In this in-depth Questions & Answers episode of The Old Front Line, we tackle four fascinating listener questions exploring the aftermath and realities of the First World War.

We begin in the Ypres Salient, examining how the Commonwealth War Graves Commission replaced thousands of temporary wooden crosses with the iconic headstones we see today. How was this monumental task organised? How many stonemasons were involved, and how long did the process take?

Next, we explore the often misunderstood concept of “machine gun barrages” during trench warfare. How did these indirect fire weapons work, and how effective were they on the battlefield? We also look at examples of the barrages and developing use of machine-guns on the battlefield. 

We then move behind the lines to investigate burial practices at Casualty Clearing Stations and Field Hospitals. With thousands buried in short periods, what environmental and public health challenges arose, and did these cemeteries pose risks to local populations after the war?

Finally, we examine the complex issue of land ownership after 1918. Across former battlefields in France and Belgium, how were destroyed landscapes surveyed, boundaries restored, and compensation provided to those who had lost everything?

More on the Vickers Gun: Vickers Machine Gun Collection & Research Association.

Main Image: A Vickers machine gun team from the Machine Gun Corps (MGC) wearing PH Type anti-gas helmets in action near Ovillers during the Battle of the Somme, July 1916. (IWM Q3995)

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