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Remembered Today:

Location of Trench Raid in Flanders, help welcome.


17107BM

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Hello all.

I have been trying to help a young couple who want to trace a relatives steps on a Battle Field tour in the New Year.

Sergeant Sidney Bancroft. 14591. Mention (2) 10th Battalion. The Cheshire Regiment.

The date for the raid is given as the 17.2 .17. From the information they have given me, but without maps it is in an area of ground near Romarin.

This is not a name place that's known to me on the Salient. All the other locations for this man have not been a problem. Stuff Redoubt and Messines and so on.

After being through all this,

They believe that Sydney Bancroft's final resting place is at Hazel Grove, Cemetery, Stockport.

Without even a grave marker, i hope they are wrong.

Thanks as always in advance of any help.

Cheers.

G. Keenan.

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you'll need to consult war diary for details, but at 10.40am on 17/2 250 men of 10/cheshires raided the Germans near the Birdcage, Plugstreet. Romarin is a hamlet behind the lines, just west of Ploegsteert, usually billeting area.

peter

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The Birdcage at Ploegsteert is described as Le Pelerin on the NA Trench Maps on Map 28 SW4. U21 to U22..

It was a German Stronghold/Salient and is positioned on the East side of the wood on the Road North from Gheer.

post-106731-0-80913500-1415840409_thumb.

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This was taken a few weeks ago. I am standing in the centre of the "German Birdcage" on the road that heads out from the wood in the direction of La Basse-Ville, looking south-west-ish towards Palk Villa. The trees mark the edge of Ploegsteert Wood.

post-1-0-15253100-1415871402_thumb.jpg

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Thanks for your replies they are a great help.

Cheers.

Gary.

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Hi Gary,

According to a blog on the Western Front Association's web-site (link below), the raid took place between what is now the site of the Ultimo and Factory Farm mine craters - they are easily visible on google maps.

http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/western-front-association-branches/branch-newsletters/2518-merseyside-branch-western-front-association-battlefield-tour-21-28-april-2012.html

I'm happy to be corrected but I think this is a little to the North of the Birdcage?

My Great Uncle was killed in the same raid on 17th Feb.

Regards,

Spillers.

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Details of the raid on my website - http://www.stockport1914-1918.co.uk/battle_report.php?name=acostlyraidontheenemy

Seven men are commemorated on Stockport area civic war memorials havign died as a result of the action. Sydney Bancroft isnt amongst them. I can't find a local death for a man of this name but, of course, it's possible his death was registered elsewhere but he is buried at Hazel Grove. For info, there isnt a cemetery at Hazel Grove so if he is buried there it is probably in the graveyard of the parish church.

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