? Trench Graves at Epehy Wood Farm

[Tony Ring]

I have a question. In the Epehy Wood Farm Cemetary in France the majority of the rows of graves have a separation between the head stones that would indicate separate burial plots. My great uncle Lt. Leslie Ring of the 3rd Batt London Regiment is buried in Plot I, G, 15, and in this row and several others the headstones are touching together.

Would this indicate a trench type grave dug in haste as he was killed on the 18th September when the battle commenced in that area.

Tony

[Peter Bennett]

With respect, is this a Fromelles issue ?

[J Banning]

Give the guy a break! Tony quite obviously posted in the wrong section. It’s only his third post after all.

I would suggest that the mods move this to Cemeteries & Memorials section and then someone may be able to answer his question in more detail.

Tony – I’m afraid I’m not much help but have copied what Bill Mitchinson wrote in his excellent Epehy - Battleground Europe book:

Epehy Wood Farm Cemetery: On the road to Saulcourt is Epehy Wood Farm Cemetery. Plots I and II were made by the 12th Division following the capture of the village in September 1918. They largely contain men of the 9/RF, 7/Sussex and 9/Essex. These are close-packed rows, the closeness of the headstones indicates the haste with which the dead were buried. The remaining plots were concentrated from other cemeteries. Most of them contained soldiers of the 12th and 58th Divisions, although Epehy RE Cemetery, in the field to the north of the existing one, contained soldiers killed between April and December 1917…

[Tony Ring]

Jeremy

Thank you for the information. I will cross to the correct section to continue my quest.

Peter - sorry to offend you. Will sneak back into my trench and and study the correct method of postings.

Tony

[eviltaxman]

I don't think this is a Fromelles aspect, so I've moved to the main Cemeteries & Memorials section.

[River97]

Tony,

With the headstones touching, this would generally indicate a trench grave. Many were not dug in haste, but for economy of effort and some were dug after the war when the graves concentration commenced. Here they were able to use mechanical equipment to dig the areas required.

Cheers Andy.

[Peter Bennett]

Jeremy

Thank you for the information. I will cross to the correct section to continue my quest.

Peter - sorry to offend you. Will sneak back into my trench and and study the correct method of postings.

Tony

Tony

I was not offended, just making an observation. Good Luck with your research.

"To err is human, to forgive is divine" (Alexander Pope)

[Tony Ring]

Tony,

With the headstones touching, this would generally indicate a trench grave. Many were not dug in haste, but for economy of effort and some were dug after the war when the graves concentration commenced. Here they were able to use mechanical equipment to dig the areas required.

Cheers Andy.

Andy.

Thank you. A later bulk burial may explain why in my relatives row of 22 graves, although the dates are for the period from 8th - 23rd Sept 1918, they are not in numerical order. e.g. Grave number 1 -10th Sept, Grave 2 - 21st Sept, Grave 3 - 18th Sept, Grave 8 - 23rd Sept, Grave 10 - 10th Sept, Grave 20 - 8th Sept etc. The majoritry of the graves are dated 18th Sept.

Tony