A lone tree that stood for years on the French battleground where hundreds of Newfoundland soldiers died in WWI, is no more, but a replica of the Danger Tree will soon take its place at Beaumont-Hamel.
The Danger Tree was what members of the Newfoundland Regiment called the landmark, which was used for direction and also served as a warning about exposure to enemy fire.
On the morning of July 1, 1916, regimental soldiers left their trenches in what became known as the ill-fated July Drive. The soldiers were met by enemy fire, felling hundreds of young men.
Ninety per cent of the regiment’s numbers were lost in less than 30 minutes, many of whom fell near the Danger Tree.
(photo: The Rooms Provincial Archives Division (A 99-88) )
A photo of the iconic symbol, taken in the 1920s, served as the basis on which a replica was created.
MUN’s engineering team went to work, using a mix of polyurethane and glass powder to recreate the tree and covered it with fiberglass.
The replica will be on public display at MUN’s Queen Elizabeth II Library this Friday from Noon to 8:00 p.m. before it leaves for installation at the Beaumont Hamel Memorial in France in time for July 1st.
