nicburch Posted 3 October , 2004 Share Posted 3 October , 2004 Anyone help with the names Sourd Farm,Irish Farm and Steenbeck Valley,was the Padeebeek a river?Is the area between Ypres and Passchendaele?thanks pals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 3 October , 2004 Share Posted 3 October , 2004 Oberon. Paddebeek is to the NW of Passendale (between there and Poelkapelle) while Steenbeek runs just to the west of Messines. I will try and post some maps (once Chelsea v Liverpool is over). Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 3 October , 2004 Share Posted 3 October , 2004 Oberon. I forgot to mention that Irish Farm is to the SW of Messines between La Plus Douve and La Petite Douve Farms. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 3 October , 2004 Share Posted 3 October , 2004 (...) while Steenbeek runs just to the west of Messines (...) Neil, It's not that I wish to correct you, for maybe there is another Steenbeek near Messines as you write, but "the" Steenbeek, the one that played a major role in Third Ypres mid August 1917, is southwest from Langemark, running northwest from St. Julien. (The name of the river upstream being Hanebeek). And as this is in the area between Ypres and Passndale, as Oberon mentioned, ... Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 3 October , 2004 Share Posted 3 October , 2004 I forgot to mention that Irish Farm is to the SW of Messines between La Plus Douve and La Petite Douve Farms. Neil, Oberon, That is correct, there was indeed an Irish Farm southwest of Messines. But if somehow the location of this Irish Farm is a problem to Oberon (it is not "between Ypres and Passendale"), it may be worth mentioning that there was a second Irish Farm : 2 km northeast of Ypres, slightly west of St. Jan. The farm was approx. 300 m south from where now New Irish Farm Cemetery is (both along Boundary Road). Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 3 October , 2004 Share Posted 3 October , 2004 Thanks Aurel - I did wonder Oberon - sorry to cause confusion - at least Chelsea won (just). Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Furnell Posted 3 October , 2004 Share Posted 3 October , 2004 Is there any particular regiment,or person,you are looking at Oberon? The Steenbeek valley area was part of 3rd Ypres from the very beginning of the battle,and at the time you mention,was very wet and muddy. Do you have anymore info? Regards and all the best. Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicburch Posted 4 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 4 October , 2004 Simon I am researching 7th. Royal Fusiliers,on 31/10/17 they were relieved at the front and made their way to Irish Farm via Steenbeck Valley and Mousetrap track,i believe this was near St.Jean.Would this be the second battle of Passchendaele,i am not too sure of dates because of conflicting material,any or all info gratefully received about this time. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 4 October , 2004 Share Posted 4 October , 2004 (...) 31/10/17 they were relieved at the front and made their way to Irish Farm via Steenbeck Valley and Mousetrap track,i believe this was near St.Jean. Would this be the second battle of Passchendaele,i am not too sure of dates because of conflicting material, (...) Nick Nick, If "Irish Farm" is mentioned in connection with Mouse Trap Farm, this leaves no doubt : this is the Irish Farm near St. Jan I mentioned in my earlier posting (a few hundred meters of where now New Irish Farm Cemetery is). Second Battle of Passchendale was 26 Oct - 10 Nov 1917. (First was 12 Oct. 1917) Sorry I can't find "Sourd Farm" (correct spelling ?) Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicburch Posted 4 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 4 October , 2004 Aurel, many thanks for your reply,i have more questions!!!firstly i think Sourd Farm was local.Do you know of Burns House,mentioned as battalion h.q.all in the region of the Paddebeek?can i obtain maps/trench maps as i plan a visit to see the region,i'm not sure A.A.maps will suffice! Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 4 October , 2004 Share Posted 4 October , 2004 Nick, As to Burns House : there was a thread about this location some months ago (last April). Hope this works : http://1914-1918.org/forum/index.php?showt...&hl=burns+house (The thread also shows a map.) Sourd Farm (Ferme du Sourd) is (was) right in the middle between the centres of Poelkapelle and Passendale. It is 600 meters north north east of where Form member Charlotte Cardoen lives (Varlet Farm). It is indeed on the bank of the Paddebeek. (And Burns House is 1 km west of Varlet Farm) Trench maps ? You certainly can see them (not buy) in the In Flanders Fields Documentation Centre, Janseniusstraat, right behind the cathedral. Open on Wednesday, but also on other days if you make an appointment. Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicburch Posted 5 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 5 October , 2004 Aurel, Thanks again for your info,it has been of great help,another ?,in the diaries it mentions 'A and D coys.reported tapes laid by down by 1.30',what does this mean? Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 5 October , 2004 Share Posted 5 October , 2004 Nick, What was meant by Companies A and D reporting that tapes were laid down by 1.30 ? Just the first thought that crossed my mind : that the tapes marking the road / direction to follow had been laid down by 1.30. (For the relief ? For an attack ? For the direction towards the front line ?) I suppose that finding one's way in the dark in a landscape of shell holes and tree stumps and mud was not easy. Mind you, I'm not at all sure. Just a guess. Maybe the context should make things clearer ? I hope that someone else sees your question and can either confirm this of have a better idea. (All I can say is that they were certainly not video or audio tapes ... Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Furnell Posted 6 October , 2004 Share Posted 6 October , 2004 The time that you mention,was around about the time my Great-grandad went into the 3rd Ypres Battle,for a second time with the MGC. I have a bit of a Trench Map,from that time,and he wasn't all that far from the area you mention,and remember that some of his guns were used against Burns House,and County Crossroads,which is just up the road. He was just outside of Poelcappelle,near a place called Gloster Farm. I will have a look at his company Diary later,and see if i can find anymore. The 58th(2/1st)London Division,were to the left of the 63rd,RND,and the ground was so bad they didn't achieve much,lost many men,and were in the area,and in action,until the 12th of November. All the best. Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicburch Posted 6 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 6 October , 2004 Simon, My great-uncle with the 7th.R.F.was inthe line only for one day,i suspect because of the weather from what i read On the1st.Nov. to Poperinghe to train south to Miraumont and then into the Cambrai battlefield(Welsh Ridge).I know the Battalion,how would I find out which company he was in? Regards,Nick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard_Lewis Posted 7 October , 2004 Share Posted 7 October , 2004 My understanding is that white tapes were sometines laid down to guide troops to assembly areas, jumping off points, gaps in barbed wire etc. prior to an attack or raid. Luminescent discs were also placed on parapets to help guide those returning back into their own trenches. Strips of calico would also be laid flat on the ground to assist planes in spotting the progress of troops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazarus Posted 7 April , 2023 Share Posted 7 April , 2023 My great uncle Sergeant William Malone was killed at or near Mousetrap Farm, his brother Lt Michael Malone died in the battle of Mount Street Bridge siege in the 1916 uprising, both brave men, also in the family through marriage John Devoy, the Irish Rebel. At the time of writing this post my son Sean is visiting the war graves and Mousetrap Farm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lang Posted 9 April , 2023 Share Posted 9 April , 2023 Use tMapper: WW1 Mapping Enter "Mouse Trap Farm" in the top right search box, and voila... Tom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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