Lochnagar is now privately owned and you can visit this enormous crater quite easily from the village of La Boisselle. Simply follow the signs for: La Grande Mine.It was created by the largest charge of explosives along the front that morning: 60 000 lbs (27 000 kilos) of ammonal explosive. This is the largest mine crater ever made by man against an enemy.
The crater should not be entered as the sides are quite dangerous. There are a number of small memorials around the edge of the crater and the large cross at its entrance is made from church timber that originated on the Tyne.
When it exploded the mine created a hole almost 30 metres deep and a 100 metres across with debris being thrown a kilometre into the sky.
Each year at 07:30 hours the Friends of Lochnagar hold a short service of remembrance up at the cross. The service is informal and probably the better for it, but arrive early for there are a goodly number who arrive each year.
9 comments:
Beautiful and emotive photo Cherie.
If I remember rightly there was film of this explosion shown on the BBC series on the First War back in the Sixties.
I certainly did not know the crater still existed.
Why is it called Lochnagar?
That sounds Scottish.
It is a very poignant photo Cherie. Thanks for the background story.
A bit tenuous but it is a beautiful blue sky.
A beautiful cross too.
A bit of blue there but who cares? The photo is beautiful and touching.
beautiful tribute, Fairy !!!
i'm off for now but want to give lots of love and kissesssssssssssss before ....
happyyyyyyyyyyyy sunday !!!
I've never heard of that. It's a beautiful memorial.
Dragonstar - It was quite something being there.
Aileni - It is enormous and in the middle of fields. It would take quite a bit of filling in. Far better left as a monument and reminder.
Crushed - It was named after one of the trenches where the main tunnel was started although I am not sure why the tunnel got it's name.
JMB - It is indeed.
James - I just wanted an excuse to post the photo.
Calum - It is quite touching. The wreaths were placed there on remembrance day. The place is so bleak some of them had blown away and were resting in the crater itself.
Luisa - Love and kisses to you too. Hope you have a great week :-) :-)
Liz - I didn't know about it until I visited it.
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