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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

The Birdcage, 1914, Ploegsteert Wood


kelly

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Hi All,

Any fellow members out there with a plan, map, trench system showing the proximity of "the birdcage" in the ploegsteert wood sector December 1914. Myself and a small group of like minded individuals are visiting the area in October and as part of our tour we would like to try and pin down its location

Regards

Garry

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if you walk around/or drive around plug st towards la geer you will see on the left a white information board if you look in front of you that's the site of the bird Gage

hope this helps a little,if you carry on to la geer the original (I think) crucifix is on the corner,watch out for the rubber rat ? :w00t:

Biff

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Garry - these maps may help. A trench map from 1917 and an overlay on to Google Earth.

I'd suggest looking at Tony Spagnoly and Ted Smith's ' A walk round Plugstreet' as it has a nice section on the 1/RB & 1/SLI attack on 19 December 1914.

JB

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post-16428-0-53414400-1404246584_thumb.j

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Garry - these maps may help. A trench map from 1917 and an overlay on to Google Earth.

I'd suggest looking at Tony Spagnoly and Ted Smith's ' A walk round Plugstreet' as it has a nice section on the 1/RB & 1/SLI attack on 19 December 1914.

JB

Hi Jeremy,

Thank you so much for the map, as a group we are going to visit Private 5509 Robert Barnett of the Rifle Brigade's grave and I thought it would be nice to do a little oration on him and the sector he lived and died in. So many thanks

Regards

Garry Trown

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if you walk around/or drive around plug st towards la geer you will see on the left a white information board if you look in front of you that's the site of the bird Gage

hope this helps a little,if you carry on to la geer the original (I think) crucifix is on the corner,watch out for the rubber rat ? :w00t:

Biff

Biffo,

Many many thanks, very useful.

Regards

Garry Trown

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The RB's attack was along either side of the road that you see heading at 90 degrees from the wood and going more or less NE. They advanced approximately 300 yards, capturing two houses along the road, but could get no further.

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  • 1 month later...

Following up on Ploegsteert Wood I have a query about trenches occupied by the 2nd Lancs Fus.who I am researching at the moment.

War Diary

9th/10th Nov. Germans broke through trenches held by Worcesters the men in the trenches having been killed by shell fire. Preparations made for night attack. Argyl and Sutherlands to make attack. Lancs Fusliers in support. attack partially successful,trenches when occupied were enfiladed had to be abandoned again. other trenches were occupied to watch Germans and prevent any further progress into the Wood.
11th Oct. Bn(2nd Lancs Fus). took over these trenches from Argylls ....occupied till 20th Oct.
The Bn were at trenches at St Yves (map ref U15) before the 9th so was guessing trenches in map ref U21 but does anyone know more accurately.
Thanks
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