Saturday 29 September 2018

WW1 Day in Victory Park

When I was walking past Victory Park on the way to have a cup of tea with Mum, I noticed that there was an event going on. Unfortunately I only caught the last half hour, but found it very interesting indeed and enjoyed taking photos.

There were representatives from the Chertsey Museum, and members of the Skirmish Living History Group dressed in their uniforms and talking about life for a soldier in WW1. I heard about the joys of trench foot (likened to when one spends too much time in the bath and one’s fingertips start to go white and wrinkly), using a lighter flame to pop lice eggs in uniform seams, the importance of hygiene and keeping clean in the trenches despite the conditions (soldiers were inspected daily for cleanliness) and even had the chance to sniff the different types of gas that were inflicted on soldiers during trench warfare. Obviously these were not real, apparently there are companies that manufacture fake smells (think Yorvik Museum in York) so that one can be transported to another olfactory time or place. 

At the end of the event there was a very moving ceremony of lowering the flag as a bugler played the Last Post - I’m not embarrassed to say that observing this and a minutes’ silence brought a tear to my eye.

Victory Park, Addlestone was opened on July 19th 1918, a fact I had not appreciated before. I love walking in this park, and given my interest and affinity for WW1 this knowledge makes me feel even more fond of the place.




The 1914-18 memorial gate, the entrance to Victory Park

Another glorious late September day, warm with blue skies. The soldiers were quite hot in their uniforms!



Rifle demonstration













These biscuits were so rock hard that they could break teeth if they weren’t soaked in tea or some other liquid before consuming!





This wonderful surgeons kit belonged to one of the Skirmish team members, it was absolutely fascinating and rather beautiful.



Amputation saw







This helmet featured in the film ‘War Horse’ – I am going to have to re-watch it very soon!

Just before the ceremony to lower the flag









Tablet tin and chloroform





The Quartermaster and his provisions store

Kitchen cutlery and a ferocious-looking cleaver

It wouldn’t be the trenches without a rat or two!

An interesting article on food in the trenches: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world-war-1/502452/The-Battle-to-feed-Tommy-The-diet-of-a-WW1-soldier/amp





Chocolate that ‘creates no thirst’

















Another interesting piece about trench warfare: https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/life-in-the-trenches-of-the-first-world-war/



Looking Autumnal



The ancient crouch oak in Crouch Oak Lane



Not sure what this tree is, but beautiful red berries