The indispensable sandbag

I've just been reading History of the New Zealand Engineers 1914-1919. On page 71 the topic of sandbags is discussed.  This is what I have learnt...

During World War 1, soldiers were issued with sandbags. They were used for many things.  We mostly associate them with being filled with diggings and hurled up onto the sides of the trenches to provide extra protection for soldiers, but sandbags were part of every soldier's kit.  They were used as blankets, mattresses and carry bags.  If a soldier advanced and had to hunker down, the sandbags came out, filled, and quickly employed as an extra barrier of protection, a personal parapet.

It's hard to imagine the humble sandbag as being on the list of most important items in a survival kit.

Every Man Remembered

What a lovely idea, to remember every one of the soldiers that died during WW1 in a special way. The website 'Every Man Remembered' is designed to be a forum for remembering the sacrifice of Commonwealth soldiers who sacrificed their lives during World War 1. On this website you are able to lay a commemorative 'poppy' for a relative or for someone that has not yet been remembered.

Today I placed a poppy for Uncle Lynch.

And one for Great Uncle Jack. 

One for Great Uncle George. 

Here is a poppy for Great Uncle Robert. 

A poppy for Great Uncle James. 

Oh, and one for Great Uncle Bert too. 

I would have made one for Great Uncle Fred too, but he survived the war. The website only records commemorations for those who died during it. 

Hill 60

After watching this movie I have a better understanding of how scary a tunneller's job was during WW1. 

The New Zealand Expeditionary Force sets forth | WW100 New Zealand

The New Zealand Expeditionary Force sets forth | WW100 New Zealand

100 years

It is 100 years to the day since my great uncle John Cobb and his comrades boarded the troopships in Wellington Harbour and sailed off to The Great War. Uncle John never made it home. Lest we forget. 

War/No more trouble

True, true...