The drone view really highlights the futility (to us at least) of the fighting over a few nondescript fields. No doubt at the time they were seen very differently. Great content, thanks for all your efforts
I've been into WW1 history for a long time, and I've read about just about every major engagement on the western front, these videos really bring to life the realities of war in a way that few other sources do.
One aspect I like to bring up amatol is not a high explosive, but a slow explosive. A generally 30% tnt and 70% ammonium nitrate. At that time was not known you can use diesel instead of tnt.
Excellent video, Steven. I visited that area in 2015 with several former army pals, one of whom's grandfather served in 2nd NF and was killed around Wittepoort farm in 1915. He laid a wreath at Wittepoort farm. Thank you for your great work.
Great footage taken at a time of year showing how boggy the ground gets.The lack of foliage provides a good view into those woods.It does,nt suit to film these battlefields in summer some how.Thanks for taking us there Mr Upton
Thank you so much, Mr. Upton, for this and your many other videos. I've walked up the little road to the RE memorial and the Liverpool Scottish Memorial many, many times. I've explored around the large craters near these memorials, but never knew (??!!) there were so many further in the woods. Something to see on my next trip!
Thank you for watching. It's surprising that so little is known about this wood. I came across it in a local Ypres magazine and not in any book or website about WW1.
Thank you for your in depth videos, it gives a clearer perspective of what happened. 3 of my Great uncles, my Mothers uncles, my Grandmothers brothers served in France during WW1 with the NZ rifles. 2 were gassed & 1 died in 1922 as a result. The other lived until 1969 & also served in WW2 as a aircraft loader with the RNZAF at Whenuapai, Fiji & the Solomon Islands. The other is still MIA. My Mother had photos of them in Egypt on the way over to the Western front & embroidered postcards (with the French flag & Union Jack) sent to my Grandmother from Paris.
Hi Steve This has really brought alive to me where my great uncle fought and died here.Thank You so much.We will remember them.,to all the brave men who had such tremendous courage to die for our country
Thanks so much for your informative videos. Sometimes it's so hard to visualise the front lines and battleground. You really do bring it all to life as sullyplaysgaem says. Could watch these for hours
Another very interesting video Steven. Thanks for sharing your knowledge of WWI. On this date we should also celebrate VE Day. Thanks to all who served and especially those making the ultimate sacrifice.
Fantastic video again Steven. I have visited this area a few times now, having a keen interest in WW 1 and walked this very land. Your knowledge and skills would put many a documentary producer to shame. Thank you again.
Thank you for the video. My maternal grandmother's brother, Lt. B.E.D.Warde, died here on 16th June 1915 in an assault on Bellewaarde Ridge and was buried in the trench where he fell. I have never known precisely where he is. However I now have a much better idea. Thank you.
I cant find anyone one on RU-vid who does content like yours steve, I've watch many of your videos more than once, i often find meself scanning google earth for battlefields after watching your videos, really hope you do some more soon. Thank you for the great content and effor you have put into your videos over the years!
Very much enjoyed your videos. I have visited most ww1 sites around the Somme and Passchendaele having a birds eye view shows how close the Somme actions were. Role on when we are free to visit again.
I have quietly looked at everyone of your videos of the WW1. Each video had a very somber reaction for me when I heard of how many people have died in just these locations that you have presented. Please keep making more of these videos of the horrors and tragedies that took place at these sites are told. History must never be forgotten, lest we are condemned to repeat it.
Another excellent video Mr Upton. I’ve visited this site, and I wish drones AND your video were available then (though only few years ago). I used to think that there was absolutely nothing that better gives understanding of a battlefield than walking it. But your drone vids (and their red arrows) add another level.
Steven. Many thanks for this post. As you may remember in previous conversations my grandfather attacked here with the Liverpool Scottish and was shot in the shoulder but fortunately survived. I have been to Bellewaarde Ridge a couple of times and your video really gives an excellent perspective of the battlefield. Thanks for all your efforts.
Great film Steve! Many thanks. But like most people, you don't mention the stand of A and B companies of 1/7th DLI on this ground on 25th May, a prelude to this better known battle. The battalion lost 29 killed, 76 wounded or gassed, and 183 missing and prisoners. In total this was around two thirds of the men committed. The dead included my great-great uncle, Joseph Bell.
Thankyou Stephen, we had an excellent view thanks to your drone. We toured the area of these WWI battlefields with Leger Tours out of Sheffield a couple of years ago. Leger Tours are excellent. The battlefield is much clearer from your videos. Lest We Forget.
Stephen, we are in BONBEACH, Victoria Australia, our kids live in Greenhill. We are coming back as soon as this stupid virus is over. Keep up the high quality footage and narration. Regards mate.
As always so peaceful to look at then the memorial to the sappers brings you back to reality. The fact that over 1000 men died fighting for those 2 fields is hard to wrap your head around. Great video as always. I sit glued to every word with my face about a foot from the screen.
thank you, explanations are clear and concise, I've always been Fascinated by the world wars. In this video (and many others) a ridge = a upward slope of the terrain.
Subscribed ....Steven thankyou from robert ..my great grandfather fought at the battle of the Somme ....means a lot too me ..that we remember ..too deter us from it ever happening again ....
I've seen all your videos. Thank you for making them, very informative and your knowledge of the trench maps and history exceptional. Can't wait to see all these locations myself. Keep up the great work!
I Really REALLY love this channel I’ve just found it but holy gosh was this the stuff I was always been looking for being in New Zealand it’s a bit hard to get out and see the world so thank you Steven for brining it to me!
A fantastic little short film, it really puts into perspective how short the distances were between the front lines. Even with all the battlefields I have visited I seem to always think the distances between the lines are closer to a mile + rather than within a few hundred meters. I'm looking forward to seeing any future videos you put out
Steven, Thanks and compliments on your very comprehensive WWI videos. Very good use of maps and aerial shots. The topic of underground mining in WWI is very interesting. Stay safe at this time and best wishes.
Hi from San Francisco CA! You do a wonderful job and I really enjoy your commentary and videos. The drone footage really helps me understand the breath and scope of these battles-engagements. Keep up the excellent work!
I found this very interesting as I had a Great Uncle who fought in the DLI in WW1 and I have always been interested in history. I was in Ypres last May and I stayed in a hotel at the Hooge crater and I visited the cemetery just over the road from it. Alas It was a flying visit though I did attend the evening remembrance at the Menin Gate, very moving.
Every crater in this area has a name. There are approximately 15 craters conserved. The crater near the Royal engineers grave memorial is called the Roschmann crater. The largest crater, also visible in the video was called the Momber crater by the British, or the Allenstein Trichter by the Germans. There are a lot of tunnels beneath, and one of the most complex deep dugouts is laying under Railway wood. Is still happens that one of the tunnels collapses. The last one i have seen was in january 2018.
Great video. I appreciate how you include Google maps and trench maps to gauge the scope and size of the area. Hard to comprehend thousands killed in a couple of fields. Many thanks for another great video.
Very interesting video, I'm Belgian and I've been very often to the themepark of Bellewaarde. Now I know what happened there in the past. Thanks for your video's. This video was uploaded 6 months ago, are you going to upload more video's like this?
I've never had an interest in visiting Europe, despite being Irish and German. But I've always wanted to visit the battlefields. I've been to the the American civil war fields including Antietam, which is where my great great grandfather's brother died. I've had family that fought in both world wars, the first on the kaisers side, the second on America's side.
I love going to the Craterwoods, vist it often.. the former two years it was cleaned up to impressive scales, it really looked good... by now however, nature takes over again.. It's only a matter of time where there is little to see, as it was before..
Brilliant stuff. I find this stuff fascinating and your drone work really captures the landscape so well. I would love to see your film with an overlay of the trenches to highlight the positions.
Great work. Respect for the research involved to be able to produce this kind of document. FYI, I live in Boezinge, about 2 Km from Pilckem Ridge on my right and 1.5 Km from Steenstraete to my left. Very infamous since april 1915.
You are always welcome. I would recommend the book " The Ypres Salient" by John Giles. First published in 1970 and revised in 1979 edition by Picardy publishing LTD. 11-13, Knightsbridge Green, London SW1X 7QL ISBN 0 906725 00 3.
The story of the Canadians and how they were hurriedly rushed in their to plug the gap immediately after the first gas attack while the British got reorganised, is fascinating. They were basically abandoned there holding off the Germans for several days and when they were finally able to be relieved, the British soldiers were all cheering them as they marched out, because they all knew what they had being through and what they had achieved. The flag that the Canadians (Princess Patricias Light Infantry) carried into battle was hand sown by Princess Patricia herself and is now in the military museum in Calgary Canada.
Many thanks Steve I don't know how many times I've driven past this yet haven't been to it. So it's now included in my next visit also including the Khaki Chums Cross, another new addition to the inventory which is down to you, so thank you. May I also suggest the "Battle of the brick stacks" and "Red Dragon creator" as items that would benefit from your unique aerial perspective.
@@StevenUpton14-18 Yes Steve. I went there a few years ago and did Red Dragon creator on the same day. Years before I read the book "The War the Infantry knew" and was struck by the fact that Siegfried Sassoon regarded his time there as his worst experience. The area was hard to appreciate from the ground despite having a trench map. I believe Red Dragon creator was the largest mine exploded on all of the Western Front by the Germans. It was exploded underneath "the ducks bill". That is to the north of the canal. Again many thanks for what you do. John
@@StevenUpton14-18 Firstly apologies, I didn't explain myself properly. The Creator was filled in, however it's outline and some of the trench systems are still discernable and I'm sure more so from the air. The same applies on the other side of the canal where mining and daily mortaring from behind the Brick stacks made the experience grimly relentless. Again you can still see some outline but I'm sure an aerial view would give a far greater appreciation. There is an account in "The War The Infantry Knew "of the Red Dragon Creator mine exploding from the British perspective. Again many thanks for your videos.
Absolutely superb aerial footage and orientation. Allows for excellent understanding of the battles at each site. My great grandfather won the first of his two DSOs at the Red Dragon Crater at Givenchy in June 1916. Any chance of getting your drone overhead sometime in the future ? 😃
Thank you for watching. The Red Dragon crater is on my list of places to visit. I have studied it on trench maps and then on Google Earth. Not sure there is anything there to actually film though. But if I can get some aerial footage and use trench maps to compare it may work out okay.
So near and yet so far! My Great, Great Uncle, Sydney Hadlow Clements, was killed at Hooge Chateau (very near to the crater that you mention but more toward Ypres). On the 29th of September, 1915 The Middlesex Regt were holding the line that ran the corner of our positions, as they turn north, to run alongside the Menin Road, alongside Hooge Chateau (as shown on your first 1915 Trench Map). At 1630 Hrs, on the 29th of September, the Germans detonated a mine that had been dug in, under the left hand Sap in the Middlesex position, after which the Germans stormed across the very small “no man’s land”, grenaded (“bombed” as we called it then), their way into our frontline and started to force the Middlesex boy’s back into their own communication Trench....luckily, fresh supplies of British “bombs” were quickly brought up and the Middlesex boys “bombed” the German assault force back out of the frontline Trench, forcing them to scarper back across “no man’s land” and their own trenches. Prior to the Battle of Loos starting (early September, 1915), this area that you have filmed was where the war was at! Bellewarde, Hooge, etc being shelled 23 hours a day...yes, 23 hours a day, every day...it was absolutely deadly here. Sydney either died in the mine explosion, or was killed in the shelling that followed the ejection of the German assault force, either way, his body was never found and Sydney is recorded in three places on the Menin Gate Memorial to the missing. Thank you for getting on to this sector. I have thoroughly enjoyed your previous films and now look forward to more of them....if you could take us up to Hooge, that would put the icing on the cake! 👍🏻👍🏻
Thank you for watching. I have filmed Hooge crater from the ground and the air. When I can travel again I want to film the front from Hooge towards The Bluff on the Ypres - Comines canal. sorry for your families loss. We will remember them.
Love your videos. Extremely thorough and passionate. I was wondering if you had any footage from the Reims/Second Battle of the Marne, particularly where the US 3rd Infantry(Rock of the Marne) fought at?
Thank you for watching. I am very familiar with the area you mention, but the footage I shot at Belleau Wood did not turn out good enough to use. One day I will get back there and try again.
Thank you Steven for sharing. I take great interest in ww1 and 2 from a historical and human perspective. Visiting the places makes a more profund impression. Having been to several of the places before and after watching your films adds to the experience. Bothe the stories, explanations and the use of drone. As I recently purchased a small drone, less than 250 grams, may I ask if there are any special regulations related to the use of drones on these sites and in general in France, Belgium?
Thank you for watching. I do not know what the current regulations are. However, in Belgium if I am filming private property I ask permission. Wherever I film I try to avoid people.
Thank you for watching. I did film at Belleau wood, but unfortunately it was not good enough to use. If I get chance to go there again I will film it differently.
Hello Steven, what better use of time during lockdown than watching your WW1 battlefield films! Can I ask if you will be covering the area around Bellacourt Military Cemetery? The Grandfather I never knew is buried there (T.W. Sands, Royal Artillery, DOD July 1918) but although I have photos of his grave and vistas of the cemetery I have no idea what battles or skirmishes took place in the vicinity despite my online research. Many thanks!
Thank you for watching. Bellacourt CWGC cemetery is south west of Arras and I do not think the Germans ever got that far. It is not on my list of places to visit as it is not an actual battlefield. I copied this from the CWGC website: The cemetery was begun by French troops in October 1914, and carried on by the 46th (North Midland), 55th (West Lancashire), 58th (London), 49th (West Riding) and other Divisions, and later by the Canadian Corps, from February 1916, to September 1918; and the French plot was increased in 1923 by concentrations from other cemeteries. The 16 American graves of July and August, 1918 (all but one of which belonged to the 320th Regiment) have been removed to another place of burial. There are 432 Commonwealth burials of the 1914-18 war commemorated in this site, 1 being unidentified. There are also 117 French burials here. The Cemetery covers an area of 3,582 square metres and is enclosed by a rubble wall.
Hey there Mr. Upton. It's nice to see a couple new videos. I wanted to say hello but your comments are disabled on the new videos. Very interesting stuff about your family. You're lucky to have such detailed information. I know what unit my gramps was in 'over there' in The Great War but that's about it.
@@Gitarzan66 I am fine thank you. I will start learning how to fly my drone again next week. I will be in Germany to film the 'Dams" fro the WW2 dam busters raids. Next month I am back on the Somme.
Hello Steven, any plans to get some more drone footage soon? It was truly fascinating seeing what you had done prior to the covid shutdown, and very engaging to hear the history of the area, while exploring it from this unique aerial perspective.
@@StevenUpton14-18 oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I had a pretty rough time with covid, albeit brief. I hope your symptoms aren't too uncomfortable and you recover quickly! Wishing you the best.
@@karlfeuerstake916 I spent 30 hours in bed and now feel mostly fine. Just annoyed that I had to abandon going to the Somme. Next chance to film might be December.
@@StevenUpton14-18 Glad to hear you're through the worst of it. I didn't have any lingering effects aside from about a week of fatigue, which diminished as it went on. Well, I'll hope you get to go there in December!
Thank you for watching. I use LinesMan for the trench maps. I also have them installed on an iPad and using GPS I can see exactly where I am standing on a trench map.
I always wonder they went toe to toe instead of sending a raiding party around their flanks , but looking at your overhead drone footage I see there is no cover , I assume it was the same back then . I sometimes feel I was a soldier back then in another life when I see old film footage it look's familiar . Maybe because I have seen the footage sooo many times in my 60 years .
Thank you for watching. There were no flanks. The Western Front stretched from the North Sea to the Swiss border. One continuous front line with multiple lines of defence. No way round other than by invading Switzerland.
Hello you have made an excellent documentary series on World War 1. I noticed that you haven't made any videos in a while now and I wonder why that was. Also have you considered traveling to to eastern Europe to show the World War 1 trench lines there?
Thank you for watching. I have not been able to travel since last March due to Covid restrictions. I plan to visit the Somme in May if conditions allow. I have visited Eastern Europe but did not have the free time to film. I have to confess that the Western Front interests me more.
0:15 How high up was this image taken? In the middle there is a copse of trees with what looks like mine craters. Those must have been pretty powerful for them to be that obvious.
I enjoy your videos. Thank you! Also, I have often wondered about the present day farmers fields that were once no mans lands. It would seem to me that the soil would consist heavily of steel, iron, shrapnel, blood and remains, etc. What is your take on it?
Thank you for watching. The only human remains would be bone. The main problem is unexploded shells, millions of them. The farmers call it the 'Iron Harvest'.
What is the origin of the map at 2:57? I noticed it has "Idiot Trench", "Idiot Lane", "Idiot Avenue"... who picked those names? Was it just macabre humor? Would be fascinating to know! And thanks for another great upload! eta: I see someone else already commented on the "idiocy". Maybe someone just said "you'd have to be an idiot to attack here!"
Thank you for watching. All of the trenches were named at the time they were dug or when the maps were made during the war. Either by those who dug them, those who were the first to occupy them or the army cartographers. When you study maps from each year of the war the names remain the same throughout.
Hello Steven, I saw your last video, in wich you deaktivated the commentsection. I presume the reason, but its not related to our contact. I appreciated this video, as all of your videos. In memory of your grandfather, unknown to me, but unforgettable to you, I honour all those brave men with the poem of the charge of the light brigade, wrote by Tennyson. Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. ‘Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns!’ he said: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. ‘Forward, the Light Brigade!’ Was there a man dismay’d? Not tho’ the soldier knew Someone had blunder’d: Their’s not to make reply, Their’s not to reason why, Their’s but to do and die: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them Volley’d and thunder’d; Storm’d at with shot and shell, Boldly they rode and well, Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of Hell Rode the six hundred. Flash’d all their sabres bare, Flash’d as they turn’d in air Sabring the gunners there, Charging an army, while All the world wonder’d: Plunged in the battery-smoke Right thro’ the line they broke; Cossack and Russian Reel’d from the sabre-stroke Shatter’d and sunder’d. Then they rode back, but not Not the six hundred. Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon behind them Volley’d and thunder’d; Storm’d at with shot and shell, While horse and hero fell, They that had fought so well Came thro’ the jaws of Death, Back from the mouth of Hell, All that was left of them, Left of six hundred. When can their glory fade ? O the wild charge they made! All the world wonder’d. Honour the charge they made! Honour the Light Brigade, Noble six hundred! Those men, no matter on what side they fought, own our deepest respect for their devotion , fought with the last full measure , believing in their cause. Its our duty, that they will never be forgotten. P.S I would like to read the books you published as audiobooks and ask humbly for your allowance to do so. always your obedient servant. Curd Schumacher aka Der Volkstribun.
Thank you for watching. I am familiar with Cote 304, but at present I have no idea when I will get to make more films due to the Covid situation. I have all the trench maps on computer. I bought a DVD with them some years ago. I can transfer them to an iPad and using a bluetooth GPS plot exactly where I am standing in relation to the trench map.
I've visited WW1 battlefields too and the fields are very peaceful now, but it didn't always feel right to be there. It sometimes feels that it's too peaceful. A lot of people who live on the frontlines say that they don't want to be in the fields at night, or in the woods on the frontline. Maybe a bit of a strange question, but have you ever felt uncomfortable when visiting battlefields of the war?
@@StevenUpton14-18 it's probably the thought that so many men died on the place where you are at that moment, and a lot of them are still lying there under the fields, on the place where they died 100 years ago, never found. A lot of people have familymembers who are still lying under 'Flanders fields', without knowing where their familymember is. That's probably the reason why I often feel a little bit uncomfortable when visiting a battlefield.
That was most interesting my great grandad was in the 4th battalion[Hull Rifles] East Yorkshire regiment. He was killed in action on May 12,1915 body never retrieved the story was a fellow soldier that was there and had been through training with him and got to know him said one second he was there and then he was just gone. I've heard that story since I was a kid. someone told me once that it was a common thing to been blow to smithereens during ww1 but you think there's be fragmented pieces somewhere? just shows the power of the tools we make to kill each other. No human being should be blown to pieces by another human being but this world tends to get very sick'n' crazy every now and zen.
Thank you for watching. About 60% of casualties were caused by artillery. My father was a gunner in WW2 he said that whilst in Normandy a shell landed between him and a friend. His friend was killed and my father was completely untouched.
