Amazing WWI Training Trenches Discovered On Salisbury Plain

Last year the process of laying foundations for 400 new service family homes began- but then an unexpected discovery was made.

A network of training tunnels and that prepared British, Australian and New Zealand soldiers for the brutal trench warfare of the First World War was discovered.

The Larkhill training area is hugely exciting for historians and archaelogists.

It shows just how advanced Great War training was. Here was a complete replica of parts of France and Belgium.

The concept of soldiers preparing for war in a mock Afghanistan or Iraq village is therefore far from a new concept.

Martin Brown, the principal archaeologist, told us about the project: 

"Troops were practising proper underground warfare- digging mines under each other's trenches to blow the opposition to kingdom come.

"This is the first time it's been seen outside of the battlefield anywhere in the world". 

To get a full-scale understanding of the layout of these trenches and tunnels was tricky.

At more than 100 years old, they weren't safe to go inside- but new technology allowed the tunnels to be laser scanned over the last 9 months.

A 3D and virtual interactive map has now been created to explore this important find.

Jim Allen, also working on the project, spoke about its processes: 

"Where the tunnels were too deep to excavate, we were able to bore a hole down and insert a laser scanner, which has enabled us to map the tunnels in their entirety". 

This is the largest single excavation of a First World War training site anywhere in the world.

The dig also uncovered prehistoric remains and history dating back to before Stone Henge.

But building work has had to now continue.

The new homes will house some of the thousands of soldiers and their families moving from Germany to Salisbury Plain as part of the Army Basing Plan.