alinherts Posted 1 July , 2009 Share Posted 1 July , 2009 Dear All I will be visiting Ypres on 23 July to visit the grave of my Great Grandad (Alfred Jefferies) who is buried at Tyne Cot. As part of the trip I would like to try and stand as near to the kick off point for the 1 Bn Hertfordshire Regiment on 31 July 1917. I have looked at trench maps etc and although I have a rough idea of where the point is, I am conscious that there are more learned pals on this site who can possibly give me a precise location! I hope to take some pictures of the area looking towards their objectives for that day. Any help gratefully received. Cheers Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 1 July , 2009 Share Posted 1 July , 2009 Alan. I may well be wrong (I am at work - and this is from a very bad memory) but stand at the entrance to Track X Cemetery looking towards the road in front of the cemetery. I think they started their advance a short way in front of you and came across the land, through what is now the cemetery, and onwards. I cannot picture at present what bearing they would have been on. Even if I am wrong there is at least one fellow 1st Hertfordshire man buried there who was also killed on that day. Does this tie in with what you think? Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alinherts Posted 1 July , 2009 Author Share Posted 1 July , 2009 Neil Many thanks. Yes I think we are in the same area. I do not have access to my maps etc at the moment but I recall that it is possibly in the area of Hill Top Farm? The attack was towards St Julian I believe? Regards Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff brown Posted 1 July , 2009 Share Posted 1 July , 2009 You can follow the advance by walking/driving along the road (known by troops as Buffs Road) from New Irish Farm Cem to Buffs Road cemetery, then on to St Julian. Edit: Meant to add... New Irish Farm sits on a crossroads and Buffs Road is the narrow track towards St Julien. If you go to Multimap, scroll to Belgium and then type in St Julien you can get the local road names. Just had a look myself. The crossroads is Briekestraat and Hogeziekenweg, the latter being Buffs Road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alinherts Posted 1 July , 2009 Author Share Posted 1 July , 2009 Cliff Many thanks indeed for that info. Cheers Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff brown Posted 2 July , 2009 Share Posted 2 July , 2009 Have amended my previous post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alinherts Posted 3 July , 2009 Author Share Posted 3 July , 2009 Many thanks Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fair Posted 5 July , 2009 Share Posted 5 July , 2009 Alan - I've always considered the proper Start Line for the 1/1 Herts attack on 31/7/17 to be the Steenbeek. 118 Bde passed through 116 and 117 Bdes in artillery formation, before adopting the attack formation on the Steenbeek for the 2nd phase of 39 Div's attack. The Operational Orders for 1/1 Herts only really focus on this phase of the battle, as you will see in the accompanying trench map. Please PM or email me and I can send you a copy of the orders. These orders are not held in the TNA copy of the war diary, but are held in the Herts CRO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alinherts Posted 6 July , 2009 Author Share Posted 6 July , 2009 Charles Many thanks, PM on its way. Regards Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alinherts Posted 6 July , 2009 Author Share Posted 6 July , 2009 Charles The system will not allow me to send the PM as your in box is full. I will give it some time and try again. Thanks Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fair Posted 6 July , 2009 Share Posted 6 July , 2009 Alan - PM sent regards Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alinherts Posted 6 July , 2009 Author Share Posted 6 July , 2009 Hi Charles Email sent as requested. Many thanks Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alinherts Posted 7 July , 2009 Author Share Posted 7 July , 2009 I would just like to make a public thank you to Charles for the Herts Op Order and attachments. Best wishes Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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