RMR Posted 1 October , 2012 Share Posted 1 October , 2012 I was given last week a RHA gunners diary which covers 1914 -1916 in it he mentions various trenches here's a short extract jan 3rd "still in action near Vermelles church which is blown down,weather cold and dry,my dugout is near the British cemetary.We have had some warm times here since leaving Quality street.January 27th Kaisers birthday spent up in the support trenches which the Germans bombarded all night and the next day,saw the 4th Suffolks in the trenches near trench Devon lane" Are there any trench maps online that show this area and particular trenches and he also often mentions heavy German shelling with coal boxes is this slang for a type of shell? Thanks Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmaasz Posted 1 October , 2012 Share Posted 1 October , 2012 Apologies for the un-developed reply, as I don't have time today to follow it through, but I have in the past found on the Forum both copies of trench maps for Vermelles and also discussion of 'coal boxes' a large German shell, sometimes thought to be the same as Black Marias. Searching should turn upthe references. Hope this helps a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMR Posted 1 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 1 October , 2012 Hi I tried all combinations of Vermelles trench maps and coal boxes without success before posting my query,thanks for the info on coal boxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmaasz Posted 2 October , 2012 Share Posted 2 October , 2012 Roger: I don't know if your lack of success with the Vermelles map search means you didn't find a map with the info you want, or you didn't find any maps of Vermelles. I just did a search for 'Vermelles trench maps' and found several leads. Secondly, if you do a search for 'black marias' again you will find several posts including references to coal boxes, and at post #10 a link to a list of WW1 slang that includes descriptions of the shells to which these names were given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDWARD1 Posted 2 October , 2012 Share Posted 2 October , 2012 Vermelles and Devon Lane can be found on The NA British Trench Map no 36cNW3 Loos Vermelles at G7,8 and Devon Lane at G10d,11c,d,12c,d Eddie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDWARD1 Posted 2 October , 2012 Share Posted 2 October , 2012 Roger If you pm me I can provide an Oct 17 Trench map with both locations shown. (unable to post, size restriction) Eddie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMR Posted 2 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 2 October , 2012 Thanks pmaasz looked up BLACK MARIAS found what I was looking for plus that useful link to slang used and thanks eddie PM sent.Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMR Posted 6 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 6 October , 2012 Having now sifted thru a bin bag full of paper work I found the identity of the diarist he was Bombadier H.COCKRELL an MM winner gazetted Oct 11 1915 he survived the war and went on to serve in India with H battery R.H.A.Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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