Battlefield burial map reference

[John Cubin]

Bravo to the CWGC for putting these documents on-line. I have long known that the reference 57B D.32.d.23 is an error and have assumed that Doran and Bale, signallers in the same battalion, killed on the same day and now side by side at Romeries, were found together in the field and that the reference for Bale applies to both. Now seeing the original document, can anyone tell me what the letters M.N and M.B stand for? (I can make a guess but am going by the old adage "don't assume - check!"). John Doran was my Grannie's little brother.

Thanks.

[John Cubin]

Sorry, folks, meant M.N and M.R. Assumed and didn't check! Numpty.

[WhiteStarLine]

John, you are right, Doran's location is incorrect and non standard. There was no numbered grid of '32' for D and the map references have been transcribed in a non standard fashion.

Assuming I have read the CWCG correctly, they were initially buried a few hundred metres south of the last houses at Biastre and later relocated 6 km NE to Romieres. If they were originally interred around here ...

Then the map reference should have been written as Sheet 57b.D.30.d.2.3 which puts them in a 50 x 50 yard box (2500 square yards). Stevens, Ford, Sharp, Moses and McFarland were given a higher precision location, such as c90.40, which puts them in a 5 yard by 5 yard box (25 square yards). Had this been written as Sheet 57b.D.30.d.20.30 then Doran's last position would have been easier to find.

Looking at the 7 concentrations, my interpretation of the abbreviations is Map Reference and Map Number, even though the handwriting for all 7 is identical and there is no logical reason for not including it in the first 5!

Of course, I may be totally wrong.

[John Cubin]

White Star, Thanks for that. Map Ref and Map Number were also my thoughts. Am happy to accept D.30.d.2.3 as the original grave site which I have visited. I go across every year so, if you have someone I could visit on your behalf, just let me know.

Thanks again,

John.