Salved
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On the last pages the author mentions time and again that material (mostly timber) was salved from Villers Carbonnel. I suppose this material came from (ruined) houses? I tag this as #salvage.
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Yes, ruined houses see the following photographs of Villers Carbonnel.
Photo of Villers Carbonnel ww1 Link: http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-scene-in-villers-carbonnel-france-western-front-ww1-66162485.html These images bring the places in the diaries to life.
Also https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlscotland/3011971135 Another Street image of Villers Carbonnel (seems to be a lot of wood lying around the street) and more interesting images of WW1.
Extract from an Article mentioning difficulties with supplies.
“The new system of trench-warfare became an engineer’s war in other ways. Supply problems were caused by poor roads and waterlogged trenches. The movement of bulk supplies, such as small-arms ammunition, food and, increasingly, engineer stores such as timber and sandbags, was difficult. The Army’s usual remedy of using horsed wagons or pack-trains of mules and horses became increasingly impractical close to the front line, due to the water-logged ground as well as enemy fire. The Assistant Adjutant & Quarter Master-General (AA&QMG)76 of 8th Division noted a solution used by the local inhabitants. The 8th Division history stated: “…to the division belongs the credit of the utilisation of wooden trench tramways for the supply of troops in line. The idea originated with Lieutenant-Colonel H.M. de F. Montgomery DSO […] having observed similar tramways in use for agricultural purposes on farms in the neighbourhood, he had realised the military use to which they might be put. Later the practice spread to all armies on the Western Front”
Images of Wooden Trench Tramways: https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1DSGL_enGB426GB426&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=Wooden+Trench+Tramways+ww1&*
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by
cyngast
moderator
Interesting photos, Marie. I've seen the one before of the man on an airplane with the men on the ground. It was a church service.
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by
cyngast
moderator
Erik, yes, the timbers would have come from any of the ruined buildings in Villers-Carbonnel: houses, shops, barns, etc.
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