Wambeek Spur

[stevenbecker]

Mates,

I was looking into a AIF soldier with the 31st BN AIF which the war dairy mentions going into the line at Wambeek Spur on thew 15th March 1918, It gives a couple of other references like Cabin Hill, and Derry House.

Can anyone point me in the right direction to these places, I did notice the map ref gives the Wytshchaete Sector.

Cheers

S.B

[Fattyowls]

Steve

I've found Wambeek on a 1917 map of the Messines operation; it's here as far as I can tell - https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=50.780353,2.921913 . The spelling is now Wambeke and the stream from which the spur takes it's name runs off the ridge east from Wijtschate with the spur to it's south. Cabin Hill and Derry House are now CWGC cemeteries and are nicely documented on the CWGC site. Derry House is described as No. 2; as yet I haven't found where No. 1 was. I've had a look at Google Streetview looking east from the crossroads of Wambekestraat and the N336 Rijselstraat and the spur appears a very subtle feature; it was just beyond the final objective line for the June 1917 operation on my map.

Let me know if I can help with anything else; I was lost in the area a year last July so I'm fairly sure we drove across the spur. Probably along it too and possibly more than once.

Pete.

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

Thanks thats fine he was WIA 22 March 1918 by gas.

I record

HURSE George 1249 Pte 05 LHR 9R Tos 1-16 WIA 19-1-16 fractured R/Leg accident reason not stated disch 7-6-16 MU relist 11R/31Bn (4346) To 8 Trg Bn UK 1-17 Tos CCo? 7-17 WIA 22-3-18 gas reported 20 rds 77mm of gas shells fired onto line around Salmond Farm near Wambeke Spur F&B

Cheers

S.B

[17107BM]

Here's a photo of Cabin hill taken last year

[17107BM]

And Derry House Cemetery with the dressing station still in it's grounds. There are some very good threads on this subject and well worth a search.

[17107BM]

To the right of the cross of Sacrifice out of this shot, where the roof appears in the image is the dressing station

[Phil Evans]

Steve,

Salmon Farm is on the south side of the Wambeke at approx 28.O.30.d.00.50

Phil

[mebu]

Good info and pics on Derry House cemetery.....however a correction: the concrete structure was not a dressing station, but built as shelter for artillery command post of 37th Division by 154 Coy REs , 13th-July '17. The cemy was in use by then. The original dressing station was in the then-existing farm buildings, about 100 yards north of existing farmhouse/barn, this seems to have not been used by later 12th Australian Field Ambulance (probably buildings further damaged by then) who preferred to maintain a series of stretcher posts around. 47th Bn record completing their use of the cemy at end of August, which indicates it was used by Battalion for men killed rather than died of wounds.

In the modern barn adjoining the cemetery is a quite large German concrete structure, a heavy gun emplacement. A friendly and polite word with the farmer may permit access.

Peter

[mebu]

Steve, here is map of the area. Salmon farm is right on the German front line in square 30. In mid march - your date- it was further behind the German line, which had come forward to the posts marked in square 29. Why he should be recorded as being near there, no idea. (((Just checked war diary......reference to Salmon farm is that Germans seen in their front line there.....reports of gas shelling are around Derry House area, squares 26 and 27 on date given))).

You can determine the Wambeke spur from the contours,eg the 35 metre contour envelopes Wambeke, the high ground between the Wambeek and Blauepoortbeek, Derry House is marked, Cabin Hill isn't but both cemeteries can be sited on Google earth from CWGC listings.

Hope this helps, Peter

PS hope map is clear....had to compress to attach.

[mebu]

system has cut r/h end of map off. If you pm your email address I'll forward complete before compressing if you want ( either tonight or next weekend) Peter

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

Yes please if you can show the names mentioned on that map that would be fine to see where they are talking about on the ground.

Cheers

S.B

[17107BM]

Mebu.

Thanks for the correction you are of course right.

If i recall from an earlier post on the subject the Dreessing station is just below the 'Rd' on the Antrim Rd. I have to add that this image was provided to me by another forum member. Thanks