Tree planting commemorates First World War's longest battle

The National Memorial Arboretum near Lichfield has commemorated the anniversary of the First World War 's longest battle by planting a pair of sapling directly descended from the battlefield.

The trees were planted at the Staffordshire site on the anniversary of The Battle of Verdun in 1916.

Gifted by Lichfield District Council, the trees were grown from acorns taken from an oak tree in Lichfield planted in commemoration of the battle, which itself was grown from an acorn originally collected from the battlefield on the western front in France.

The Battle of Verdun lasted for nearly 10 months and was the longest battle of the First World War, and the longest in modern history.

When the battle came to an end in December 1916, over 700,000 lives had been lost.

The Quercus petraea (sessile oak) trees planted near Watersmeet and the Christmas Truce Memorial, were grown from acorns collected by Lichfield District Council 's community gardener Paul Niven who works in Lichfield 's Garden of Remembrance, and could be classed as the 'great grandchildren ' of the original Verdun trees.

They are the first of several Battle of Verdun oak saplings and whips that are being planted at the Arboretum.

Paul said: “Both acorns and conkers were collected from the battlefield at Verdun and sent to England to be distributed and planted, with the resulting oak and horse chestnut trees serving as war memorials.

“Two acorns and a chestnut were received by the mayor of Lichfield, and later two oaks were planted in the Garden of Remembrance within the city of Lichfield, which opened in 1920.

“I collected the acorns in November 2020 and, with care and attention, they germinated and grew into the saplings that were planted today. ”

Pictured:Andy Ansell, head of estates at the National Memorial Arboretum, and Paul Niven