Edgehill (Dernancourt) maps showing CCS

[b3rn]

Do your trench maps locate the CCS's that were at this location, particularly 1917 ... but it's possible they could also be marked in maps of 1918 as photos of the fighting near the railway embankment show remnants of these hospitals

From CWGC:

Field ambulances used the Communal Cemetery for Commonwealth burials from September 1915 to August 1916, and again during the German advance of March 1918. It contains 127 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. The XV Corps Main Dressing Station was formed at Dernancourt in August 1916, when the adjoining EXTENSION was opened. The 45th and 56th (1st/1st South Midland) Casualty Clearing Stations came in September 1916 and remained until March 1917. The 3rd Australian was here in March and April 1917, and the 56th from April 1917 to February 1918. The 3rd Casualty Clearing Station came in March 1918 but on 26 March, Dernancourt was evacuated ahead of the German advance, and the extension remained in their hands until the village was recaptured on 9 August 1918 by the 12th Division and the 33rd American Division. In September it was again used by the 47th, 48th and 55th Casualty Clearing Stations under the name of "Edgehill", due to the rising ground on the north-west. At the Armistice, the Extension contained more than 1,700 burials; it was then enlarged when graves were brought in from isolated positions in the immediate neighbourhood and certain small cemeterie.......

[b3rn]

Searching this forum for Dernancourt found a comment noting that Bean wrote extensively of the battle; Map No. 2 in Vol 5 of the Official History locates the 'old CCS' precisely

http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/6/chapters/12.pdf

Pity the digitisation is so poor when it comes to maps/photos; the official histories would be out of copyright? Surprised they're not available in eBook form.

Also, is there a law (like Murphy's) that covers the scenario whereby posting a question that has vexed for hours to a forum, you find the answer within minutes ......?

[jacksdad]

I have vol 1,2 on Anzac and vol 8 on flying corps

if you need any scans from them let me know

good luck on your research.

roger

[Simon Jones]

The CCSs are not shown but the roads are on this 1918 trench map. The annotations for the CCS, cemetery and PoW cage are mine.

S

[b3rn]

Thanks Roger, Simon

For those coming after ... here is the Bean map scanned in colour

– C.E.W. Bean, Official history of Australia in the war of 1914-1918, Vol. V, Map No. 2

and that map overlaid on Google Earth