The Western Front Today - Peckham Crater
King George V, on a tour of the Western Front in July 1917, stopped to view the battlefront from what was referred to as Peckham Crater.
The crater was one of 19 created as a result of mines blown to signal the start of the Battle of Messines on 7 June 1917.
The mine charge of 87,000 lbs - one of the larger explosions - resulted in a crater whose width spanned 240 feet.
The crater is today a popular fishing spot.
Film Footage of Peckham Crater
References:
Before Endeavours Fade, Rose E.B. Coombs, After the Battle 1994
Major & Mrs Holt's Battlefield Guide - Somme, Leo Cooper 2000
Duck-Boards comprised slatted wooden planking used for flooring trenches or muddy ground.
- Did you know?
