Trench of Death in Diksmuide : major historic site of World War One

WWI original site of belgian trenches during World War One, preserved system with sandbags, dugouts, loopholes : perspective on life conditions on the frontline 

(Browse the collection : West Flanders Province time lapse and video stock footage)

The Trench of Death consisted of two parallel trenches in the Yser dike at Kaaskerke near Diksmuide. The fighting trench was located close to the left bank, and the support trench behind it. The trench comprised observation and firing positions, bunkers and the ‘Mousetrap’ at the end, a position equipped with barbed wire fencing and a bunker with loopholes intended to stop German attacks from the direction of the ‘oil tanks’.

(Be 14-18)

More than 100 years after the actual facts the Great War trenches continue to amaze. The Trench of Death in Dixmuide is the perfect setting in which to discover the horrific conditions the soldiers had to endure. The Trench of Death is the last remaining stretch of Belgian First World War trenches.

(Trench of Death)

Located in Dixmuide the ‘Trenches of Death’ comprise preserved trenches featuring galleries, shelters, firesteps, chicanes, concrete duckboards and concrete sandbags. Together they give a fair impression of the makeup of trenches during the First World War – that is, notably leaving aside the quiet, serene nature of the trenches as they appear today.The Dixmuide trenches were in fact held by the Belgians for over four years during the Battles of the Yseragainst determined German forces (often ranged just 100 yards away), hence their grim name.

(First World War)