That’s Somme garden makeover
A STUDENT filmmaker has shown his commitment to his craft – by digging an authentic First World War trench in his parents’ back garden.
Chris Richards, 22, who starred as an extra in 2019’s blockbuster, 1917, decided to combine his degree in film production at the University of Winchester in Hants with his passion for military history.
Chris wrote, directed and starred in his short film Crossed Lines: The Story of the Signallers, which is based on the role played by signallers in the Great War – one of whom was his great-grandfather, Private Lewis Blackman.
Chris, from St Albans, Herts, said: “It’s very important to me that stories such as my great-grandfather’s aren’t forgotten, and keep getting told. Sadly, my greatgrandfather passed away in the early 1980s, before I was born, so I never got to meet him.
“But I hope he would have been proud of what I’m doing. This project has made me feel very close to him.”
Chris and his brother spent three days constructing the trench and braved wind, rain, and even a brief spell of snow.
He said: “My mum was a bit concerned when I first told her what I wanted to do – as she kind of sees the garden as a bit of a haven for her. But she’s been really supportive – I think it means a lot to her that I’m keeping our family history alive, and telling her grandfather’s story.
“I’m very much a perfectionist when it comes to set-building and design, and historical accuracy is also very important to me.”
He added: “It was quite the undertaking. We did it all using hand tools, just as it would have been done at the time, to make it more authentic.
“It makes you realise what strenuous work it was.”
Chris also filled his trench with hired military equipment, including ammunition crates, food tins, a Lee-Enfield rifle, and a First World War field telephone.