This tree is fake. Like many others, it was planted by Allied soldiers in the dead of night. A hollow replica of the real tree that stood there before. But why did they do it? What are they made of? And how did these trees help to change the face of conflict forever?
During the First World War, Allied soldiers needed a way to see without being seen. The solution was the camouflage tree, a fake piece of shrubbery with an observation post hidden inside. Initially a French invention, the camouflage tree would allow Allied soldiers to keep track of enemy movements from a concealed elevated position.
Read more about the Camouflage Tree: https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-journey-of-the-camouflage-tree
A history of camouflage: https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/5-facts-about-camouflage-in-the-first-world-war
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