sjustice Posted 29 June , 2007 Share Posted 29 June , 2007 'lo all, Loos now has the dubious distinction of offering visitors the highest slag heap in Europe at just under 190m (623ft in old money). For the many who have seen them they are amazing. Does anyone know how high the double crassier was in 1915? Any decent photos and distinct stories, memoirs or diaries relating to fighting specifically on or around them? Does anyone have trench maps or aerial photographs showing them? Kind Regards, SMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sly Posted 29 June , 2007 Share Posted 29 June , 2007 Hello, the "double crassier" was not the same as now, I don't know how high it was but it was long, large but flat, not high ! I have photos of it somewhere, I'll try to find them. regards, Sly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 29 June , 2007 Share Posted 29 June , 2007 George Coppard in "Machine Gun to Cambrai gives quite a good description of the area. Roop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjustice Posted 29 June , 2007 Author Share Posted 29 June , 2007 George Coppard in "Machine Gun to Cambrai gives quite a good description of the area. Roop Can you transcribe or precis what he says? Kind Regards, SMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sly Posted 29 June , 2007 Share Posted 29 June , 2007 I've just found the book I was looking for: "Loos en Gohelle dans la tourmente Aout 1914-1917" by Christophe Jupon. It's in french but i think it is translated in english. I will do a scan of maps with the "double crassier" soon! regards, Sly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n cherry Posted 29 June , 2007 Share Posted 29 June , 2007 There are a series of DC photos in the IWM photo archive some of which are used in the book Most Unfavourable Ground. The 47th London Diviison was tasked with taking the CD on 25th September 1915. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 29 June , 2007 Share Posted 29 June , 2007 19th Battalion London Regiment, 141 Brigade IIRC Niall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelPack Posted 29 June , 2007 Share Posted 29 June , 2007 Simon There are three good photos on Paul Reed's site here: http://battlefields1418.50megs.com/loos_photos.htm and maps: http://battlefields1418.50megs.com/loos_maps.htm Regards Mel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjustice Posted 9 July , 2007 Author Share Posted 9 July , 2007 Thanks Mel ad all for comments I've just found the book I was looking for: "Loos en Gohelle dans la tourmente Aout 1914-1917" by Christophe Jupon. It's in french but i think it is translated in english. I will do a scan of maps with the "double crassier" soon! regards, Sly Sly, any progress on the scanning? Kind Regards, SMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred van Woerkom Posted 9 July , 2007 Share Posted 9 July , 2007 Simon, I remember Gilles of the Loos War Museum saying that the slag heaps were about 30 m (60 feet) high in 1915. All the best, Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred van Woerkom Posted 9 July , 2007 Share Posted 9 July , 2007 Correction: 30 meters = 100 feet, not 60. Sorry. Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveo Posted 10 July , 2007 Share Posted 10 July , 2007 The 10th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment diaries mention the double crassier a few times I will take a look and try and scan or email regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Tucker Posted 10 July , 2007 Share Posted 10 July , 2007 Recently taken view of the Double C from the Vimy Memorial Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Watch Posted 11 July , 2007 Share Posted 11 July , 2007 Here's another picture, this one from The Loos memorial (Dud Corner Cemetery) Taken in April Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjustice Posted 11 July , 2007 Author Share Posted 11 July , 2007 Neil & Alan thanks for those pics, it's such an amazing feature when you think what it was like in 1915. Dud Corner is one of my favourite spots and the last time I was there the weather was so bad you couldn't see the DC for rain. By the time we had driven to La Bassee there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Kind Regards, SMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforth_of_loos Posted 11 July , 2007 Share Posted 11 July , 2007 hello !! i am eric i am french i live at lens has 2 kilometers of the double crassier Here is some photo taken down from the double crassier photo loos battlefield and village loos and hulluch photo the battlefield german trench Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
59165 Posted 11 July , 2007 Share Posted 11 July , 2007 Eric? Le dernier scan,c'est de quel direction?NSEO? David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforth_of_loos Posted 11 July , 2007 Share Posted 11 July , 2007 coté ouest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjustice Posted 11 July , 2007 Author Share Posted 11 July , 2007 Nice pics. Thanks Eric. West side so what trench is that? O.O SMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Bulloch Posted 12 July , 2007 Share Posted 12 July , 2007 Question to the Forum. When did production stop involving these, mine tips. Did production stop during the Great War. what was the longevity of the pits or mines connected to the Double Crassier after the Great War, this feature of the battle field was so familiar to a lot of the lads from Lanarkshire Scotland (and of course lads from any mining community in the UK) as a lot of them came from area's dotted with these pit or mine tailing tips, if production was continued after the Great War it stands to reason that the tip or (Crassier) would get higher. Just a thought!!!! Just a thought Cheers Rob. Edit.!!! Brilliant photographs by the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjustice Posted 12 July , 2007 Author Share Posted 12 July , 2007 Hey Rob, AFAIK production was stopped in 1915 but was certainly restarted in 1918 and the results were my reason for starting the thread. We now have Eric from Loos as a member of the forum so I hope he can add to the story. I'd particularly like to know when production stopped but I still think the growth from 100ft during the war to 623ft as they are now is astounding. SMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforth_of_loos Posted 12 July , 2007 Share Posted 12 July , 2007 DOUBLE CRASSIER 1918 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 12 July , 2007 Share Posted 12 July , 2007 Question to the Forum. When did production stop involving these, mine tips. Did production stop during the Great War. what was the longevity of the pits or mines connected to the Double Crassier after the Great War, this feature of the battle field was so familiar to a lot of the lads from Lanarkshire Scotland (and of course lads from any mining community in the UK) as a lot of them came from area's dotted with these pit or mine tailing tips, if production was continued after the Great War it stands to reason that the tip or (Crassier) would get higher. Just a thought!!!! Just a thought Cheers Rob. Edit.!!! Brilliant photographs by the way. Coal production stopped on the double crassier pits but was resumed post war. and continued well after WW2. The tips ended up almost twice the height that they were during the war. This increase in height is mentioned in more than one ' guide ' book. I believe BEF mentions it. Some pits in the area were worked during the war. This is mentioned in a Tunnelers book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom A McCluskey Posted 12 July , 2007 Share Posted 12 July , 2007 Neil, The Double Crassier, or as called by the Jocks: 'The twa bings!'. The 1st Bn BW had this on their 1917 Christmas card. It can be seen in Wauchope, Vol I, Regular Army, opposite page 57. Eric - Great photos of the battlefield Aye Tom McC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjustice Posted 21 August , 2007 Author Share Posted 21 August , 2007 I've just noticed that Dave Croonaert has a terrific trench map of August 1916 showing the extraordinary shape and important position of the Double Crassier during the war. Check out Paths of Glory and in particular look at Maroc - "Double Crassier" here. Kind Regards, SMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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