Today, several war relics bear witness to the violence of war. These relics remained untouched during reconstruction. Bunkers, craters and a huge amount of archaeological traces are hiding just below the earth’s surface.
Numerous cemeteries and monuments remind us of the high human toll of the four-year war. But less conspicuous elements are also part of World War I. Just think of a bush, hedge, stream valley or slope. Almost any spot in the region can tell the story of one of the many casualties. The landscape itself is the last witness. For instance, the valley of the Ravebeek (a creek), which lies in front of you, is a reminder of the New Zealand troops’ blackest day.
Tyne Cot Cemetery still contains bunkers that were once part of the Flandern-I Line. The cemetery was formed around the central bunker that served as a field hospital during the war. The bunker has now been turned into a monument with the ‘Cross of Sacrifice’.
