The monumental sculpture “The Hauntings”, which stood at the Menin Gate in Ieper until this week is now on view at the nearby Pond Farm in Langemark-Poelkapelle (West Flanders). There the sculpture can be admired for another two months. It has not yet returned to the United Kingdom as was initially planned. Pond Farm is a farm with a private collection of Great War mementoes, set in the countryside near the village of Sint-Juliaan.
The giant sculpture “The Hauntings” stood at the Menin Gate in Ieper (West Flanders) for several months. It is a 6.5-metre-tall figure of a soldier, made from scrap metal. The sculpture is the result of a project initiated by the British artist Jo Oliver. After its stay in Ieper the statue of the soldier was due to move back to the United Kingdom, but that plan has now changed.
“That was indeed the plan: the statue was to return to the United Kingdom,” explains Stijn Butaye of Pond Farm. “But plans can change. I am friends with the artists. This year marks the 110th anniversary of the war. There is a chance that the sculpture will travel to France after its stay at Pond Farm. In that case, Langemark is, as it were, a pit stop.”
In a symbolic location
‘The artists want the statue to be used to commemorate the Great War. It stands here in a symbolic location, right on the front line, between Passchendaele and Ieper. The soldier faces towards Passchendaele. The artists asked for the statue to be placed next to the tank and made accessible to anyone who still wishes to see it.’
Between bunkers and tanks
Pond Farm is home to more unique artefacts dating from the First World War. ‘I’ve been collecting war artefacts for 25 years; most are items I’ve found here around the farm. I still regularly come across things whilst ploughing.’
There were once dozens of bunkers around the farm. 'The Germans were stationed here at the farm for two years. This was a headquarters; the farm was well situated. A total of 38 bunkers were built around the farm. Most were demolished in the 1960s, but we still have one section that is open to visitors.
So where does the English name Pond Farm come from? 'That name comes from the British,” says Butaye (pictured above). “They were stationed here after they defeated the Germans, and that was the code name they gave the farm.'
‘We are a bit limited in terms of opening hours, as this is still a working farm. We can’t just welcome everyone. But between 5 pm and 6 pm, everybody is welcome to come and visit the statue and the bunker. You can actually park right next to the statue,’ added Butaye.