This site is perhaps the most important war site from the period 1915 - 1917 in Flanders. The artificial hill is still largely preserved in its authentic condition with shell pits, mine craters and remains of bunkers.
The mound was formed by the accumulation of excavated earth during the construction of the railway bed. In 1914, German troops captured the hill from the French. The British take over the sector and the underground battle begins. It is probably here that the first British deep mine was detonated on February 17, 1915. During the next underground action on April 17, 1915, the hill fell into British hands. The underground warfare lasted until early June 1917 (Third Battle of Ypres). Many soldiers who worked and fought in the dark tunnels also died there and are still buried nameless in the clay.
Hill 60 is a cemetery without gravestones.
Also notice the MEMORIAL TREES in the landscape. I call these trees “Frontline Trees”.
These elms are placed in a metal tree basket with a blue or red color on the top edge.
The Blue refer to the Anglo-French Front Line. The Red refer to the German Front Line. This way you can determine how close the front lines were to each other.
A place to muse.