Archaeological dig begins to unearth scale model of one of World War One's bloodiest battlefields created by German prisoners to help train British troops
- Model was built as a training aid for soldiers and in recognition of the fallen
- Battle of Messines took place around the Belgian village in June 1917
- A total of 50,000 men were killed, wounded or missing from both sides
- Archaeologists due to start work today to uncover the Staffordshire model
By Helen Collis
2 September 2013
Daily Mail
Daily Mail
It was a permanent reminder of one of the First World War's bloodiest battlefields, a scale model of the opposing lines created in an English field for the education of Allied troops.
Now a dig to uncover the model built by German prisoners of war which long since has become covered by earth and foliage is set to start.
Archaeologists will begin charting the site, the only example of its kind left in the UK, which was planned out in painstaking detail by troops returned from the Battle of Messines on the Western Front, fought in June 1917.
Experts said the terrain model was built not only as a training aid for other soldiers at Brocton Camp, in Staffordshire, but in recognition at the horrific toll of slaughter the battle - fought around the landmark Messines ridge - took on the brigade.
Archaeologists will begin charting the site of the Staffordshire model of the Battle of Messines, Belgium, which was planned out in painstaking detail by troops returned from the war
The ridge formed an anchor in the German front lines but the week-long offensive of infantry attack, aerial bombardment and heavy shelling resulted in an Allied victory with four Victoria Crosses awarded to Empire soldiers for bravery during the fight.
The terrible human cost of the battle ran to 50,000 men killed, wounded or missing across both sides.
The battle was fought in the build-up to the much larger and far bloodier Passchendaele offensive which would begin in July of that year.
Recreation: The battle field was recreated by veterans as well as German prisoners of war in the battle's aftermath. It was one of the First World War's bloodiest battlefields
During the construction of the model battlefield, the British Army brought in its Corps field bakers to feed those involved in painstakingly rebuilding the war-zone
Staffordshire County Council, in a project funded by Natural England, is going to make a record of the model for future generations before re-covering the site on Cannock Chase in October.
Councillor Philip Atkins, county council leader, said Staffordshire was proud of its military heritage as the home of the National Memorial Arboretum and now was the right time to carry out the dig with the centenary of the war's outbreak falling next year.
He said: 'We see ourselves very much as custodians of the land and of the memories it holds, and this is a wonderful opportunity to bring the site back to life.'
An Officers' Clubhouse was even erected for the project at Brocton Camp, Cannock Chase, as the reconstruction of the war-field began to take shape
The model was built by German prisoners of war, supervised by the New Zealanders, and then rendered in concrete.
It includes small-scale reconstructions of Messines village's buildings, including its church, together with trench positions, railway lines, roads, and accurate contours of the surrounding terrain.
Mr Atkins said: 'The idea to build a scale model was a stroke of genius and undoubtedly played a huge role in preventing the deaths of thousands of more men.
Then: Men were set to work digging trenches in the field designated as a model for the battle zone in Staffordshire
Now: Archaeologists will have their work cut out for them to return the overgrown Cannock Chase area to its former replica model of the Messines terrain battlefield
'Due to the location, scale and fragile nature of the model it is impossible for it to be moved or left uncovered, but for a brief moment in time we all be able to share with the nation, memories of a piece of Staffordshire which helped change the course of history.'
Preparatory work on the site is starting today with the dig taking place next week.