~ Trench location Required ~

[jacksdad]

Hi Wendy

it is unusual or i should say rearer for a soldiers body to be lost in a successful advance, if an advance fails then the bodies are left in No-Mans-Land and generally as good as lost. I am no battlefield expert - but that is my understanding.

so for this guys body to go missing and the enquiry, i guess he was either buried (by bad luck) in the dugout by shellfire before his body could be buried or maybe he was buried and then his grave marker lost - his body later being moved as an unknown.

the enquiry information tends towards the first senario though.

roger

[Piorun]

The same happened to my wife's uncle at the start of Third Ypres. Aurel Sercu investigated the number of NKG for those four days and, despite the considerable amount of ground taken and successfully held for months and, even, permanently, found that the proportion of NKG was inordinately high - much higher than would be expected. It might be worth conducting a similar exercise on this engagement. Antony

[dalew067]

Hi Wendy.

I'm in Flers until Thursday morning Flers time.....

Would you like a photo of his entry at the memorial.

Best regards

Dale

[Wendy Macpherson]

Oh drat have I missed out Dale.

Ever since the recent forum upgrade I lost all the threads that I was following.

I guess you have been and seen Flers, how was it all.

Wendy

[dalew067]

Hi Wendy,

I figured you would be busy at the Archives, so went ahead and took a photo of F J McLeod's inscription at Caterpillar Valley for you

I have also taken a lot of area photos of my Grandfathers time there, and when I get back to OZ and assemble all the photos, I will put them on a disc and send you a copy if you are interested.

Photo coming via Email.

We had a great time driving & walking around Fler,

Regards

Dale

[Wendy Macpherson]

Thank you so much Dale I'm really thrilled that you went ahead and took some photos at Caterpillar Valley.

I am really interested in seeing the Flers battlefield area, I'm sure the Kiwi's and the Aussies were fighting along side each other there so the photos you have taken will be marvellous.

Looking forward to seeing them.

Wendy

[Crunchy]

I'm sure the Kiwi's and the Aussies were fighting along side each other there so the photos you have taken will be marvellous.

Hi Wendy,

The Aussies and the Kiwis were in the line at different times during the Somme battle. The Australians were at Pozieres and Moquet Farm from 23 July - 3 September. The NZ Division entered the Somme battle on 15 September for the Flers attack and stayed in the area until 2 October, the longest stint any division had in the line during the Somme battle. The Australians came back into the Flers -Guedecourt area on 21 October and were there until the advance to the Hindenburg Line began on 23 February 1917.

Chapter 4 The New Zealanders at Flers in Anzacs on the Western Front: The Australian War Memorial Battlefield Guide covers the Kiwis at Flers, with a driving tour down the length of the assault on 15 September, and then the subsequent actions onto the ridge beyond.

Regards

Chris

[Wendy Macpherson]

Thanks Chris ~ I appreciate learning that information.

Wendy