The Devils Trench

[jemm]

Apologies if this is not correct place. I have done a forum search but can't seem to find anything. Can anyone tell me please I have a soldier who was 8th Batt, Kings Own Royal Lancasters. According to the KO website this battalion was engaged in fighting at Devils Trench on the 12th April 1917 which is when my soldier died. Does anyone know why this trench had this name and was this trench in the area of Bullecourt?

Thanks:)

[ulsterlad2]

Hi.There's a Devils Trench on the 51bNW4 Fampoux map. It's below/south of Roeux and Pelves. Is that where Bullecourt is?

[John Milner]

Devil's Trench:

1. Trench Map 51b NW4 Fampoux Q 24 a, east of Arras.

2. Trench Map 57c SW3 Longueval S 11 d, 12 c, 18 b, NW corner of Delville Wood.

John

[jemm]

Thanks guys,

Do you know if theres any reason why it was called this

[Sandie Hayes]

Does anyone know why this trench had this name and was this trench in the area of Bullecourt?

I can't think of a better name! There were also trenches named 'Devil's Elbow, Devil's Jump, Devil's Staircase and Devil's Wood.

[tipperary]

If you look at the above map the trenches all have a theme Gun Cartridge Grenade Fuze then top left elbow and wrist below that harness and chain. Angel and Devil are together. There must have been head scratching to come up with names but i think grouping them like this or alphabeticly was just a means of giving order and sequence to the maps and would be somewhat easy to remember that angel ran onto devil or hand to wrist.john

[jemm]

Thanks everyone