Preparing for the Cannock Chase excavation Tuesday, September 3rd, 2013
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Filed under: A Dig Diary by
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Operation Kiwi Tuesday, August 13th, 2013
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For our 2013 Season we will be undertaking work a little closer to home, but with a strong link to our work at Plugstreet. Between the 7th and 29th of September 2013, No Man’s Land will be working with Staffordshire County Council to excavate the Messines Model on Cannock Chase.
During the Great War significant training camps and attendant facilities were established on Cannock Chase. These included two Divisional training camps, roads, railways, power station, ranges, training trenches and instructional models.
One of the most unusual Great War features identified is a scale model of a sector of the Western Front. Such models are known from Allied Reserve areas where they were used for instructional purposes ahead of an offensive. A well-known example was created south of Ypres in advance of the 1917 Battle of Messines, and the Australian War Memorial holds a number of photographs of troops inspecting the model. A second example is said to have been created ahead of the Battle of Cambrai (Peter Simkins, pers. comm.) also from 1917. However, neither model is believed to have survived and, more significantly, no other examples are known from the UK.
The Cannock model is believed to have been constructed by members of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade (NZRB) who captured the village of Messines during the battle. The model is known to have survived into the inter-war years when it became a tourist attraction with an attendant who acted as guide to the site. With the onset of World War II, and the return of military training to the Chase the site became overgrown and was lost.
We are looking for volunteers to join us for this unique opportunity, please telephone 0121 449 6563 or email cannockwwiexcavations@gmail.com to register your interest and book a place.
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Filed under: Archaeology, Great War History by
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Plugstreet 14-18 Interpretation Centre Tuesday, March 6th, 2012
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This week we have a small team in Flanders, undertaking an evaluation of the site for the new interpretation centre prior to building works beginning.
 Starting the evaluation trenches
We will be looking at the area of the main building and the car park.
More photos are available at:
www.ploegsteert.info
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Filed under: A Dig Diary, Archaeology by
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Plugstreet on the Wireless Monday, January 16th, 2012
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Tonight Martin will be talking to Win Scutt about our work on Vic Morgan’s Late Show ,on BBC radio at 22.30. Those of you in Devon, Cornwall and the Channel Islands will be able to receive the wireless broadcast via your local BBC radio station on 103.4FM and 95.7FM, if you live elsewhere, you can tune in via DAB or listen on-line at http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/devon
The broadcast will be available via the iPlayer at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p001d7fn until next Monday and a selection of Win’s archaeology podcasts are available at www.archaeology.ws
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Filed under: Archaeology by
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England v Germany Tuesday, July 26th, 2011
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Having received a challenge from a group of young Germans who are working in Flanders with the VDK, a football match was held in the field across the road from the Plugstreet Memorial. Despite the age disadvantage, our team scored first! Three cheese (yellow) cards were issued by the referee and one ham (red) to our cameraman for joining in play from the sideline. Alastair made some fantastic saves against the excellent skills of the opposition. Thanks to Claude from the Plugstreet Auberge for arranging the match and providing half time beers for our team (sorry Germany your players were too young to drink)
Final score was 7-4 to Germany.
 A good goal! |
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Filed under: A Dig Diary by
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Plugstreet 2011 Monday, July 25th, 2011
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The 2011 season begins today, it’s good to be back on site with old friends and new. This year we are continuing investigations near Ultimo crater, hoping to resolve the 3 year long puzzle of Team Nosferatu’s epic excavations, Avril’s team will be looking at an area ajoining last year’s trench and Kirsty’s team will be looking at the German third line.
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Current Archaeology Awards Nomination Tuesday, December 21st, 2010
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The Plugstreet Team are very pleased to announce that The Plugstreet Archaeological Project has been nominated for the Research Project of the Year in the Current Archaeology 2011 Awards.
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Voting is online at:
http://archaeologyawards.org/2011/research-project-of-the-year.htm
please scroll down to the bottom of the page to register your vote.
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The magazine also has a very extensive article detailing our work.
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Click on the image to read it.
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Filed under: A Dig Diary by
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DVD Now Available Thursday, December 16th, 2010
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On the 22nd of July 2010 Pte. Mather was laid to rest with full military honours in the presence of members of his family, almost two years after his remains were recovered from the battlefield at St Yvon by members of the Plugstreet Archeological Project.
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The film of the burial service and wreathlaying at the Menin Gate is now available on DVD.
Click for details.
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All profits from sales of this film will be used towards the post-production costs of a documentary detailing the archaeological process of his discovery and identification which will be available to pre-order soon.
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Filed under: A Dig Diary by
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