Rare trench map

[connaughtranger]

What is a rare trench map?

[trajan]

This looks like a 'How long is a piece of string' type question.... So, one that's still red inside?

[Dust Jacket Collector]

I'm no expert on these but I know the more detailed maps - 1 in 5 or 10,000 are the most expensive to buy especially if they show detailed trench systems. I have a batch of a dozen or so on which a Battery sergeant has marked his units positions which I guess makes them rather rare.

[trajan]

...I have a batch of a dozen or so on which a Battery sergeant has marked his units positions which I guess makes them rather rare.

OK, seriously - are those originals? If so, I hope you have given copies to the appropriate regimental museums? I sometimes take archaeological tours to Tunisia, and I always make a stop at Longstop Hill to talk about the action there before going to the cemetery - all of helped enormously by a copy of an action-dated map for the battle supplied by the A&S Museum.

Trajan

[Dust Jacket Collector]

OK, seriously - are those originals? If so, I hope you have given copies to the appropriate regimental museums? I sometimes take archaeological tours to Tunisia, and I always make a stop at Longstop Hill to talk about the action there before going to the cemetery - all of helped enormously by a copy of an action-dated map for the battle supplied by the A&S Museum.

Trajan

Good idea. I'll dig them out & let them know.

[barkalotloudly]

as suggested above, 1/5000 and 1/10000 plus "secret editions" are I would suggest the rarest/most collectable, I have about 100 trench maps and I now do not buy anything unless it is "unusual" also the earlier maps, 1915 and early 1916 always interest me, the maps that seem to attract the most bids seem to be anything to do with the "Somme" and "Messines/Vimy Ridge".

Several years ago I did purchase 5 maps {1/10000} for the battle of Loos which I was very pleased with!

[CROONAERT]

All depends on the definition of 'rare' really. Some of the most ridiculously priced maps these days are, as mentioned above, those covering the Somme (especially the April to June 1916 dated editions) and Ypres (or 1916 dated Verdun maps for the French map collector). These demand stupid prices and/or bids on auctions, but they're not necessarily all that 'rare' as such... they're possibly even some of the more commonly found ones in all actuality (or at least they were not all that long ago anyway).

The 1915 maps are certainly far scarcer having been given far shorter print-runs and I'd also agree about the limited print local operations 1:5,000 scale (though this is the case for British maps only... 1:5,000 was a standard scale used by some other armies along side the 1:20,000 (or 1:25,000) and 1:10,000 scales). Not sure about the 'secret editions' though as I seem to have come across a good deal of these in the past making me think that, even though these were printed in lesser numbers than the 'regular' maps, they were far more likely to be souvenired and brought home, allowing a disproportionate percentage to survive to today.

Now what, in my opinion, would be the 'rarest'?... if pressed for an immediate answer I'd probably have said the trench-map produced in extremely limited numbers for the Neuve Chapelle operation of March 1915. However, this was later reproduced in identical format for study purposes and, so, may be actually less rare than some of those that followed in the Summer of 1915.

With a bit of thought, I'd say that the rarest trench maps are actually those that cover the area between La Boiselle and Beaumont Hamel from February, March and April 1915 (never been able to see even an image or extract of any of these (3 sheets) never mind the full map) and the similarly dated trench maps of the Ypres Salient (which I have seen... though only once). The, even earlier dated, December 1914 Ypres trench-maps must be pretty rare too!

Dave

[CROONAERT]

What is a rare trench map?

Actually... come to think of it, these days, a 'rare trench map' must actually be one that can be picked up for less than a tenner! (only managed a couple of these in the past few months!).

I think they'll be getting even rarer over the next few years too.

Dave