THE LOST WWI BUNKER: A TIME TEAM SPECIAL
Marking the 90th anniversary of the end of World War I, this Time Team Special tells the best-kept secret of the last year of the war: the story of a war waged underground. Tony Robinson joins an unprecedented archaeological expedition in search of a perfectly preserved bunker, or dugout, called
the Vampir.
Beneath the paralysed front in Belgium, elite tunnelling companies created a deep maze of tunnels and dugouts, which was the only safe place to hide when shelling made the surface hell above. But more than simply a place to live, the underground became a place to fight.
Monday 10 November 2008
9:00pm, Channel 4
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what happened to the site after they had finished did the fill it in as i think they had had to do or have the put something there as a memorial
were they able to explore all the rooms iff so whats happening to the bunker.
As Simon & Colin have said did they ever manage to complete the task of uncovering the area at the top of he small staircase? Also were they able to have the shells removed by the military to enable them to uncover the main staircase.. it was such a good program but we were left wandering…….
Hi Tony R. and all the team. Ref “First World War Dugout ” . In the highly unlikely event that none of the hundreds of experts, who would have instantly recognized the railway “POINT LEVER” for what it was, have taken the trouble to contact you, I can solve the mystery and even supply a 16mm/ft scale replica of the item.
All the best Adrian at ABS MODELS
PS. Still can’t think what it was doing down there though !
I believe the Henry Hawtin shown in last night’s programme “The lost World War One bunker” may have been the younger brother of Joseph Hawtin who died at the Somme in 1916 and was married to a great aunt of mine. This Henry was born in Tralee and both boys attended the Duke of York’s Military School which was then in Chelsea, Joseph joining the Gordon Highlanders at 15 in 1901 and Henry the Royal Engineers in 1905. Joseph died at the Somme in July 1916 and is commemorated at Thiepval.
I have photos of Henry (known as Harry) which have come down to me via my great aunt and although I did not watch the programme myself, my husband did. I believe some of Henry’s descendants took part in the programme and would be willing to be in touch, if they are, and the above details tally. I plan to watch tonight. HT
Hi team my grandad won the MM near Varlet Farm at Sourd farm was the vampire dug out anywere near ther he was in the RND Drake batt also 176&178 tunneling co’s ps the program was great.
Hi, do you know when this shall be repeated, unfortunately I missed it, shift work comes with a price.
Maybe somebody else out there taped it, does anybody have a copy? Thanks Mark.
Hi Hillary Totten,
I am Pete Hawtin, and it was Grandfather Henry Hawtin who was CSM 171 T Coy RE. His brother, Joseph, (my Great Uncle) was serving with 1st Gordons on the Somme in 1916 and was killed during the attack at Longueval on 18 July 1916. This is indeed the right family and I have been searching for over 15 years to find out what happened to ‘Aunty Em’. If you get this please, please respond.
Glad you all enjoyed the programme.
Per Ardua
Pete H
I just learned that my grand father was there
is there anyway of viewing the photograph that was shown on the program.
After watching the programme the Lost WWII bunker my husband and I were shocked to see the Royal Engineers photograph as my husband believes one of the chaps may be a relative. We are trying to obtain a copy of that photograph so we can compare with photos we have of the individual. Does anyone have any ideas how we can get a copy?