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Remembered Today:

Battlefield Clearance Mametz Valley


edergole

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I am researching 22nd Australian Field Artillery Brigade. My great uncle was serving with this unit when he was KIA on 31/7/1916. His service records indicates that he was initially buried "at western edge of Mametz Wood" at Map Ref X23 b2.4. A letter dated 1920 from IWGC to the family indicates that his body was exhumed from "Quadrangle Cemetery" and reinterred in Flatiron Copse Cemetery.

Another member of the Brigade, although a different battery, was KIA on 12/8/1916. His service record refers to him being buried in a "military cemetery" at X23 b3.4. It take it that that is only 50 yards from b2.4. Is that right?

However the records for the gunner killed on 12/8 go on to show that his body was not recovered after the war. They contain a letter to the family advising them that no cemetery could be found at X23 b3.4 and that all isolated graves in the area were concentrated to Gordon Dump Cemetery. The 'no cemtery' comment is puzzling given the earlier reference to 'military cemetery'.

The register from Flatiron refers to two cemteries from Mametz Valley being concentrated there, namely, Quadrangle and Mametz Valley Cemtery. If the IWGC were correct and my great-uncle was buried in Quadrangle one would expect that the 'missing' man would also have been in the boundaries of the Quadrangle Cemetery and would therefore have been moved to Flatiron (if found and moved at all).

The Flatiron register refers to 3 Australians being among the Quadrangles dead. My research indicates that at least four where buried there. I appreciate that the obvious explanation is that the grave was destroyed by subsequent shellfire but I would like to eliminate other possibilities;

Does anyone have Map references for original cemeteries 'Quandrangle' and Mamez Valley'?

Flatiron Register refers to 32 UK and 3 Australians being moved from Quadrangle. Is there anyway of obtaining the names of these men from CWGC and determing how many of them were unidentified?

Similarly, if b3.4 was outside boundaries of Quadrangle Cemetery and was an isolated grave would original records for Gordon Dump cemetery indicate where any of the 'unknowns' where found?

Thanks

Joe

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Joe

You are not on your own with this. I too have a specific map reference for a battlefield grave, but his body was never recovered and his is listed as having no known grave. There could be a whole number of reasons for this of course, including the fact the site may have been obliterated during subsequent fighting.

Terry Reeves

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Joe

CWGC should be able to help you with this information.

Email them on casualty.enq@cwgc.org or telephone 01628 507200 (email is better). Explain fully what you want and you may get an answer. Ensure that you state you are a relative.

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Hi

A relative was with the Royal Scots and is now buried at Flatiron Copse. He was originally buried at map reference 57D.X.12.C.5.9. before being moved in the concentration of battlefield burials. He was killed on 19th August 1916. On that date they were in the Switch Line oposite Martinpuich.

Any idea where this grave location was ?

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That Map Ref would put original grave 100 yards noth of Villa Wood in old OGII German trench lines and roughly east of Contalmaison and north of Mametz Wood. Two cemeteries Villa Wood No.1 and No.2 concentrated from this area to Flatiron.

If you want a copy map drop us a line.

Joe

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