Sgt Robert Bye VC

[brummell]

I'm interested to locate, with a reasonable degree of accuracy, the site of Bye's VC-winning action of 31 July 1917.

No source that I have found gives any more detail than 'near Langemark' or 'near the Yser Canal'; considering that these are about 2.5 miles apart at the height of the Pilkem Ridge, these descriptions are somewhat nebulous. I had it in mind that 3 Guards Bde, of which the Welsh Guards were part, fought closer to Langemark than the canal that day.

Bye was cited for clearing block-houses on or near the battalion's first and second objectives for their attack on that day. Does anybody have a map showing these objectives, which could then be cross-referenced against known block-house locations at the time?

Thanks in advance for any help - this would make an old Welsh Guardsman very happy (more than one, in fact - no one in the battalion at the moment seems to know where Bye won their regiment's first VC).

Brummell

[eviltaxman]

Brummell,

Welcome to the forum.

From the info I hold most state "On 31st July, 1917 at the Yser Canal, Belgium, during an attack............". However the original citation makes no reference to the location. As you've suggested, if anyone has a copy of the relevant maps this may help shed some light.

Les

[Ferguson73uk]

Brummell.

Welcome to the Forum. One of the officers on my hometown's Roll of Honour won the DSO in the same action.

If you PM me your e-mail address I'll send you the maps.

Jonathan

'Barry and the Two World Wars'

An exhibition at Barry Memorial Hall

Saturday 22nd November 2008

[huwrevans]

Hi Welcome to the forum,

I work alongside a lad who's married to his granddaughter. His son is also still alive and living in the same town in S.Wales

Send me your e-mail and I'll pass it on if you like, I'm sure they's be interested in any information on their grandfather/father.

Regards Huw

[brummell]

For those that may be interested, the site of Bye's VC-winning action can be said with some certainty to lie in the field (currently used for agriculture) between the roads Poezelstraat and Slaaktestraat, exactly 1 mile northwest of the Pilkem crossroads and 2.25 miles WSW of the centre of Langemark.

Many thanks to Jonathan at Ferguson73uk for his help with the necessary maps and text.

Brummell