with-all to preserve this area.

[@LMBee00]

It's good to hear and see what you do. Thanks Chris

[@paulw176]

Both of my Grandfathers were 'over there' in that quagmire. I'm lucky to be here...

[@marks.c4753]

​@robertstallard7836how do you know they were British?

[@big12ref2]

Same. And at the end of the day all for nothing. Just so their families could be replaced

[@conservativehippie9736]

Thank you so much Chris! This was an eye-opening, amazing watch.

[@Carolbearce]

This place was awesome to see. My grandfather was in WW1 and WW2. I really don’t know much about WW1, so I found this very interesting. Thank you for sharing.

[@stevewade5883]

Hey bro you should do a story on how they took a TIME OUT in the war. To join together and killing the wolves. All the artillery fire had scared all the game away. Wolves would come in the trenches at night And drag off the wounded. CRAZY STORY

[@FatherMcKenzie66]

HOLY SHIT SERIOUSLY?

[@Capitals301-austin]

That happened on the eastern front in the Galicia campaign

[@iowa_lot_to_travel9471]

Never heard of that. But it makes sense 🤔🤔

[@AJ-be5jv]

Feb 1917, wolves started to move into populated areas of the German empire from the forests of Lithuania and Volhynia. Locals hypothesized that war efforts displaced the wolves, so the canines started seeking out new hunting grounds. They started showing up on the front lines, feeding on fallen and sometimes taking advantage of incapacitated soldiers. The Germans & The Russians killed about 50 wolves.

[@CantVoteYourWayOutOfTyranny]

​@@AJ-be5jv This us happening in Ukraine as we speak. Except its wild dogs. I have seen the pics. And no they are not startled by the presense of soldiers. They are eating the remains of fallen soldiers. There is simply to many people to bury.

[@MonicaLitman]

So much for your shoes lol what an amazing walk through history of men fighting for freedom 🙏🏼🙏🏼 . Thank you Chris ❤

[@dannyphipps7652]

Absolutely amazing Chris thank you for taking us along

[@jt_smee]

Lol, Dr. Pepper, the right choice for your refreshment in the trenches.

[@victorybonds1]

Thanks for educating us about WWI. I have always loved this topic.

[@Roger-vz7ol]

Thank you Chris. This is a great video. I have followed you for years and I am never dissappointed with your work. It always amazes me that mankind has survived as long as it has considering man's capacity for such deep violence.

[@robertforrest7956]

Incredible!! Thanks for sharing this.

[@2007cgarza]

The Seattle Boeing Air Museum has a very interesting exhibit of recreated trenches, the sounds, and original aircraft. The kids in the trenches had never been exposed to the violence they would experience, no movies to be seen of it...People have such a hard time dealing with PTSD now, can you imagine coming home to the people at home who have absolutely zero clue what you've been through.

[@christihiatt3459]

Yes

[@srvsrv8584]

It was so engaging when I checked how long the video was it was almost over Thanks for sharing 🙏😊

[@Sasquatch27]

I always enjoy your videos, but this one is one of my favorites! Thanks for the video bud!

[@tommyromans7893]

CHRIS, THIS WAS GREAT AND VERY INTERESTING AND VERY PROOF OF THE HISTORY OF WHAT WENT ON AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE IN WORLD WAR 1. THAT MUSEUM WAS AMAZING AND THE PICTURES. GOOD JOB. MANY LIVES WERE LOST - WAR IS CRUEL.

[@HardRockVermont]

Great find, and eerie...WW1 was complete insanity, miles of trenches, men charging straight into machine guns, mustard gas, and unreal living conditions with rats and mud. Battle of Somme, the British lost 57 thousand men in one day, 420 thousand in total by the battle's end... Totally brutal, and courageous...

[@warrenstevens4441]

Looks like a water pump. My great grandfather went over in 1915-1919 was gassed at the Somme. Sent him back to the front after he healed up. Died in 1923 from the affects of the gas.

[@blakbanshee]

Mustard gas?

[@warrenstevens4441]

​@@blakbansheethat I'm not to sure. It could've been chlorine. Mom has his military record & I haven't read it.

[@MobileInstinct]

Wow that's wild. Yeah I've read a little about the chemicals that were used

[@warrenstevens4441]

​@@MobileInstinct Mom still has the postcards he would send to Grandma at Xmas. They're pretty cool. He was in the Princess Patricia's Canadian light infantry division.

[@marks.c4753]

@@warrenstevens4441 my grandfather was gassed. Luckily he was sent home a disabled vet. The Germans used like four different gasses. One gave you blisters on your skin as well as your lungs the victim would actually drown.

[@dougscott8161]

Thank you, Chris for an extremely interesting and informative display of the World War I trenches. My father served in WWI and has told me quite a bit, but I had no real inkling of just how dismal and disheartening it could feel to actually be in the trenches and have enemy fire coming at you. God Bless and stay safe.

[@douggibson4140]

The object at 6:09 is a water pump.

[@jamesholt7612]

Awesome video as well as the history Chris.

[@pmccoy8924]

Farmers today, over 100 years later, find munitions that need to be handled by professional. Experts suggest it could take centuries for them to all be discovered. My great grandad was in France as an American Dough Boy. Severely wounded twice, St. Mihiel and then Meuse-Argonne. Earned himself a Silver Star. Unfathomable carnage.

[@BeeLineEast]

Great video. Amazing all of these war artifacts were saved. Very cool.

[@gud2go50]

Thanks for showing us this place!😊

[@tyronebiggims1613]

Man when you guys have kids they are going to be the smartest kids on the block.. The story time is going to be out of this world ..

[@tyronebiggims1613]

That big round machine thing in trench was a water pump. .control the flooding in rainy season.

[@anthonycalbillo9376]

Summer's pretty much over now back in the U.S. Great video!

[@itneverwasme]

It is hard to watch this thinking of the hell that the men in those trenches went through, the sheer brutality. And the museum segment was great, to actually be able to touch the pieces, and touch history.

[@joemacinnis1972]

What a terrible waste of human life war can be. Trench warfare was absolutely miserable. all quiet on the western front is a must read for people who are interested in this time

[@billiecrouse8002]

thank you for preserving this important part of history

[@hoganshero19]

WW1 will never leave my mind, my grandfather would never speak of it. I didn't understand at the time for I wasn't even seven yet. I am 61 now and have followed what my mom has told me over the years and from photos that I now obtain of him and his brother whom I never got to meet. I followed my grandfather in a way, he laid land lines for the trench communications that's really about all I know, I won't go into detail. So I became a communications officer and instructor, it's fun to me. I would love to get to Europe and see all the sights left from those times.

[@anglingpassion5039]

Just so you know, not everything in the museum was from that area. A lot was gifted from other findings from battlefields across the area of Belgium and France. I used to come here with my father-in-law, who was a part of a team called forget-me-not war graves. He helped families to find the missing on there were abouts on where they were buried at cemeteries for people's requests. My father-in-law died this year from cancer and I miss him so much. So talented about the war from ww1 and ww2, and knew the roads of Belgium and France like the back of his hand. We did so many war trips over there

[@martinc5782]

6.04 is a pump I believe to pump water out of the trenches when they were flooding due to bad weather. What a horrible existence it must have been to be fighting in those trenches. Lest we forget.

[@DruG980]

Awesome video Chris!

[@Southern.84]

Great slice of history.

[@351wmustanggt]

Thank you Chris, I have been to France and Germany, also London and you are 100% correct. There is still a lot of WWI and WWII scars around, not just the famous places like the beaches of Normandy which is very humbling to visit but there are scars in the everyday places, buildings damage by bullets an artillary still exist, bunkers scattered all over Germany etc... The History there is never ending, you should do a video about the Stolpersteine - stumbling stones placed all over Europe, they are shiny bronze plaques that are embedded securely into the ground to commemorate the victims of the Nazi regime in more than 1,100 locations in 17 European countries. The plaque includes the victim’s name, date of birth, deportation date and death date, if known. They serve as a constant reminder of the many valuable lives lost tragically during the Holocaust. Keep up the good work.

[@schlieffenman957]

That place is really cool. I went there last year and it's gotta be one of the best WW1 sites out there.

[@justinholoviak5357]

trench warfare is very old. Used to be standard procedure for seiges. You rock. Thank you. Im glad im with my dog in a cozy bed and not waiting for shrapnel.

[@EternalSkies1999]

Great video. I love old history videos like these.

[@worldatmyfingertips7771]

Wow! That is interesting! So much time spent studying more about WW2 here that I forgot all about this other war that came before. Awesome video! 👌

[@PETER-c4n]

In memory of Lieutenant Hull, 1st Canadian Trench Mortar Battery who died in Sanctuary Wood on 2nd June 1916. He is named on the Menin Gate. Thank you Canada - for your courage, loyalty and mateship.

[@curtisphilumalee1447]

Thanks for the upload. Throughly enjoyed the content. To think that World War One was triggered by an assassination which caused countries to align with each other and pick sides. I’m sure there was more to it but a generation of humans paid in blood for it and nothing was learned from the incident. Having served in the military I was stationed twice in Southern Italy. Once in the mid 80’s and early 90’s there are still reminders of World War 2 in the country side. I’ll never forget the day in 85 a buddy and I was walking down a random street in Catania on the weekend and found a shop full of Moto Guzzi motorcycles. We walked into this hole in the wall shop and was checking out the bikes and this ole man tried talking to us about buying a bike. He didn’t speak a lick of English except a couple explicit words. After explaining to him we were just looking and we were American he directed us to the back of his shop where he opened a door to a back shop. Before us was twenty three rolling Harley Davidson military motorcycles that he collected during and after the invasion of Sicily. He had a collection of random HD parts too. Simply amazing. I took 110 pictures of the collection. He also had German BMW motorcycles from that era which blew us away. The old man had a goldmine but didn’t want to part with any of it. Needless to say we walked out of that place with a smile ear to ear. We talked about that place the rest of our deployment and a couple times during our home port rotation. Life is full of amazing experiences and history. You just have to get out and explore.

[@bRad-ns6iy]

Wow! I would love to see it for myself. Thanks for showing us!

[@smey02]

I visited a place like that when I was really really young, and its 100% like you said. You have 0 connection to the place, its just fun to play around and you understand that its old and something happened there but you cant grab it in your mind really. But im getting gooose bumps watching this video nowadays, and I remember beeing at such a place and seeing it again now really hits different. Wanna probably visit again some dayf

[@JohnTomlinson-g4x]

My Grandad was a machine gunner in Co A 132nd division under Gen. John J. Pershing in WWI. I wear his dog tags to honor him. He went through so much but made it back home. I was told a lot of stories by him. He used a Browning water cooled 30 caliber. I also have his cap and legons that he wore. I'm 68 myself now. I sure do miss him.

[@RoyJenkins777]

That was great. Thanks Chris...God Bless

[@norwoodwildlife9849]

That thing you came upon at 6:07 I believe was a pump to pump out water when the trenches got flooded

[@bluewest8]

Chris, if you ever find yourself on the west coast of Denmark, there's a very nice museum in Thyborøn, the Sea War. Museum. It mainly focuses on the Battle of Jutland during World War 1, a rather large naval battle.

[@JunglistBaker]

We don’t often get to hear you narrate over the video, I think it’s a great addition adding more history and facts about the places

[@rodplumb]

I love world fighting history thank you

[@michaelmcenery7515]

Chris, thank you for keeping history alive& teaching a new generation.That first photo in the museum reminds me of the book Johnny got his gun, by Dalton Trumbo. If any one here has read it they will know what i meant. as always stay safe! Looking forward to the next one

[@iowa_lot_to_travel9471]

The movie that was used in the video from Metallica, "One"

[@Th3_n3rdtavrn]

Man, imagine being a 21 year old man with basically no life experience being sent down into these tunnels to fight and die. Absolutely devastating. R.I.P to all those heroes.

[@robertgardner4508]

History must be preserved, it must not be repeated. If the future generation forget, it can and will happen again. Thanks for sharing these very interesting, and historic pieces. It's also crazy to think the type of calibers of ammunition they used to use in WAR, compared to now. Not to say that 5.56 isn't effective by any means, but just can't imagine having 30-06, 303 Brit, and 7.92 (8mm mauser), etc. flying at you!

[@barnyg6804]

Growing up here in NZ in the 60s down the road from us were 2 return veterans from the WW1 the old man used to go down and have a beer with them I'd sit and listen to them say how one of them lost his foot in a mortar strike and about the time one of their mates was next to one of them in a trench when just in an instant he was gone blown to bits after a direct hit from a mortar it was an eye opener listening to their stories.

[@MobileInstinct]

Wow!

[@Liz-cmc313]

Wow! Incredible that there is trench from WWI. Good for the owner to preserve a part of history.

[@Late_to_the_party]

Amazing! Loved the video

[@Jagermonsta]

good on you for keeping the photos in the last edit. people need to be a little desensitised

[@Oaronuviss]

Always super interesting. Canada of all nations (as polite as the world knows) was one of the fiercest fighting entities the world had ever known up until that point. Germany learned very quick what it was like going toe to toe with Canadians.

[@angelotero7729]

it's amazing to be able to walk through an actual trench from WW1 that's a path of history couldn't imagine the fear of those guys that had never seen or been in a war of that degree for the first time WW1 was definitely scarier than WW2 at least the second one you kinda know what to expect

[@jamesryder1427]

Amazing video! Good job buddy 👏 👍 👌

[@dangilmore9724]

The surface trenches are just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak, of the earthworks. Many of these trenchworks had expansive underground works to support the logistics of ant section of trenches. These underground tunnels, support works. Barracks, etc., often went down 100 feet or more. There were also "sapping" tunnels to place explosives near enemy lines.

[@GVGames1986]

Ypres! I went there with my school.. I couldn't believe how well preserved it all was!

[@Elizabeth-x1p]

My daddy's father fought in ww1 in France. US side

[@MiElas]

thanks for showing man

[@Relicords]

6:05 A trench pump to remove water

[@dalerobertson45]

great video, thanks for sharing

[@paleo704]

Bucket list. Most amazing and horrific thing I can think of in human history were the WW1 trenches

[@RickDavis-m9n]

Loved your video thanks

[@pedrozatravel]

Very cool. That war was brutal.

[@ghtaboma]

Imagine getting the order to leap out of these trenches and run toward machine gun fire!

[@cristiancruz5079]

Watching Chriss walking on the trenches I remember the great documentary from Peter Jackson “they shall not grow old”…. Indeed was a horrible war for humanity. Sad that we (humans) repeat the same mistakes again and again…🙏…thanks for sharing history buddy.

[@MichaelGill-x7l]

Thank you chris❤

[@pattieprophet7987]

Thank you , my grandmother lost her oldest son in ww2 😢

[@Tobi-ln9xr]

It’s about WW1, not WW2.

[@robharding5345]

Respect to the famer who left in place all those trenches for posterity. Lest we forget.

[@georgix14]

WOAH seeing this on my recommended is so weird as earlier this year, I visited this exact place!!

[@Alzrad]

Absolutely mind blowing 🫡

[@jonathanchalk2507]

I've been to that museum. The death and destruction are real. That object that you said, what is this, was a gas pump for poisoning. More please 🙏

[@DanWick26]

Can you please make a bonus video on a more extensive tour of the museum. I shared this video with my parents, they absolutely loved it, but theuy want to see more of the museum. Please and thank you 🙏

[@NEMSIS005]

Great video

[@glennweaver8066]

I visited sanctuary wood in 1985 with my school Hasn't changed much , fantastic place to visit

[@bascia3125]

Thank you.😊

[@LMHS63John]

My Grandfather served with the USA as a machine gunner in those Trenches during WW-1 with the Vickers gun. He was at the Battle of Verdun when he was hit with Mustard gas. He served in Belgium, Holland and France. He survived but his lungs were scared for life. He never talked about the War. Lice and Dysentery was common in the Trenches.

[@magikush]

He served with USA but was at Verdun? How’d he manage to get to France when the US didn’t enter the war until well after the battle of Verdun ended?

[@placidrenegade]

My great uncle Harry Pickering from Rochester Staffordshire was at Hill 60 Ypres Belgium 1914 and was gassed by chlorine gas the first time the Germans used it. They defended hill 60 and repelled the German attack whilst suffering from the effects of the gas.. All brave men, lest we forget them. He survived the war but never recovered from the effects of the chlorine gas, he emigrated to America but died 1927.

[@fjfjrfjfjr]

Thank you Sir! 👍