Vlamertinghe

[Guest christophe du parc]

I am looking after photographic and other documentary sources concerning the village of Vlamertinghe (or Vlamertinge as it is written today) .

The village lies halfway on the direct road between Ypres and Poperinge .

It also encompasses the Brandhoek hamlet, where Captain Chavasse, VC and Bar died and is buried,

and the Galge Boschen , siege of the renowned "Dirty Bucket Camp" from where Lt Edmund Blunden walked to Third Ypres on the Hospitaalstraat and wrote "Passing by Vlamertinghe Château" ,

and several other familiar landmarks : Witte Molen, Hop Store, an airfield, Chinese Labour Camps, and numerous ambulances.

Thereby the cemeteries : the territory of the village numbers the most Commonwealth Cemeteries of the whole Western Front, so was I told at the Imperial War Museum .

The Château was first occupied by a French Ambulance until a few days before Second Ypres on April 15 , 1915 . The Ambulance was headed by Professeur Lapeyre, from Tours University.

The 28th Division , under the command of Major - General Edward Bulfin, took its Headquarters there at the time .

From the 22nd of April 1915 on, the 28th Division fought a hard battle with the Canadians on the Eastern side of the gap created by the retreat of the French Colonial troops .

On the 21st of April 1914, the green-yellow cloud of chlorine gas passed over the village bound southwards.

No other occupier of the Château is known to me until late July 1918 when 154 Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, positioned guns in an orchard nearby, followed by the Battery's Headquarters in the Château on August 16th 1918.

I found years ago a few pictures of the village taken through and after the War in the collections of the Imperial War Museum.

The 1919 batch is mostly composed of pictures taken by the early Commonwealth War Graves Registration Commission (?), stationed at the "Drie Toren Kasteel" in the adjoining village of Brielen.

Thak you very much in advance for your interest on the above .

Christophe

[Kathie]

Hello christophe,

I think its great that you are preserving the history of your area.

I am looking at the movements of the South African Brigade. They were in camp to the rear of Ypres and the east of Poperinghe on a number of occcasions but I cannot find the exact location. Firstly, they were there in June 1916 working on strengthening reserve trenches. SEcondly, they were there just before they moved up and through Ypres on 19th/20th September. After that battle the War Diary records them as regrouoping at Vlamertinghe.

Do you have any information at all on the South Africans or where they might have been.

Thanks

kathie

[jasmor58]

Christophe,

A couple of years ago I had the pleasure to met the Duchesse Du park and one of her sons and had a tour of the Chateau including the orchard where 154 Siege Battery had their guns. My father-in -law Gunner Hugh Graham. MM. was with this Battery. There is a short decription of the Battery's stay at the chataeu in the book, A History of 154 Siege Battery RGA, 1916-19 by Capt. M. C. Walker. There are also some pictures of our visit on the 154 SB website run by coemar. Great that you are preserving the history of the area.

Regards,

Jasmor58

[jasmor58]

Christophe,

A couple of years ago I had the pleasure to met the Duchesse Du park and one of her sons and had a tour of the Chateau including the orchard where 154 Siege Battery had their guns. My father-in -law Gunner Hugh Graham. MM. was with this Battery. There is a short decription of the Battery's stay at the chataeu in the book, A History of 154 Siege Battery RGA, 1916-19 by Capt. M. C. Walker. There are also some pictures of our visit on the 154 SB website run by coemar. Great that you are preserving the history of the area.

Regards,

Jasmor58

Christophe,

This is the only early picture I have of the Chateau. Hope it is of interest to you.

Jasmor58

[carlosrocha]

My Grandfather's uncle, Henry Thomas Back Godden, was in the 258th Seige Battery attached to 2ns Anzac Corps. They were in the vicinity of Vlamertinghe Chateau when he was killed on 30.09.17. Buried in Ypres Reservoir Cemetery.

Regards

Carlos

[Wxmnorm]