Exciting news from one of our Australian team members, Michael. One of the main project aims is to see how training on Salisbury Plain influenced (if at all) the effectiveness of combat units at Messines, specifically the Australian 3rd Division. We already have a large number of trench maps and aerial photos of the site from the Great War (thanks to another team member, Peter Chasseaud) but now have a specific map from the attacks of 7th June.

Michael has been to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and has located the 'Consolidation' map of the 33rd Btn; the unit that was detailed to capture the German lines at 'Ultimo' and 'Factory Farm' craters. This shows the re-wiring and new trenching of the 33rd Btn following their Messines success. This map is produced below with new work (as of post 7th June 1917) shaded.

We will build this into our survey work and will hope to explore further this summer...