ASSAULT ON EAGLE TRENCH!

 

"Assault on Eagle Trench" is a diorama model specially commissioned by Crieff Remembers, the organisers of a three week remembrance event held in July/August 2017 in the town of Crieff to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the WW1 battle of Passchendael, also known as the 3rd battle of Ypres. The model formed the centrepiece of a WW1 exhibition held at the Strathearn Artspace and it was also subsequently exhibited at the Black Watch Museum in Perth and featured as part of an evening lecture on the battle of Passchendael presented by the well known Military Historian, Professor Gary Sheffield. It also recently awarded a Trophy for "Best Model of a British Subject" by the Internation Plastic Modellers Society at the Scottish Model Show in Perth. See here

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The model depicts a company assault by the Rifle Brigade that took place in Sept 1917, in an area north east of the destroyed

village of Langermarck, to capture a strongly defended area of German trenches situated on high ground and known on British

Maps as the Eagle trench system.

 

Between July 31st and the 10th November 1917, the British and Commonwealth troops attacked in an area to the east of the Belgian town of Ypres bordered on 3 sides by the German front lines. This bulge commonly known as the Ypres salient, became the scene of terrible fighting where exceptionally wet weather and heavy shelling created extremely muddy conditions which hindered the Allied advance. The compact nature of the battlefield made all combatants continually under the range of artillery fire which destroyed the natural drainage system and reduced the area to muddy bog. Consequently advances were made in yards and fresh troops were

worn out or destroyed within a matter of days. A general history of the battle of Passchendael can be found here

 

While focusing on a particular area of the battlefield, the diorama is intended to provide a composite picture of the fighting that took place over the whole area of the salient, illustrating the difficulties the allied troops faced in trying to advance in such conditions and the nature of the German defences they faced.

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The model is made up of eight 2 feet square tiles. Each tile tells it's own story with an accompanying script describing the action

including resupply, evacuation of wounded, artillery/tank support and platoon assaults. Information on each tile can be found here

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You can read how the model was constructed here

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We are always looking for new ways in which to exhibit the model for educational purposes and to remember the sacrifice made

by the World War One generation, especially in this year marking 100 years since the end of the war.

 

If you have any idea's, help or advice which might help display "Assault on Eagle Trench" in front of a wider audience please

contact  Neil Thomson at email: info@ntdesign.co.uk or Tel: 07967 910388

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