high wood

[eddie1946]

I am visiting the Somme area in April. I have seen many posts regarding High Wood where my uncle John Barbour 4423 9th(Glasgow Highlanders) Highland Light Infantry was killed on16/07/16 However some seem to suggest that access is banned to the wood while others say that with permission it is possible to gain access.Can anyone tell clarify the position for me and if possible where permission to enter can be obtained.

[Paul Reed]

The complete wood is owned by more than one person. You need to contact the mairie in Longueval, in writing (and in French) for permission to enter the wood. I would say that due to shell pulverised nature of the ground there isn't a lot to actually see in High Wood.

The address of the mairie in Longueval is:

2 RUE BAS

80360 LONGUEVAL

France

[Mick D]

Paul,

What is the UK equivalent of a 'mairie' ?

Is it a mayor or magistrate or a sort of combined role ?

Mick

[Paul Reed]

Technically speaking it is the village/town hall, but it and the mayor has much more power, even though many of the villages on the battlefields are little more than hamlets by UK standards.

[robertsim]

Hi Eddie,

According to CWGC and SDIW he died on 15 not 16 July, as did my Great Uncle, however I think from what I have read deaths occurred from late evening on the 14 through to the 16 but were officially recorded as 15 July. If you need any references for further information let me know and if you haven't already found it, the RHF website has the war diary and Shoulder to Shoulder in download format.

If you are planning a visit then I can recommend retracing their last steps from Mametz village along Death/Happy Valley and past Mametz Wood and Flatiron Copse, it's easily done on foot or on a bike. There are a number of GH, known and unknown, buried in the cemeteries at Caterpillar Valley, Delville Wood and Flatiron Copse, all within easy reach of High Wood. There is also the GH memorial beside the wood itself.

I've not been in to the wood myself but would like to explore it one day.

Cheers,

Rob

[Smithmaps]

High Wood is difficult to visit because of the complexity of it's modern status.

(nothing at all to do with history or reverence)

I believe it is owned by the farm, but the shooting rights have been 'sold' to those who manage the wood.

People pay a great deal of money for access to shoot, are correspondingly awkward about others getting in for free, and the say so is no longer in the hands of the owners.

It is therefore a complex chain of courteous requests to gain permission. It has been possible in the past if you have a significant reason, and it really helps if the negotiations are done by a Frenchman due to the language barrier.

I visited on 15th Sept 2006 (90 th Anniv) on a visit organised by Trevor Pidgeon (RIP). He spoke fluent French, and had been helped significantly in the arranging by Jean Verdell (RIP). They were long respected, and doors opened easily to men such as this. You may well have more trouble.

I would advise negotiating a visit around a significant anniversary, and invite lots of people, in order to make the job worthwhile, and the reason more important.

Please note, that contrary to ones imagination, there is little to see but trees. The only thing to be found of significance are ones own thoughts, and the knowledge that you are standing in the most thought provoking landmark of the Great War.

Guy

[KIRKY]

It is a great walk to round the entire outside of the Wood and you can see inside to get an idea of what it looks like, you will also see various points of interest along the way including some great views north and south,

tony

[Paul Reed]

I don't like to disagree with Guy, but the 'farm' (I presume you mean the house in the wood?) do not own all the wood. They own a small patch close to the house; the rest is owned by several people.

It is also not complex to get access to the wood - just contact the mairie in Longueval, as I stated above. While the surface area of the wood is in two communes (parts are also in Martinpuich), the mairies of Longueval and Martinpuich work closely together and I know for sure that those at Longueval will get you into whatever area you want to see.

[trenchtrotter]

Echo Kirkys comments..great to walk around and you can see plenty.

Very worthwhile and no access issues.

TT

[1690philip]

I have seen on many occasions people entering the wood, glad to read this thread as I presumed it was opened to the public.

Thanks for letting me know folks,

regards,

Phil.

[chrislock]

I've also seen people being evicted from the wood! Hardly surprising. How would we feel if our own gardens were explored and pulled about by persons un known!

[jdajd]

The really amazing thing about this area is that the trench maps are for all intents and purposes still applicable. The roads that existed then are still where they should be. I was there in July 06 and was able to see pretty well into the wood and I would imagine it would be even easier in April as the trees won't be in full bloom yet.

Jon

[1690philip]

Maybe too much too ask but can anyone provide a trench map of the area so that if anyone is visiting can visualize the area back in 1916.

Regards,

Phil.

[towisuk]

Using the "Linesman, digital mapping package" High wood map dated 29th Sept 1916

regads

Tom

[1690philip]

Tom,

Thats brilliant will use that when I am over on the 31St of the month. Thanks...

Phil.

[Mick D]

Tom,

great image, I will also use this next weekend !

Mick

[towisuk]

Tom,

great image, I will also use this next weekend !

Mick

Mick, look for the crater from the two mines blown under the machine gun position. It is the red dot on the right edge of the wood, its visible from the road that runs up the east side of High Wood, entry to the wood is not a requirement for that. Its full of water, I don't understand why that mine crater is waterlogged and yet Lochnagar down the road is "dry".

The "Official photographer" from my party last week took some shots for me, but as yet I have not received my disk from him, with all the tour photo's.....

enjoy your trip....

regards

Tom

[Mick D]

will do Tom, I intend to walk around the perimeter, thanks for the info.

Mick

[warbuff1]

Def agree the walk around the wood is perfectly all you need. Excellent views around area and as suggested great look at the crater too. For some reason always get the shivers when walking past the north/west part close to the road and London Cemetery. Very eerie place and the rooks/crows make it worse

Wayne

[squirrel]

An eerie place indeed. And a walk around the Wood and studying the ground approaching it shows why it was such an important position and the difficulty experienced in capturing it.

[Chris_Baker]

I agree. Unless you walk up to it and around it, it is not easy to appreciate that it is on a gentle ridge. On a clear day the views to north/northeast across to Flers and beyond are breathtaking.

Squashed down to less than 600 pixels these don't really do it justice but give you some idea.

From Caterpillar Valley cemetery (on road between Longueval and Bazentins) looking NW across and up to High Wood.

From the south face of High Wood (near London cemetery) looking S toward the Bazentins. The "field of waving corn" across which the 91st Brigade advanced in the early evening of 14 July 1916, the first men into High Wood.

[Martin Bennitt]

and if you time it right the bluebells will be out. The wood is carpeted with them in a beautiful counterpoint to the horrors of the war

cheers Martin B

[Chris_Baker]

This is actually from the New Zealand memorial rather than High Wood (its a touch further east), but gives you an idea of the view N/NE. On the horizon, the Le Transloy ridge.

[Paul Reed]

I took this shot of the wood few years ago (summer '04) from the track which runs from Crucifix Corner to the edge of the wood. It roughly follows the route of the early attacks on the wood. Certainly one of my favourite parts of the Somme battlefields, and one great to walk.

[paul guthrie]

I remember walking that road with you Paul, my friend Stan found a nose cone in the road. We started at Carnoy.