Documentary on Messines Ridge, Channel 5

Clocked this on the idiot's lantern on Thursday 8th November at 2000 hrs on Channel 5 with part 2 the week after.

Looks very interesting.

Archaeologists doing an 8 month dig prior to Utilities going in aorund the site of the mines across the Messines ridge

Friend of mine was on an archeological dig down there about 3 or 4 years back and they uncovered an Australian soldier fallen with his full kit, rifle, helmet etc all in place. He even had rocks in his back back which was thought to have been either a joke from his mates or punishment of some kind. He had fallen face first and was just lying in the same place as the day he fell....but his ID tags were too corroded to identify him.
After forensic tests and analysis was able to narrow down the man's birthplace to New South wales and with DNA testing they were able to finally identify him and private Alan J Mather and his family and he was given a full military funeral with his ancestors present.

http://www.flanderstoday.eu/content/body-soldier-identified

Thanks , look forward to that

Got it Sky plussed . With the centenary close approaching I think more progs like this will be featured. Kinda shows a little bit more of the mechanics and brain power needed back then to break deadlock and break out .....on both sides.

Messines Ridge

A great uncle of mine died in that battle, had his legs smashed by a shell 2 days before the mines went off and died the next day at Estaires.

I lost a great unlce there too Coop. There was no work here in the IOM so he emigrated to Oz and was working on a sheep station in WA in 1912. He was conscripted in 1915 and sent to Belgium and he died of gunshot wounds in 1917 near Messines.

Visited the grave etc a few years back. Its a very sobering place.