From 1916 to the Present Day

After the first days of the battle, as the frontline slowly pushed northeast, the Crater was used as a temporary burial ground and sometime shelter but eventually left largely abandoned, a fascinating landmark attracting inquisitive soldiers, dignitaries and politicians who came to stare in awe at this stark reminder of what happened on that horrific day.

A few pictures of the Crater between 1916 and 1918:

One picture from 1916 shows politicians on the rim looking down into the crater.

Another from early days: an Australian soldier at the bottom of the crater.

A picture from August 1916

October 1916: British soldiers running along the rim of the crater

After the war, as the trenches were filled in and the farmers returned to ploughing, sowing and harvesting, the villages and towns were slowly rebuilt, and people tried to pick up their everyday lives.

As the post-war rush of battlefield tours ebbed away less and less attention was given to this scar upon the land.  Postcards were produced as keepsakes for grieving families.

For most local people, these awesome wounds became accepted obstacles to farming and were used in any way they could.

During the Second World War with France under occupation, it became a tourist attraction for German troops, many of whose fathers had served on the Somme those 25 years before.

And as the Allies regained strength and the tide of war slowly turned, the Crater was used as a marker location for British and American bombers attacking the local aircraft factory at Méaulte.

In the 1950’s and 1960s, long before it was purchased and protected, Lochnagar was regularly used for moto-cross championships with crowds of spectators watching scramble bikes hurtle down one side and up the other.

And after the excitement of these races and into the 1970s cattle could be found grazing quietly in the Crater.

Right from the end of the First World War the crater was visited, though sparingly, most often by the periodic pilgrimages of individual veterans or veterans’ organisations.

A picture from the 1960’s shows Tom Easton standing at the bottom of the crater, a private of the Tyneside Scottish who served with the 34^th Division and took part in the attack on La Boisselle on July 1^st 1916.

Only in the mid 1970’s, did things start to change. The owner of the land wanted to fill in the Crater and return it to farmland.

Richard Dunning, having visited the Western Front and the Crater for the first time in 1970, became determined to purchase a small piece of land somewhere along the front line and preserve it for posterity.

Only after some time trying to find a suitable piece of land did it become apparent that the Crater might be that land. And in 1978, after long and delicate international dealings could the transfer of ownership take place, fittingly and significantly, on the first of July, exactly 62 years after it was created. A lifelong friendship with the original owner and his family started there.

But while acquiring a Crater is one thing, maintaining and preserving it is quite another.

Having bought the Crater Richard came to know other people who visited regularly and who found it so special that in slowly becoming friends it was formalized into ‘The Friends of Lochnagar’ on July 1^st 1989.

Much hard work was done by this small band of valiant volunteers in trying to keep the ever-encroaching shrubs and trees from taking over the whole Crater. As numbers steadily grew, control of the undergrowth was only finally managed by cutting and strimming four or five times a year.

Until the early 2000’s, public entry down into the Crater was permitted

During the early 1980s, with visitor numbers still infrequent but steadily increasing, nature vigorously resisted and almost succeeded in reclaiming the site.

But with determined back-breaking work by devoted volunteers and supporters, who now gather each year for a weekend of essential maintenance, got the better of the mass of impenetrable hawthorn bushes, brambles and undergrowth.

Their efforts over the years have proved truly worthwhile. The thousands of visitors to the Crater each month can now access a unique panorama of more than 270 degrees over the July 1^st 1916 front lines, the accepted accolade being the bloodiest square mile on the Western Front.

The dedication of the Friends of Lochnagar and the vital and generous support from donors and organisations allow us to continue our preservation work make the Crater what it is today.

In recent years, the site has been enhanced with the Labyrinth Information Panels which tell a story of the Crater and of the wider effects of war.

Walkway

The original walkway was started in 2011 as the undulating path around the rim became more and more hazardous, and with greatly increased footfall was being eroded at an alarming rate of up to six inches in four years.

After ten years, the walkway began to show signs of the extreme wear and tear and so in 2021 a complete, and increasingly expensive refurbishment project for the walkway was launched.

The renovation was completed in the autumn of 2025.

Memorials

Several memorial seats and commemorative stones have been added to the site including the iconic cross near the main entrance.

Info panels

In 2017, the Lochnagar Labyrinth was created. 20 panels telling the compelling stories of not only the events at Lochnagar but the wider story of the consequences of the war were installed.

Lochnagar Cross

The most outstanding feature, the focal point of the ceremonies, has always been the simple wooden cross, originally constructed from the massive burnt timbers of the deconsecrated medieval Church of St Mary in Gateshead in 1986 where some of the troops who fought hereabouts may have worshipped.

Tragically it was blown down in a severe storm in 2011 and in 2013 was replaced by an English green timber cross, whose base, every July 1^st, is encased with beautiful wooden panels lovingly carved by Tim Rogers depicting the insignia of all the 34^th Division units who took part in the battle.

Commemorative Plaques

On completion of the original walkway, we created a scheme whereby individuals could have personal commemorations to their loved ones fitted at the Crater.

Each ‘Lochnagar Commemorative Plaque’ is attached to a slat of the walkway and can be sponsored by members of the public.

With the emotional impact of the 100^th Anniversary of the First World War, local authorities became increasingly aware of the importance of the Crater’s survival to the surrounding area. It is believed to be the most visited remembrance site on the Somme after Thiepval Memorial to the Missing.

To ensure continuity, the Lochnagar Crater Foundation was formed to ensure the long-term survival of the Crater and with it, its message of Peace and Reconciliation.

It will take constant hard work and dedication, but the interest of visitors is steadily growing, and the Foundation and the Friends of Lochnagar are confident the Crater will maintain its central role of keeping the story of the Great War alive.

In 1979, the inaugural ceremony to commemorate the start of the Battle of the Somme was held with just Richard and a friend, the following year four attendees, the next year eight and so it continued including many veterans during those years. Many hundreds of visitors now regularly join the Ceremony each year, with up to 4,000 good folk attending the ceremony during one of the centenary years.

And many thousands, including hundreds from school groups, visit the site throughout the year.

And the volunteers and supporters of the Friends of Lochnagar see their numbers increase too. Young people are increasingly recognising the Crater’s mission of Peace and Reconciliation as something worth striving for, especially now as current conflicts risk repeating the tragic past.

With all our continued efforts, we will ensure Peace and Reconciliation remain the vital message we share through the unforgettable presence of the Lochnagar Crater.