Strange trench layout

[SimonRobbins]

I always thought that british trenches were shown in blue and German ones in red but the attached map shows a number where it appears British trenches ran end to end straight into German ones.

Any explanations?

By the way it is a fragment of sheet 57C SE near Gouzeaucourt dated 10th March 1917.

[Tom Lang]

The colours were not always as you describe. They did change.

Each map will show a 'Reference' section (generally in the bottom left corner of the map) to indicate what colours are being used in that particular map.

But some maps have no 'reference section' as it may have been used (locally) by a Brigade/Battalion/Company/etc.

Note that trenches were built over a period of time, and were captured and lost during the same period, so map makers were continuously 'behind' the current status and always in a catch-up mode.

I am personally interested in Gouzeaucourt as my grandfather was killed on the northern outskirts on 24 April, 1917, and is buried in Gouzeaucourt New British Cemetery.

I visited the area in April, 2014.

I have Linesman and have searched for a map of the area you describe, but so far don't see what you are dating as "10th March 1917".

Can you be more specific as to the title of the map you refer?

Here's a snippet (courtesy of Linesman) showing the 'Reference Section' on Map 57c SE2 3A dated 30 Sep 1917, titled 'Gonnelieu'.

Tom.

[SimonRobbins]

Thanks for the reply. Not sure of other details of the map. I got it from maps.nls.uk site and as you zoom in to an area lye list of maps available matches the area viewed. That map was the one dated 10th March 1917 which was the nearest date to the period I was interested in.

I realise trench "ownership" could change over time but assumed any map was a snapshot in time even if it quickly became out of date. Whatever the date of the moment in time, I was surprised to see blue trenchs leading straight into red ones. On that website the maps are overlayed on a modern map so I think they have clipped the key from the image for clarity, but given my knowledge of the situation at the time it would make perfect sense that blue were British and red were German, but not why they were apparently joined together.

[ss002d6252]

It is possible that trenches were connected in some areas where sections have been captured and linked up. No man's land was often filled with pieces of trenches and men could wander through them and occasionally end up on the wrong side of the front.

Craig

[SimonRobbins]

Ah that's a good point. I think a few months earlier the whole area was in German hands and at that time it would make sense for them to be linked.

[ss002d6252]

Ah that's a good point. I think a few months earlier the whole area was in German hands and at that time it would make sense for them to be linked.

It may well be that parts of the trenches 'claimed' by us were also 'claimed' by the Germans on their maps but in effect be unoccupied and blocked up, possibly in no condition to be utilised.

In April 1915 at Ypres men of the 6th DLI and some Germans shared the same trenches but for a 10ft deep block built across the trench.

Craig

[CROONAERT]

By the way it is a fragment of sheet 57C SE near Gouzeaucourt dated 10th March 1917.

That particular map is actually trench dated 10th March 1918, not 1917.

Dave

[SimonRobbins]

You're right. Sorry my mistake. Actually 1918 is what I wanted. I obviously just can't type.

[MBrockway]

Certainly the lines could blend into each other. At the Hooge Crater position scene of the Liquid Fire attack on 30 Jul 1915, the old German front line held by the 8th Rifle Brigade to the left (west) side of the crater had a communication trench connecting back into what had been the German support line, but which was by then the German front/firing line.

It had been blocked off with a large barricade and wire entanglement, but a periscope was set up and the German sentry on the enemy side of the barricade could be seen barely 5 feet away.

The two lines were only 15-20 yds apart for most of the frontage where the liquid fire attack occurred. Less than a cricket pitch

[andrew pugh]

Good Evening.

Where the Blue (German) trenches run into the Red trenches (British) they probably indicate shared occupation of trenches and the use of trench blocks.

Regards Andy