10/11/2025
The Iron Harvest (Récolte de Fer): Honoring the Lasting Legacy of World War I on Armistice Day
The First World War ended more than a century ago, but its impact still resonates across the landscape of Europe, particularly in northern France and parts of Belgium. One of the most profound remnants of the war is the “Iron Harvest” (Récolte de Fer), an ongoing phenomenon where farmers in these regions continue to unearth tons of unexploded ordnance, barbed wire, shrapnel, and other military debris while plowing their fields. This strange and dangerous legacy of the war offers a haunting reminder of the scale of the conflict and its lasting effects on both the land and its people.
Origins of the Iron Harvest
The Iron Harvest finds its origins in the massive quantities of artillery and other munitions used during World War I, especially along the Western Front. Battles like Verdun and the Somme, infamous for their brutal trench warfare, saw the widespread use of heavy artillery, often with little tactical gain. Estimates suggest that over 1.45 billion shells were fired during the war, and as many as 30% of them failed to detonate on impact. These duds remained embedded in the soil, hidden dangers waiting to be uncovered.
After the armistice in 1918, the devastated landscape of the former battlefields began to recover, with the scars of the trenches slowly disappearing under new vegetation and cultivation. Yet beneath the surface, millions of unexploded shells and other remnants of war lingered. Farmers returning to their fields after the war began to encounter these deadly leftovers as they plowed and worked the land, and this harvest of iron continues to this day. Despite a high rate of recovery of these unexploded shells by French Department du Deminage, the Department of mine clearance in France, which is approximately 900 tons every year; these shells have still caused considerable damage to the locals and to those who try to unearth them.
The Human Toll of the Iron Harvest
Working in the fields of northern France and Belgium comes with an inherent risk for farmers. Every year, they uncover ordnance, some of which remains active and deadly. In fact, the toll of the Iron Harvest is not just a historical curiosity—it is a modern danger. Since the end of the Second World War, a total of 630 French munition clearers have died while handing these unexploded shells and 260 civilians have died due to the unexploded shells suddenly exploding while 535 have been seriously injured. Recently between 1996 and 2016 alone, 39 people were killed and more than 60 were injured by unexploded shells from World War I, despite efforts to clear these areas.
The French and Belgian governments have specialized bomb disposal units that operate year-round to remove the ordnance that farmers and construction workers uncover. In France, the Department du Déminage, founded after World War II, is responsible for handling the thousands of tons of munitions found annually. In Belgium, the Dienst voor Opruiming en Vernietiging van Ontploffingstuigen (DOVO) is responsible for similar operations. Each year, these units remove and safely detonate hundreds of tons of unexploded shells, but the process is slow and painstaking. It is estimated that at the current rate of discovery and disposal it will take anywhere between 300 to 700 years to clear this land.
Clearing the Land: A Dangerous Task
The disposal of unexploded ordnance is a delicate operation. These shells, some over a century old, are not only rusted and unstable but also often contain dangerous chemicals like mustard gas or phosgene. Handling and disposing of chemical weapons adds another layer of complexity and danger to the work. The most common method of neutralizing the munitions involves carefully transporting them to specialized facilities where they can be safely detonated or dismantled. In some cases, shells are too unstable to move and must be detonated on-site, leading to controlled explosions in rural fields. The 66 million gas shells estimated by Augustin Prentiss in 1937 provide a more conservative estimate, but it is still an approximation and may not account for all types of gas/chemical weapons used among nations. When farmers come across shells in their field that make “swishing sounds” when moved, there is a good chance they still contain active biological agents restrained by a thin rusted envelope.
Claude Samain, a 76-year-old who farms land by Basin Wood, near Serre – which was on the British front line on July 1st 1916 and contains the Somme's largest cemetery – said: “We find shells every time we turn the earth over for potatoes or sugar beet.” Holding up an empty shell, he said: "When I was a lad we used to plough with a horse and cart so were much nearer the soil to spot shells or guns. Now a lot of it gets turned over by our tractors." Mr Samain and his son divide the shells and grenades up into two piles - one harmless, another dangerous. They often lie for months in the open air before bomb disposal teams come to remove them.
Even though modern technology and safety measures are in place, accidents still occur. The rust and corrosion that accumulate on the shells over decades make them more unpredictable, and one wrong move can trigger an explosion. The courage and expertise of the bomb disposal teams in France and Belgium cannot be understated, as they continually risk their lives to make the land safer for those who live and work in the area.
The Economic Impact on Agriculture
For farmers in the regions affected by the Iron Harvest, dealing with unexploded ordnance is a normal part of life, albeit a dangerous and inconvenient one. Every spring, as they prepare their fields for planting, they inevitably uncover more of the remnants of the Great War. The disruption caused by having to halt work, call in the bomb disposal unit, and wait for the all-clear can have significant economic impacts, particularly for small-scale farmers who rely on efficient land use. A delay in harvesting can ruin an entire crop.
Moreover, in some cases, entire tracts of land remain unusable because of the density of munitions buried beneath the surface. In the most severely affected areas, such as the infamous “Zone Rouge” (Red Zone) in northern France, vast stretches of land were declared uninhabitable after the war due to the sheer amount of unexploded ordnance, as well as environmental contamination from chemical weapons. Although some of these areas have been reclaimed, much of the land remains too dangerous for farming or construction to this day. It is hard even to conceive how many unexploded shells from the war still are in the soil in this area. A study conducted in 2005-2006 determined that the worst areas in the Red Zone contain about 120 unexploded shells in the top 15 centimeters, or 6 inches of topsoil, in every acre.
Environmental Impact
The legacy of World War I extends beyond human casualties and destroyed infrastructure—it also has a profound impact on the environment. The constant unearthing of metal, chemicals, and other debris from the war presents an ongoing environmental challenge. The soil in areas like the Somme, Verdun, and Ypres is often contaminated with lead, arsenic, zinc, and other heavy metals from exploded and unexploded shells. In some places, the soil toxicity is so high that it has severely stunted the growth of plant life and trees refuse to grow. The soil is at extremely toxic levels, and it is expected that they will be dangerous for at least 10,000 years.
Beyond the immediate effects of unexploded ordnance, the remains of military equipment such as tanks, bunkers, and barbed wire continue to dot the landscape, posing both environmental and safety hazards. In some areas, local wildlife has had to adapt to the presence of these relics, with birds and small animals building nests in rusted-out tanks and trenches. A very different type of bird house than one would expect.
Memorialization and Tourism
Despite the dangers posed by the Iron Harvest, the former battlefields of northern France and Belgium have also become sites of historical importance and tourism. Each year, millions of people visit these areas to pay their respects to the soldiers who fought and died during the Great War. Places like Verdun, the Somme, and Flanders Fields have become pilgrimage sites for descendants of soldiers, history enthusiasts, and those seeking to understand the profound impact of World War I on modern Europe.
Museums, memorials, and guided tours offer visitors the opportunity to learn more about the war and its legacy, and in some cases, tourists can even see the Iron Harvest firsthand. Farmers and local residents sometimes collect harmless fragments of shrapnel, helmets, and other debris, which are displayed in small local museums or used to create artistic memorials. The presence of these artifacts serves as a tangible link to the past, offering a stark reminder of the war's human and environmental toll.
A Century of Reckoning
The Récolte de Fer is a testament to the enduring legacy of World War I. Over a century after the guns fell silent, the war’s presence is still felt in the fields of France and Belgium. For the farmers who work these lands, the Iron Harvest is a reminder of the sacrifices made by previous generations, as well as a challenge they face every day. As bomb disposal units continue their work and historians uncover new insights into the war, the Iron Harvest will likely remain a part of life in these regions for generations to come. While the land slowly heals, the scars of the war—and the iron that lies beneath the surface—ensure that its legacy will never be forgotten.
