Digging in – Reconstructing WWI Trenches – Pollok Park, GlasgowHome - Digging in - Reconstructing WWI Trenches

Pals Battalions

(Q 51468) Transport for the troops of the 1st Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) at Maryhill Barracks in Glasgow. Captain Thomas Sheri…

18

January 2019

Digging in: Volunteers, visitors, and other voices

My name is Camilla Löfgren and I moved from Sweden to Scotland five years ago. In 2017 I completed my undergraduate degree in Archaeology, and in 2017- 2018 I pursued a Masters in Material Culture and…

30

May 2017

Volunteer!

Digging In needs some volunteers to help keep the trenches in good order! Do you have time to spare? Are you looking to contribute your time and skills, ideas and talents to a project that seeks to i…

18

May 2017

Playing with The First World War

Playing is integral to human nature and in many senses it is through play that we learn about the world. Recognising the importance of video games as a modern cultural form, they should not be underes…

24

March 2017

Women in Engineering

Louise Bell’s is the Diverse histories researcher for the National Archives – in her second article for Digging In, she explores how the records of women in engineering can be used as a new lens to vi…

Great War Stories

Dolly Shepherd, the Parachute Queen

Evelina Haverfield, suffragette and aid worker

Captain George Notman Kirkwood

Lawrence Nealis, a young boy from Govan

Harry Ranken, Doctor and hero

Vera ‘Jack’ Holme

Upcoming Events

- Sunday, February 24th, 2019
- Glasgow
Aftermath

Join us on our final open day as we explore the aftermath of the conflict on the soldiers, the landscape, and the communities along the Western Front.

2pm: Clearing the Battlefield Join Professor Tony Pollard on a walk around the Digging In site and hear what happened to the 440 miles of trenches on the Western Front after the end of WW1.

3pm Over the Top Join the living historians as they go over teh top one last time

3.30pm: Closing Words by James Dornan MSP

All Day: Ask a WW1 soldier Living history experts occupy the trenches and answer your questions about demobilization and life on the Western front after the guns fell silent.

All Day: Aftermath An exhibition exploring the war’s protracted impact – from the immense and hazardous task of clearing the battlefields and reclaiming farmland, the building of cemeteries and memorials, to the impact of demobilization on soldiers.

All Day: Farewell to the Front Explore the trenches for one last time, using different technologies developed in WW1. Can you break a code? Spot clues in No Man’s Land? Hear what the other side is up to? Follow our scavenger hunt and find out!

All Day: Pilots in Training There is still time to join the Royal Flying Corps, but first you test yourself Wings to War WWI pilot trainer and earn your wings!

Read more
See all our events

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Visitors to the trenches say...

Fantastic day, lovely and approachable guides. Thank you. - C. O'Connor

Excellent and very educational day. Really enjoyed the props, costumes and visual elements. Made the whole experience much more REAL. Has reignited my interest in the period. - B. Drawbridge

A great afternoon, enjoyed learning about the war. - Eilidh (age 6)

The re-enactors bring the reality of the war to the forefront in a very important and successful way. I had seen pictures of the trenches but they are incredibly powerful in real life. - C. Green

Excellent! I’ve learned more here today than I ever have done before because it was active. - Michelle

Very interesting stuff all together. Will spread the word. - Liam

Very interesting for all ages. Well worth a visit, will keep an eye on the website for future activities. - William, Ainsley & Kevin

Excellent, a lot of hard work. Good insight into life in the trenches. - M. & G.

Very interesting project, well laid out and presented - well worth the visit. - Steven & Bernie

Very well put together and interesting to see all the weapons. - J. White

What a fantastic project, very insightful, a great way to get a tiny feel for what our service men and women did for us. Thank you and keep up the excellent work. - A. & M. Wriey

A great project! Very eye opening and great to see what it would have been like - loved the artefacts. - K. Brown

Really fantastic re-creation, brings the past back to life. The children had an informative and educational experience which will stay with them. - R. Weeks

A fantastic and well thought out exhibition. Excellent for the wee ones. Good luck in the future. - L. Leggate

Excellent visual representation for everyone, particularly school children studying WW1. I teach deaf pupils and they would love this realistic, visual experience! - J. McDowell

Really excellent experience. Brings home the reality of the experience as far as is possible. Will keep on coming back to visit. - A. Larkin

Brilliant project, this is our second visit and lots changed. Thanks so much for bringing WW1 to life. - W. Peters

Thank you for this event - long may it continue, really fantastic opportunity to learn more about our history and the amazing men and women who all contributed. - Sarah

Came at Doors Open Day [2015] when under construction. Good to see the result. Kids loved it, looking forward to seeing even more of it come to life. - The Mackenzies

So interesting for this Scottish American to learn a bit of living history. Thanks! - C. McHardy

That was really interesting. Sparked lots of questions and thoughts about things I’d never contemplated before about trench warfare. Thank you. - B. Stevens

Seeing the trenches in 'real life' brings it all to life. Well done! - H. Pert

Great surprise - I took my three children in and they learnt loads about the reality of WW1. Thank you very much! - Eddie

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2017 events at the trenches

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How medics dealt with the mental and physical injuries soldiers sustained.

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Reconstructing World War 1 trenches

Despatches

18

January 2019

Digging in: Volunteers, visitors, and other voices

30

May 2017

Volunteer!

18

May 2017

Playing with The First World War

24

March 2017

Women in Engineering

Great War Stories

Dolly Shepherd, the Parachute Queen

Evelina Haverfield, suffragette and aid worker

Captain George Notman Kirkwood

Lawrence Nealis, a young boy from Govan

Harry Ranken, Doctor and hero

Vera ‘Jack’ Holme

The Scottish Women’s Hospitals

France & La Premiere Guerre Mondiale

Glasgow and World War I

Conscientious Objectors

Developments in medicine and trauma