Need information about Wellington and Cromwell Huts please.

[Ethelredtwo]

Hi Folks,

Would appreciate it if anyone can provide the answers to the following questions about Wellington and Cromwell Huts

Are they separate locations (as in "Wellington Huts" and "Cromwell Huts") or one location ("Wellington and Cromwell Huts")?

Where they just temporary accommodation (literally just a few huts) in the rear or a proper camp?

Where were they located and do they appear on a trench map (and if so, what is the reference)?

Any other info known about them (size, who ran them, what facilities they had, or anything at all really).

The reason I would like to know is that I am going to be doing a semi pro documentary for my extended family about an ancestor, and would like to include the huts in the journey he made from arrival on the Somme through to the day of his death.

Regards

Colin

[salientguide]

Colin in what context have you come across these names, could you publish it ? Might then be able to get some sort of explanation. SG

[Ethelredtwo]

Colin in what context have you come across these names, could you publish it ? Might then be able to get some sort of explanation. SG

The war diary for the 10th (Service) Battalion, Royal Warwicks, give the location "Wellington and Cromwell Huts" on the day before they move up to the front line for an attack the next morning and again several days after the attack, when they move off the line. I assumed from that it was some sort of rest area.

Colin

[salientguide]

Colin still more, if you have the war diary what date and where abouts were they. The more information you give the liklier some pal will come up with the answer. cant say I,ve ever heard of them either as a location or a type of building. Just googling there seem to be some huts of that name as mountain huts in new Zealand so possibly some huts may have get that name by NZ troops. But please tell fully time and location. SG

[Ethelredtwo]

Colin still more, if you have the war diary what date and where abouts were they. The more information you give the liklier some pal will come up with the answer. cant say I,ve ever heard of them either as a location or a type of building. Just googling there seem to be some huts of that name as mountain huts in new Zealand so possibly some huts may have get that name by NZ troops. But please tell fully time and location. SG

Hi SG,

Hope I have got it right this time. Anything in brackets are my comments. I have left out some minor info in the summary section, such as which Coys occupied which part of a trench, but nothing of any import. I have included all references to locations made in the summary section. So, what we have below are the entries which refer to the huts in question.

1. War Diary for the 10th (Service) Bat. Royal Warwicks for Tuesday to Thursday 14, 15 and 16/11/1916:

Location: Wellington and Cromwell Huts (for all three days)

Summary of Events: 14th - CO and 1 officer of each company went to PAISLEY DUMP to take over from 118th Brigade. This move cancelled.

(Over these 3 days, Officers given various briefings on operations, all of which were cancelled, and Battn finally ordered to remain "in present billets" until 16th when they were finally briefed on their move on 17th. No reference to OR's during this time other than one mention that "troops went on a 2 hour march" on 16/11).

2. War Diary for the 10th (Service) Bat. Royal Warwicks for Friday 17/11/1916:

Location: Wellington and Cromwell Huts

Summary of Events: In evening Coy's moved up to the front via GRAVEL PIT. (Note: on arrival at front they took up positions in LUCKY WAY and BATTERY VALLEY trenches, just to the south west of Grandcourt, which they attacked on Saturday 18/11/1916).

3. War Diary for the 10th (Service) Bat. Royal Warwicks for Sunday 19/11/1916:

Location: Front Line Trenches

Summary of Events: In the evening the Battn was relieved. Coys proceeded to Wellington Huts. (so POSSIBLY Wellington and Cromwell Huts were two separate locations, as the handwriting for all the entries is the same and they lost almost 200 men in the attack, which presumably means they no longer needed both lots of huts)!

4. War Diary for the 10th (Service) Bat. Royal Warwicks for Tuesday 21/11/1916:

Location: Wellington Huts

Summary of Events: Battn marched via AVELUY, BOUZINCOURT, SENLIS to billets at WARLOY.

(This makes me think that the huts may therefore be in the general area of Ovillers-la-Boisselle).

This is all the information available to me.

EDIT: I have just found a reference on Google, in the description of a link that doesn't work, to "Wellington Huts W12D". I think that W12D is a map reference, I wonder if anyone has the relevant map.

Regards

Colin

[salientguide]

Colin sounds indeed that these were wooden hutted encampments where troops would stay behind the lines whilst waiting to go up or working in the area. As you note the best bet is to try and get a copy of the relevant trench maps of around Ovilliers and just study them. You may well come across such an encampment . Good luck SG

[Ethelredtwo]

Following on from the above, using the reference W12D I found the huts.

See below.

Regards

Colin

[chaz]

 

i like Ethelreds precis of the 18th November. technically the final day of the Somme offensive. currently staying in Battery Valley.

interesting as Pte Dodson in his memorial, died and buried in Regina Trench, H J Mann died same day also 10th Warwicks and got to Contay, A Gleed 8th Glos same action also died same day and initially buried in Battery Valley cemetery until 1921 when he was then transferred to Connaught.