Factory Farm was the most southerly of the mines detonated on the 7th of June 1917. The crater lay outside the area of the attack, the line of the road marks the divisional boundary, this mine was detonated as a diversionary tactic, but records show this was not as sucessful as had been anticipated.
The moated farm had been incorporated into the German front line trenches, the site was selected for the possition of a mine as the remains of the farm buildings created a fortified strong point. The mine crater is in the possition where the fam buildings once stood, part of the moat can just be identified in this photo, by the dark stain leading into the field to the left of the point where the top of the telegraph pole meets the fence line.
Factory Farm Crater
Most of the upcast around the lip of this crater has been removed over the last 90 years, the soil being used to level this low lying field in an attempt to reduce winter flooding. The area of rough grass close to the crater in this photo is the remaining section of upcast which the team will investigate.
The crater, the moat and the willows