is it possible that these foxholes were dug from thebottom first,or from the sides of an adjoining deep cut trench where the spoil could be used elsewhere.yours,4th wilts.
In the 1980s I remember seeing a Leopard Pioneerpanzer cutting very similar holes with an 'earth auger' fitted on the end of it's boom. Very quick, very efficient and perfect for what they wanted. Useless to us, as us Brits concentrated on using the two man slit trench for our defensive digging. I don't know and have never seen evidence of the germans having a similar 'earth auger' fitted to any vehicles in WW2, but it does seem like that is what your description suggests. I'd been rooting through my stuff on German engineer vehicles of the period looking for something in a similar vein, mounted on a Faun or Phanomen style vehicle, nothing yet but the record's distinctly sketchy on their specialist Engineer gear, largely as they never seem to have really got their act together on that score. I know I've seen a large auger that might fit the bill being run from one in a German picture fairly recently but can't remember where for the life of me... I'll keep looking.
I'd been rooting through my stuff on German engineer vehicles of the period looking for something in a similar vein, mounted on a Faun or Phanomen style vehicle, nothing yet but the record's distinctly sketchy on their specialist Engineer gear, largely as they never seem to have really got their act together on that score. I know I've seen a large auger that might fit the bill being run from one in a German picture fairly recently but can't remember where for the life of me... I'll keep looking. This is the only modern military example I can find...
Hi Ron. All our slits were dug in haste. Life savers, being we covered large areas we had to dig in every time we moved. The depth? just enough to lie down in.. enough to get below ground away from the inevitable mortars. Being we were very mobile, and much in demand, many slits were dug. Some times we would leave early being active areas all day, sometimes getting back very late to the "Harbour area" only having to "dig in" There was no way you could live above ground, it had to be done. We were so needed that seldom did the company get together as a unit. being a Field Company RE. It was always in active areas, sometimes out in front of the leading infantry...Not Nice. But we got it off to a fine art.. I had a mate "Spud" our DR. We agreed, first back would start the dig in to share. Sapper
