Roger Steward, battlefield guide, is the author of the book Reclaiming the Salient: Resurrecting the Great War battlegrounds of Flanders Fields. In November 1918, the Ypres Salient was completely devastated. When the guns fell silent, questions about life after the war grew ever louder. There was no shelter to be found, the land had become infertile, and the former battlefields were littered with unexploded ordnance and unburied bodies. Nevertheless, the inhabitants of the Ypres Salient were determined to rebuild their lives on the former battlefields.
In his book Reclaiming the Salient, Roger describes how the battlefields were “cleared” in the post-war period. What happened to the countless items of unexploded ammunition, and how were the many human remains located and recovered?
During the lecture, he will discuss the clearance of the battlefields in the Ypres Salient from the aftermath of the First World War to the present day.
About Roger Steward
Roger Steward is a battlefield guide and author. In 2010, the British native left his home country and settled in the former Ypres Salient, where he founded Ypres Battlefield Tours. With 15 years of experience, Roger continues to explore the landscape with great passion alongside numerous visitors. In addition to his work as a battlefield guide, he is the author of Studentenfriedhof to Soldatenfriedhof: A History of Langemark German Cemetery and self-guided tour and Reclaiming the Salient: Resurrecting the Great War battlegrounds of Flanders Fields.
Practical information
- Date: Thursday, 19 March 2026 at 7.00 p.m.
- Location: Council Chamber, Langemarkstraat 8, 8980 Zonnebeke
- Entrance: € 11, including 1 drink
- Passchendaele Membership: free admission for Friend, Ambassador, and Corporate