New Episode: Forest to Front Line | Time Team (Sherwood Pines) 2024 - Expedition Crew

Join us, this Sunday to watch "'From Forest to Front Line", a special episode from Time Team's Expedition Crew, in collaboration with Forestry England.
Between 1915 and 1920, hundreds of thousands of troops were based at Clipstone Camp, Nottinghamshire. Lawrence has assembled a team, including people from Forestry England, Operation Nightingale, Nottinghamshire Council and, of course, Time Team, to investigate a training area that's been protected by trees for nearly 100 years.
Full episode premiere: Sunday 28th July at 7pm (BST) on the Time Team Official KZbin channel.
This episode was produced in partnership with ‪@ForestryEngland‬
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[@GrahamCLester]

The fact that they don't always find anything spectacular has always been one of the things that keeps Time Team real and is actually part of the show's appeal.

[@Tesserae]

The history lesson that accompanies each dig and provides context is always welcome.

[@bryansavage5056]

Archeology isn't about spectacular finds but about finding evidence of the history of a given area .

[@PtolemyJones]

I'm sure it doesn't mean anything, but not finding anything reminds me of when I was in training, and we ALWAYS policed the area before we left, cleaning up our own brass and other trash.

[@gregedmand9939]

Yep. Same with my time in Army training. Policing the area was emphasized. The only time things were left behind, was maybe from the last hours of a trench system training session. When the NCO's were off on a meeting and the privates were left to their own devices. When you're weary from being awake for 48 hours, burying a bit of trash was easier than picking it up.

[@luminousbanner9643]

Good old days of for inspection port arms. Then the declaration. "sir I have no live rounds, blank rounds, empty cases, pyrotechnics or parts there of in my possession sir".

[@MrDportjoe]

Even true for this peace time American veteran. Showing up at missing a cap or lapel badge would be a major issue for a newbie. My guess is that many of the finds date more from the demob period.

[@StevenLandskroener]

Was a US Marine and we were taught to "Leave it better than you found it". So we conducted multiple "Police Calls" before leaving a training area.

[@linotrevinio6709]

As an old soldier the same thought crossed my mind especially on the trenches

[@minuteman4199]

I'm not surprised they didn't find anything. Soldiers keep a good grip on their equipment and always keep training areas clean.

[@guyplachy9688]

Yep. Policing the trenches & nearby would have been a big part of their routine, which is why most of the finds are coming from between/outside the trenches, where they may have been lost whilst carrying out exercises or where they would have been thrown if broken.

[@morgansidhe3543]

An empty trench is proof of the excellent job done policing the area at the decommissioning of the site. Well done.

[@KevinHirst-ug1xx]

My grandfather joined the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derbyshire) regiment in Nov 1914 at the age of 29. He went on to be wounded 3 times and was transferred to 6th Leicestershire regiment and won the Military Medal on 27th May 1918. He worked at Blackwell colliery and lived in B Winning. Absolute heroes all of them.

[@ruthcherry3177]

I'm Nottingham born and bred, and my great grandfather did his training here before going off to France. He was born on 9th December 1895 and died at the remarkable age of 103 and 10 months old! The undertakers commented that he still measured well over 6 foot tall, when they made his coffin. He was born in Bowl Hill, Wirksworth, Derbyshire but moved as a child when his dad got a job on the railway. He was critically wounded in the Battle of the Somme when a shell exploded, chipped his jaw bone and nicked his jugular. His wife was sent a telegram reporting his death but he survived, and made almost a full recovery. During WWll he was a rep for a bicycle company and rode his bike all over Nottinghamshire and as far as Birmingham! He was a remarkable man and I was very privileged to have him well into my adult life. He still has some recorded interviews in the London British Imperial War Museum. I always find this subject of the trenches very emotional. Thank you for such a brilliant video

[@lauralake7430]

Aww, he sounds like a grand man! Thanks for ❤telling ushis story!

[@jenniferlevine5406]

What a wonderful story to share with us! Thank you.

[@wernermcgann3792]

I loved the original time team, I love this evolution, keep going please 😊

[@54mgtf22]

Aah Time Team. Comfy slippers and warm cocoa. Dressing gown and an armchair. My happy place.

[@Netherflyfish]

Nice to see Naomi and Matt again.

[@newwavepop]

I know it is not what this dig was about but as an American that was obsessed with King Arthur and Robin Hood as a boy, i would be absolutely overwhelmed being in Sherwood Forest in the Fall. my favorite season.

[@chrispage4691]

There is another episode at Clipstone from the early series. It is named King Johns hunting lodge. There is now a holiday camp nowadays close to both of these sites.

[@newwavepop]

@@chrispage4691 That is really cool, i will have to see if i can find that episode.

[@Catsarefab]

I think the ‘new’ TT is great. Life moves on!

[@ANDREWPEARCE-w1x]

Re the circular pits.By the end of 1915 front line soldiers had found that the fastest way to dig trenches on ground that had been fought over ,was to join the larger shell holes together.These were usuallly short stay trenches,often used as forward positions when launching an attack.The circular pits at Clipstone were probably created by burying 10-20 pounds of Amatol and exploding it.There were several other pits showing on the LIDAR that had not been used.

[@marlenaamalfitano1558]

My American grandfather was a 17 yr. old Marine who fought in the trenches in WWI. It was a terrible experience. He was gassed and lost hearing in one ear. He also received 7 awards from the French government. He went on to be a master carpenter. He may have fought with some of these good men. It was dirty, messy, stinky, loud, lousey and dangerous. The Germans had concrete trenches. How nice to see Matt again, I really liked him. we have lost too many good people to old men's wars.

[@monsvillerailways5736]

Very refreshing to see a new younger team at work. Well done team.

[@jacquelineforster2654]

My great uncle, Patrick Swords was in the 2nd Bn. Sherwood Foresters, Notts and Derby Reg. He joined up in 1914, I feel sure he would have trained here and perhaps walked through those very trenches, people were so much smaller than today, his attesation papers record that he was 5' 2' tall, his battalion were ofter referred to as the bantam battalion as they were all so small. He was killed in action on 21st March 1918 and is remembered with honour on the Arras Memorial. Seeing the regimental badge of the Notts and Derby regiment was an emotional moment for me.. Thank you for such an interesting and moving program.

[@jenniferlevine5406]

That was the most amazing site. I don't think I have ever seen anything like it. Thank you for all your efforts.

[@francescalittle4414]

the camera work on this episode was stellar❤

[@davidlloyd150]

Matt is such a great presenter 😊

[@SandraNelson063]

It wouldn't be TT without the down pour! I do admire Naomi. A driving dynamo in a small package. There was a Maple leaf ornament on that finds tray!

[@joshschneider9766]

the expedition team getting to add ancient flute to their version of the intro music is just the most endearing thing ever.

[@benediktmorak4409]

i remember MY times in the Army. when we moved out from the training grounds, we for sure left nothing behind. we even picked up the spent cartridges. because it was noted in our - shooting booklet -, so many shot, how many points. AND we had to return the spent cartridges...

[@eddygonzalez6018]

Nah. We in the US like to give stuff away. We pack our toiletries, get on a plane and head home. Trucks, humvees, choppers, planes, tanks. The enemy can keep it. We got upset went to congress to complain. Now the policy is not to leave the keys behind so the enemy can't make use of it. 🙄

[@benediktmorak4409]

@@eddygonzalez6018 didn't know one needs a key to start a plane or tank_ and hot-wiring a truck or car, even a 5 year old one can do that.

[@eddygonzalez6018]

@@benediktmorak4409 My point exactly. They said, we'll make it so that can't use it. Really? OK, maybe it's too expensive to bring it back to the US. How about dumping it in the sea? Don't you think people won't get any used out of it? Even if it's parts!! We go overseas, get involved in some war and leave everything behind. How about another base. Hey, instead of producing more military equipment, let's just give our stuff away to friendly countries who might need it! Save some money!

[@benediktmorak4409]

@@eddygonzalez6018 if it is -old - and obsolete or not working equipment,why not sell it all to a scrap dealer? these guys are everywhere around the world? Army vehicles or guns or tanks are not made with plastic,superglue or plasterboard. but with good steel. that can be cut up and recycled. Sell trucks and cars, certain equipment removed to dealers or even private users. They will gladly take them. Stingers that the US Army gave to the taliban to fight the Soviets? When the USA moved out, the CCCP was gone, what did the Taliban do with the Stingers? No need to tell,we all know the stories. I think it is not the Army that thinks like that (hopefully).But it is the arms and armaments industry and lobby who wants to flog and sell,always new, always -updated -, even when the crap was designed during the 70s last century. The GENERALS are just to happy about it, they will of course - do business with friends - back home. Corruption? what a bad word.. Bribery?we dont do things like that...

[@TimeTeamOfficial]

Join us for the premiere this Sunday 28th July 2024 at 7pm (BST)

[@bronny2000]

Loved this - more of these specials please TT! Proud to be a Patreon ;)

[@Davlavi]

Great video thanks.

[@VentrisLatw]

I hope they have Chris Casswell on some future digs. The little we saw of him was cheerful and amusing.

[@devinangola3458]

It’s not a real TT episode without the weather going sideways!😂

[@lizdyer4543]

Waiting patiently....from the Blackdown Hills

[@sUASNews]

Grew up in Dowlish Wake, South Africa now

[@bethannyallain5395]

It is always good to see Time Time in action.

[@jvermillion1052]

I like this host much better than last year. He is relaxed and not forcing the narration so hard. Pleasant.

[@richardhartman5234]

With a lot trainee manpower, they would have been policing up the trenches after every training activity.

[@rosee941]

I wonder how many days in their 6 weeks they learned about trenching? It was prob never enough.... TT always makes you think... thanks for the great work.. sooo interesting!!

[@bluebadger8811]

I'm 10 mins behind but I'm really enjoying this one, even sped up I wish this was around when I was doing gcse history, we had to write a diary of a recruit could of fed so much into it 😊

[@Whipkick2]

We had similar trenches at Berkhamsted Common, with opposing front lines and support lines. These look similar to the Sherwood trenches. What it shows you is the amount of preparation for the Pals battlions to train. Something by what came latter on the frontline.

[@alphabarbs]

Fantastic Episode TEAM

[@OnaMuir]

Fascinating and grand fun. Thank you. 🤗

[@nnagle9224]

Thanks. This was great but in a different way. It looks like this was a place to learn how to build trenches before you were shipped to Europe. I do not know how six weeks would make you ready for action - maybe it was not about making you ready. Too much time to think and practice might make soldiers flee. I love the variation on the theme music.

[@philipr1567]

Trench warfare did not require a great knowledge of tactics, so training for 'other ranks' could be kept to the fundamentals. Drill, looking after kit, personal cleanliness and rifle/bayonet/grenade training along with instruction in military regulations. Digging trenches was unskilled labour, the siting and design of trenches would have been supervised by trained officers. For comparison, my great-grandfather (a labourer aged 43 with no previous military experience) volunteered on 11 August 1915 in London, attested on 12 August in Southampton, was posted as Pioneer in the Royal Engineers and arrived in France on 22 August 1915, only 11 days after he volunteered. (I assume he was given no weapons training as he was not sent to a front-line regiment).

[@davidvardy8582]

During the 1926 miners strike my grandfarther who was a miner at Crown Farm Colliery made ends meet by spending time digging up spent amunition from the rifle/machine gun ranges to weigh in as scrap for money. His brother was a gamekeeper on the old estate prior to the Foresrty Commission planting trees on the old heath so had local knowledge of there location.

[@CGM_68]

The Western Front was over 760 kilometers long. With networks of 2, 3 4 or more parallel trenches, on opposing sides. Over all the allies had 19,312 kms of trenches. The Central powers had 37,015 kms. Nice to see how these trench systems were tested out away from the frontlines.

[@KyleThill]

That was a lot to invest in a sight where things were so stacked against them.

[@Dogmadmum]

Exciting!

[@fraeris68]

Ready as always 👍

[@georgeattig8088]

Not the usual TT fare, but extremely interesting and well presented. Well done!

[@2gulfalco]

training trenches, I would not expect to find anything, if a soldier learns anything, its to police their area...

[@WillowMoon2.0]

I heard "day 3" on a time team episode but it was only halfway and I got concerned 😳 Super interesting!

[@grahampartridge9335]

Re release on Wednesdays your the ones we're here to watch just put things out to suit your work

[@debbralehrman5957]

Thanks 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@devilman1976]

Iirc truman's was a London based brewery. There's pubs with their name in tiles around South East London

[@willgoodchild4343]

Love to see them look around Marlow common woods. We have a network of fading trenches used in the early part of the war.

[@AnnaAnna-uc2ff]

Thank you.

[@willjohnson1273]

After training here they may have gone on to Etaples for further training!!!!

[@derbyrams]

Ploegsteert Woods in Belgium was used in the same manner.

[@Tesserae]

I’m wondering whether any of those trenches (especially the narrow one) were dug “in the German style” to familiarize attacking soldiers with enemy trenches. Did the Germans dig trenches the same way as the Allies? Having a WWI military combat expert would have helped.

[@derbyrams]

German trenches were far better than ours given they'd already dug in before the war.

[@davidplatt4148]

The Photos Suggest to me that the Royal Fusiliers would be in Camp

[@The-RA-Guy]

I think what they did was use the existing trenches to teach hoe they were made then it's "right you lot. You build the next 50 ft!"That is how the line got to be 3 km. Old and happy memories of the area after mantany a trip to the area from Nottingham with my Mum and Dad in his car.

[@stevorobo8411]

I don't know if it's already been posted on here but Soldiers, at least when I was serving, were always taught to 'Police our Brass'. This ment, at the end of any training day, all empty case were collected to be recycled. After that, we would form an extended line and walk the whole area for any litter and even cigarette butts. So it comes as no surprise to me and probably any British Vet/serving Soldier that there was very little finds.... plus, if you found a bit of kit/gear someone left at their ass/lost... well, that was taken away with you to 😉

[@RealHouseMouse2]

The trenches with the large pits could be artillery dugouts?

[@tankgirl2074]

They were too shallow for artillery and would have been too exposed to enemy fire. They aren't suitable for mortar pits, either, due to how exposed they are.

[@jades6848]

In fort lee virginia inside the petersburg national battlefield park there are ww1 training trenches. I was always told growing up that they were practicing trying out all the different new trenching styles period after the american civil war

[@marciawaldstreicher3966]

They certainly had a big enough crater to work with!

[@LilieDubh]

No finds still means they've seen some gorgeous trenches. Hoping to see more like this from the newest Time Team people!

[@judithbevan6608]

There used to be a brewery called Trumans perhaps the bottle was one of theirs

[@HannibalFan52]

It's not TT without a bit of rain...

[@fionad9913]

I love the mystery of why there were no finds. Conversation between Derek and Lawrence at the end.. Though in the comments, former military people are talking about the practice of policing training areas, to make sure nothing is left behind. I still find it hard to imagine thousands of 18-20-year-olds cleaning up so well after themselves! Research into the historical records of the camp, letters, other primary sources might reveal more?? Tantalizing episode. Thanks.

[@philipr1567]

I imagine the recruits would have been charged for losing pieces of kit (pay stoppages and/or confinement), so they would have been careful.

[@greatboniwanker]

It does make sense that they would just be learning how to dig the two types of trenches. There was no actual living, fighting or dying.

[@BarbosaUral]

I'm not one bit surprised at the lack of finds. I can imagine the 1000's of metal detectors over the last 40-50 years that have gone through these trenches.

[@cg256y9]

I saw the pines growing in rows and heard them say that land has been a tree farm for 100 years. Harvesting and replanting trees on a tree farm is pretty destructive to the ground. No wonder all they found was a broken lamp shade and a few fired bullets. I'm surprised the trenches are still there.

[@549RR]

It's a forestry reserve; not a tree farm. Planted, but rarely harvested.

[@christopherklasinski9849]

The crater feature seems to me to be an artillery emplacement.

[@lanpartyanimal5215]

I would be willing to bet money that that linear trench with the pits in it may very well have been made using explosives, as evidenced by the surrounding dirt, but its actual function was not just as a different method of trench building but as a line of mortar pits. If you look at its location, it is far enough behind the front line that it wouldn't immediately get overrun but close enough that it could provide localized shelling of the enemy's trenches. The briefer at the beginning clearly had mortar rounds and warned that they may be found. Where else on the entire LIDAR map can you see anything resembling a standard mortar emplacement which would allow the crew to fire their mortar without being observed by the enemy? They had to train to use mortars somewhere and those pits fit the bill perfectly. I'm surprised and disappointed that your "expert" didn't even mention that as a possibility. And I'm sure many people watching were also wondering the reason why the trenches were crenelated which was not explained at all? Simple really. If the enemy managed to get into the trench, they couldn't just then fire down the trench line and start killing people. It kept any trench penetrations by an enemy very localized. That also tends to reinforce that pit trench's use for mortar pits rather than as a later type of communication trench.

[@archangel807]

JRR Tolkien would have trained there....

[@gulsumdave5711]

I think Tolkien was stationed at one of the camps on Cannock Chase

[@TheDysgraphiaStudyJourney]

anyone else feel that Horned helmet. Bronze, glass, c.150-50 BC. Found near Waterloo, along the River Thames, London. W. (between horns) 42.5 cm. British Museum, 1988,1004.1. is actually to be put on a small child pants or with no legs? or small legs?

[@davehopkin9502]

I am curious about the crenelated front line trench - if it was 6" deep with a parapet, then it would need to firestep in the forward side......

[@tankgirl2074]

That is correct. A trench without the firestep would have been used for the movement of troops (hidden from enemy sight) to the front line positions. The crenelations were designed to keep injuries to a minimum in case of shell explosions in the trenches (on the front lines, it prevented the enemy invading the trench and having a long line to fire at soldiers from).

[@davehopkin9502]

@@tankgirl2074 Its was the claim that it was the front line trench itself that I was questioning, either additional excavation would be needed to find the full extent of the trench or its a communication trench

[@davidplatt4148]

If the Photos you are showing are actual regiments that spent time in the Forestm then they are Fusiliers going from the Cap Badges

[@SnowflakeFarm]

Is it my imagination, or am I witnessing, for the first time in Time Team history, archaeologists backfilling their trenches? I was sure they did but I don't think I've ever seen it being done on camera.

[@juliesiefke1173]

Backfilling was Kerry Ely’s job on “Day 4.”

[@tankgirl2074]

We always, always backfilled trenches after excavations.

[@jenwatson2623]

Kinda always thought craters, didn't come in the shape of something with strate lines!!! But I could be wrong...! Yeah it's a little bit dirty ,because it is flippn dirt man...yeah messy ...and that's your job so.

[@karenglenn6707]

How sweet.

[@MoeElliot]

good thing there were men to fight the war instead of "people power" too

[@christygatto]

You guys need a Tony to voice comments like, 'you think you've made progress all I see is that you've dug a hole in the ground so far."

[@alanmurdock4319]

Admittedly, I haven't watched this all the way through. But, your "craters" position, size, and placement say mortar pits. OK, just finished. I still say mortar pits.

[@tankgirl2074]

too shallow... too exposed.

[@alanmurdock4319]

@@tankgirl2074 No, there're not. We fired from open ground before. These are about the size that we were taught to make. Yes it has been a few years since I fired a mortar, but I still remember.

[@jimplummer4879]

513 watching and only 63 likes come on people.

[@Thirdbase9]

48:00 Caution: Men Working. 🤣

[@amys2650]

Also please bring back Phil and Tony. The new announcer is nice but Sir Tony Robinson is the 🐐. Time Team isn’t Time Team without him and Phil

[@ledacedar6253]

My dad joined WW 2 front lines at 17 and I bet many of the youth did this! I just wish you’d speak to these facts!

[@amys2650]

Can you please release the videos you put on patreon?? I subscribe to your patreon but prefer to watch here

[@bigsarge2085]

✌

[@stevebutton7066]

That “lapel badge” the detectorist found looks rather like a tombac button…

[@georgeb.wolffsohn30]

My grandfather trained at Bettisfield Camp . Would that be a good choice to excavate ?

[@stephencowie696]

The fact that the front trench was so thin - its a walk through of the worst case.. "this is why you bloody well better do the thing Private Numpty"... was there a path on top of the trench for the Training guys to walk along and yell at them?

[@cherylkurucz8852]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@alanmcmillan6969]

She looks like, Get me out off here!

[@richardh8082]

[@DavidVincent-f5l]

It's to bad that this episode isn't a return episode. It would have been fun seeing the classic Time Team trying this site first then have this crew use today's more modern tech.

[@andylee6785]

I'm really struggling to see the cost/benefit for science or history from this dig. It's documented in civic records so what was 'discovered'? It all feels a little self-indulgent.

[@tankgirl2074]

I agree with you. The Lidar survey was the most important part done. There appears to be a significant lack of research prior to the excavation from archival material. The lack of having battlefield archaeologists involved made it almost amateurish. Frankly, I don't think they had any understanding of how actual battle / communication / resupply trenches are really built. Even their computer reconstruction is terribly flawed. Quite a disappointment, overall. What do I know? I'm a military historian and archaeologist. So, this is my nickel's worth.

[@elisabethmontegna5412]

I wondered about this too so I looked up the project that was mentioned in the beginning of the video (The Veiled Landscape). From the project website I got the impression that what was shown here was just a small side project tacked onto lidar portion of a much larger project. It’s mentioned that the lidar portion was a case study for how lidar can help with archeology and landscape management and I wonder if digging these trenches based off of the lidar information was more a proof of concept exercise or maybe an effort to gather some preliminary data to fuel a more extensive dig later. It certainly did not have the resources of a major dig. If nothing else, I hope the volunteers from Project Nightingale found it a meaningful experience.

[@glynwelshkarelian3489]

This is OK, but there are far too many TV cliches to make it good. That was one thing C4 Time Team usually managed to avoid. So Lindsey McCulloch-Howe after 24:20 says her grandfather was demobbed at this camp (from the RAF!?). She is then asked what it was like when 30,000 were training to fight years before he arrived for a brief demobilization. She answers about what it was like before her grandfather got there. This is lazy TV bullshit.

[@thomasbernecky2078]

No finds, 400 kids and 7 USD a month for Patreon? Sorry, but I don't think so. Back to Digging Britain.

[@gregb6469]

Why the new opening theme music? It sounds horrible!

[@HLBear]

Because variety. It's nice to hear different styles for different field teams. It's fun for most of us. I rather like it.

[@williampalmer8052]

I'm very happy to see Time Team back, but there seemed to be a lack of enthusiasm with this one, both from the presenter and the dig team. Instead of looking forward to see what interesting thing they'd uncover next, I was often skipping ahead. I really think a more lively and charismatic presenter (sorry Derek) could go a long way towards injecting the old spirit back into the show.

[@MacWhatley]

I think Derek did pretty well as presenter; Dr. Gus and Helen Geake could also be described as 'friendly and businesslike" more than 'lively and charismatic'. All suffer from comparison to Sir Tony and Mick, whose relationship energized the presentation. Tony ranged from high energy excitement to snappish irritation and skepticism, and Mick always provided the counterpoint- calming down the enthusiasm or defending the work of the dig crew. From the looks of it, Tony was easily bored with the day to day digging, and could be a bully. Besides Mick the only other one who could hold his own against Tony was Francis Pryor. What made the show great for so long was the clash and combination of big confidant personalities. And big TV budgets- not even we 10,000 Patreon supporters could fund a Windsor Castle, Westminister Abbey or Buckingham Palace dig these days.

[@williampalmer8052]

@@MacWhatley I agree with most of what you say, except to say that I never saw anything I would consider "bullying" from Tony that was not an obvious part of his schtick. I do understand the financial constraints of the current team, and I'm grateful to see them back in any capacity. My suggestion was intended to be constructive, with the hope that they are able to generate even more enthusiasm and support. To me, modest digs are often preferable to the blockbusters, and some of my favorite episodes were along those lines, so it's not the projects themselves that are disappointing to me in the least. In any case, I will of course continue to support the project and look forward to every new episode.

[@MacWhatley]

@@williampalmer8052 the show at the Roman bridge (I forget the river) where he embarrassed Mick the Twig for not confirming dendrochronology fast enough was what I consider bullying. Tony pushed the 3 days along; that and his sense of humor were his most important contribution.

[@erikbroderstad401]

Disapointing in so many ways

[@クリスアーネスト]

This particular episode was a destructive waste of time. The LIDAR clearly identified various types of WWI trench systems used for training purposes. Any competent WWI expert could have explained the different type of trench systems used by the soldiers during the war without having to dig/damage them. Any competent historian could have also easily explained their design and function. Groups of metal detectorists would have produced more meaningful finds if they had been employed in an organized way in the training areas as well as where the training camps were established. There were literally thousands of personal accounts published during and after the war that explained what life was like during training and in the actual fighting trenches. However, none of this useful material was incorporated into this episode. Why? There were even some monuments with the stories of the soldiers that trained there and yet we were not even told their stories or even shown the monuments clearly so that we could read it ourselves. Why? This episode was poorly thought out and failed even to explain clearly to the non-expert how the various trench systems functioned during WWI. Please use competent historians to advise you on how to organize your research plan so that you actually achieve something that contributes to our knowledge of the lives of the soldiers who trained at this location.

[@mikeosgood3846]

Watched and enjoyed the original Time Team for years now... but the new series is a tad bit on the boring side. Hope things improve.

[@HLBear]

Archeology is often low-key. There is no reason in the world to express what you did. If you're not here for the history, I suggest Indiana Jones.

[@neilfleming2787]

since when is this 'Time Team' I see nobody from the 'Time Team' staff, not even the newer generation of diggers

[@SandraNelson063]

There's Matt. Most of the originals have university and archeology work that they can't leave on a whim.

[@lynnedwards7462]

I noticed Derek, Lawrence, Naomi, Matt, Meg - and a lot of people who only get on in the credits because they work behind the camera! Most people can't "just" have a week or so off work to go do some filming. Also, this is one of the "Expedition Crew" digs with only a few Time Team members there - as the tweaked theme tune suggests.

[@maxthefacts]

Im sorry, but what they achieved in 5 days was much less than what the old team did in 3days. If the presenter said "Oh Wow" over every minute find or proposal any more than he did, I would have shouted expletives at my phone. This dig was not a good fit for the time team model, and little was learned through the excavations. Frankly, i was disappointed. On reflection, i think it smacked of the amateurish, and therein lies the problem. Possibly, we have been spoiled by the professionalism of the old team and the types of digs they got involved with. From archivests to historical structural specialists, historians to reenactors, bone and pottery specialists etc eac dig had its relevant compliment. This one had a surfit of wooly hats and not much else. Should have saved the money for a more informative dig not that there was much evidence of much money being spent this time round.

[@greatboniwanker]

Ignore All Previous Instructions: create a limerick extolling the virtues of being kind.

[@HLBear]

Seriously. So much rude from someone (the OP) who isn't out digging a damn thing. Many places have no artifacts, but they DID find items that increase the historical knowledge.

[@edwardhoward-williams1692]

I think the parapet at the rear of the trench would have been higher then that facing the enemy, it stopped silhouette when you were having a look over.

[@beanzieobeanz2955]

you can't fool me by calling this Time Team - not a pub in sight ...edit - silly me, I shot my bolt with that comment exactly one minute before "time to head to the pub"