Landships II

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: Location of shelters and dugouts


Captain

Status: Offline
Posts: 90
Date:
Location of shelters and dugouts
Permalink Closed


Hello!


I'm still planning several trench dioramas both in 1/35 and 1/72 scale. Many photographs suggest that there were small dugouts and shelters (timbered and corrugated iron shelters) for only a few men in the fire trenches. Often a closer examination of the photograph does not allow to say much about the location of the dugouts or shelters in the fire trench.


- Are there any manuals (with drawings, plans) or notes which say where a small dugout/shelter had to be built?


- Did the troops normally build their shelters under the "parapet"  (the side of the trench looking against the enemy) or under the "parados" side? Maybe the "parapet"-side was a safer place concerning direct hits?


- Were there big differences concerning the construction of small dugouts/shelters in Allied and German trenches?  


Any help is much appreciated! Thank you very much!
Kind regards


Thomas


 



__________________


Lieutenant-Colonel

Status: Offline
Posts: 169
Date:
Permalink Closed

Hi Thomas,


I think these books can help you:


"Fortifications of the Western Front 1914-18". Osprey Publishing


"British Trench Warfare, 1917-1918: A Reference Manual". Battery Press


And if you want a book about concrete shelters:


"Pill Boxes on the Western Front". Leo Cooper Books


Regards from Spain


-----------------------------


www.diorama1914.com


 



__________________
If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.


Legend

Status: Offline
Posts: 2332
Date:
Permalink Closed

Try the book shown in the enclosed picture. Covers British French and German (plus some info in Russian front) and cotrasts conditions on active and quiet parts of the fronts. Note photo  on cover of a French officers mess in a quiet sector (eat your heart out Blackadder). It contains a layout diagram of a British dugout complete with sofa and dining table but also shows some pretty wretched scenes in some of the British sectors.

Attachments
tw.jpg (399.4 kb)
__________________
aka Robert Robinson Always mistrust captions


Captain

Status: Offline
Posts: 90
Date:
Permalink Closed

diorama1914  and Centurion


Thank you very much for your replies! Several publications you mentioned I know. The book about the Pill Boxes on the Western Front from Leo Cooper Books looks to be most interesting! Perhaps, could you provide more informations about this book? Are there any drawings, plans and photographs in it? Is it available anywhere? What's a fair price - I saw it in used condition for US $ 125 and US $ 165 respectively? Is this title such a hight price worth or are these offers overpriced?


Thank you!
Thomas


 



__________________


Lieutenant-Colonel

Status: Offline
Posts: 169
Date:
Permalink Closed

Hi again Thomas,


"Pill Boxes..." is not a cheap book, I know, but itīs one of the essential books for the "concrete fanatics" (I am one of them!). You can see in it many b/w pics and some plans about british concrete shelters and dugouts, and other pics and plans about german structures (but not french structures!).


Try to find it in the Pen & Sword website, I think you can purchase cheaper from there.


I hope this can help you. If you purchase the book, please tell us your opinion.


Best wishes


----------------------


www.diorama1914.com


 



__________________
If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.

Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us


Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse
Powered by ActiveBoard