{
    "title": "Unique WWI artillery unveiled following trench renovation",
    "modified_at": "2026-04-21 15:01:04",
    "published_at": "2026-04-21 15:01:00",
    "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/unique-wwi-artillery-unveiled-following-trench-renovation",
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    "slug": "unique-wwi-artillery-unveiled-following-trench-renovation",
    "body": "<p style=\"text-align: left\"><strong>The War Heritage Institute has unveiled a historic piece of artillery from the First World War in the Dodengang in West Flanders. The siege howitzer, a type of cannon, was used by the Belgian army on the Yser Front and is the only surviving example of its kind.</strong></p><p style=\"text-align: left\">The presentation of the howitzer forms part of a wider renovation of the Dodengang, or the Trench of Death, a World War I memorial site near Diksmuide. The cannon is almost 6m long, weighs 2.4 tonnes and was built by the French firm Schneider. </p><div id=\"video-727c7080-9e9a-4037-9b28-003cf8fb5015\" class=\"release-content-video release-content-video--embed release-content-video--contained\">\n    <div><div style=\"left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe data-iframely-url=\"https://cdn.iframe.ly/api/iframe?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.uc.assets.prezly.com%2Fb3975e57-2495-40b2-a419-dac172473c70%2FVideo%2520Project%252015.mp4%23_cb1776779702&key=8fe6cdec03482ac31f27a6ae8ea2fb3f\" style=\"top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;\" allowfullscreen allow=\"encrypted-media *;\"></iframe></div></div><script async src=\"https://cdn.iframe.ly/embed.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script>\n</div><p style=\"text-align: left\">In addition, a new signposted visitor trail with 16 stops guides visitors through <a href=\"https://dodengang.be/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the story of the Dodengang</a>. Via the Heritage App, visitors can also follow the trail through an interactive experience, based on letters from a soldier to his sister, which give an insight into daily life at the front. </p><p style=\"text-align: left\">An educational pack has been developed for primary school children, combining an interactive guided tour of the Dodengang site with lessons on the First World War in Belgium.</p><p style=\"text-align: left\">&nbsp;</p><p><sup>#FlandersNewsService | The unveiling of the howitzer in Diksmuide, 21 April 2026 &copy; BELGA PHOTO / VIDEO MAAIKE TIJSSENS</sup></p><hr /><p><strong>Related news</strong></p><div id=\"bookmark-40a66fa1-f4de-4b29-8e1d-77faa0484271\"\n     class=\"release-content-bookmark release-content-bookmark--horizontal\">\n\n            <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__thumbnail\"\n           href=\"http://prez.ly/yx7d\"\n           rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n           target=\"_blank\"           style=\"background-image: url(https://prezly.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.uc.assets.prezly.com%2F168b2693-71e8-4c77-8603-8ec7fdf37ced%2F-%2Fpreview%2F600x600%2F?ar=1%3A1&amp;fit=crop&amp;s=4a585a3040ed60bb0f9d3ca9d34f80ad)\"\n        ></a>\n    \n    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__details\">\n\n                    <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__title\"\n               href=\"http://prez.ly/yx7d\"\n               rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\"               data-type=\"bookmark\"\n               data-track=\"Story WebBookmark Click\"\n               data-placement=\"content\"\n               data-id=\"40a66fa1-f4de-4b29-8e1d-77faa0484271\"\n           >\n                Tourism campaign looks at past and present of reflection on war            </a>\n        \n                    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__description\">\n                A new tourism campaign in West Flanders will focus on contemporary reflection on the First World War. 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