Building a WW2 Trench Dugout for the National Memorial Arboretum

In 2019 the National Memorial Arboretum commissioned a WW2 trench dugout for their remembrance events. Structurally sound, historically plausible, safe for public use. I got the job.

The build

Heavy timber frame, corrugated iron roof, sandbag walls, authentic detailing. Had to handle foot traffic from visitors, withstand weather, and be dismantled between events.

The engineering challenge was making something that looked rough and improvised while being structurally calculated. Real trench dugouts were built by exhausted soldiers under fire. This one needed to look like that but perform like a public installation.

What I learned

Most skills transfer. Woodworking is woodworking whether you are building a shield or a dugout. The scale changes. The principles do not.