D Camp - Trones Wood - November 1916

[keithfazzani]

I have been unable to locate the whereabouts of this camp. In 32nd Battalion AIF diary it states "20th November 1916 - Left (Montauban) at 2pm for D camp Trones Wood arrived 4pm". A chap that I am researching deserted from here and I am interested if possible to know where in the wood the camp might have been.

[IanA]

Hi Keith. I've just looked at Gliddon's 'Topographical History' of the Somme and there are various mentions of a camp there. 2nd October the 3rd Public Schools Battalion were in Nissen huts in the 'area of Trones Wood' which were constantly shelled. In early November the 6th Dorsets were 'in a rest camp in the wood which consisted of shelters of tarpaulins over pits'. There was a covered approach to the wood from the west called Trench Alley. Rogerson, in his book 'Twelve Days' wrote that the camp was situated in the open space between Trones and Bernafay Woods and calls it 'Camp 34'.

Ah! just looked under 'Bernafay Wood' and Gliddon mentions that on the 30th October the 9th North'd Fusiliers were at D Camp 'near to Bernafay Wood which they described as being a sea of mud and without tents'. It's a bit confused, but it looks to me as though your D camp was the series of mud holes between the two woods.

[keithfazzani]

Thanks Ian. Seems a logical place for them, I am kicking myself for not looking in Gliddon first! This may help, the muddy mess, explain the desertion, the chap in question dissapeared and was arrested in Albert of all places, around Christmas.

[keithfazzani]

This of course would have been not too far from where Longueval Road Cemetery is today, this is near to "Longueval Alley" also called "Longueval Water Point" dressing station. I wonder whether the dressing station was associated with the encampments described which would have been just to the south of it.

[IanA]

Just checked my copy of 'General Jack's Diary' which absolutely pinpoints the camp. The entry for 21st October states "...At the north-eastern edge of the skeleton of Bernafay Wood our bivouac - officially described as 'Camp D' - is situated. The 'camp', however, consists of nothing more than shell holes and a few bits of derelict trenches which the men have covered with their waterproof sheets, a couple of tarpaulins and several sheets of corrugated iron."

[roel22]

Any idea what became of the chap you are researching after he was arrested?

Roel

[keithfazzani]

Indeed, he was captured in Albert on 30/12/17 and was given 189 days imprisonment with hard labour, this was commuted to 60 days field punishment No 2 (4/4/17), by the end of the month he had been admitted to hospital with " bronchitis and debility" and he died on 1/5/17 and is buried in Aveluy cemetery.

[Steven Broomfield]

Perhaps not so much a case of him deserting as D Camping.

Coat? Thank you.

[keithfazzani]

This morning I visited the mans grave at Aveluy. He was the son of the vicar of Tenterden in Kent, I was guiding a group from Tenterden among whom was the current vicar of Tenterden. A moving moment, perhaps the first people from Tenterden knowingly to visit his grave in nearly a 100 years.

[roel22]

Indeed, he was captured in Albert on 30/12/17 and was given 189 days imprisonment with hard labour, this was commuted to 60 days field punishment No 2 (4/4/17), by the end of the month he had been admitted to hospital with " bronchitis and debility" and he died on 1/5/17 and is buried in Aveluy cemetery.

Thanks; sounds like a sad story.

Roel

[keithfazzani]

Indeed it was. I have much of his story and am in the process of adding in some missing components. South East Kent is a long way from Adelaide where he signed up, and I believe that there is an interesting story there too.