Unknown Officer - Mezieres Communal Cemetery Extension

[laughton]

I think this Unknown Officer is Canadian, not British.

 

Please see the details here:

 

http://cefresearch.ca/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=75&t=14812

 

Does anyone have information on British units in this area during the war. It is not even covered on the UKNA map series.

 

Our Canadian Lieutenant Langford was in that exact location but I have to eliminate any British Officers.

 

Thanks for any assistance Pals can provide.

 

Richard

Edited 24 May , 2017 by laughton
typo

[laughton]

This is the location of the remains, shown on an extract from the McMaster trench map:

 

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Richard

 

Here are some extracts from a talk on the Battle of Amiens on 8 August 1918, which I gave to the local branch of the RAF Association some years ago. Lt Burfield, who won the MC that day, was the father of a friend of mine. The tanks suffered quite heavily on that day. You will note the commanders of the RAF Squadrons, all of whom rose to fame in WW2.

 

"Canadian Corps of 1 – 4 Can Divs, 15th and 51st Divs from Scotland and 32nd Div from all over but mainly cities (Glasgow, Birmingham, Newcastle), under Currie.

Air component was V Brigade RAF, comprising 15th (Corps) Wing for corps reconnaissance and 22nd (Army) Wing of fighters and bombers. Within 15th, 8 Sqn equipped with AWBs and commanded by Major Trafford Leigh-Mallory was assigned to work with the tanks and within 22nd, 48 Sqn equipped with Bristol Fighters was commanded by Major Keith Park and 84 Sqn equipped with SE5a’s was commanded by Maj Sholto Douglas. This Wing was to be used to engage ground targets by bombing and m/gunning along Army front. Total 332 aircraft (110 in 15th, 222 in 22nd). Additional scouts from IX Bde RAF were flying high-level patrols.

Canadians had reached all their 1st and 2nd objectives by 11 am. 4 Can Div passed through 3rd, supported by 1st Cav Div. By the end of the day all objectives had been taken except le Quesnel. (Taken by 5.30 am on 9th.)

W R G Burfield, 1st Bn Tank Corps, awarded MC on 8th; was wounded but remained at duty. He commanded a Mark V* tank. In addition to its own crew of eight, with one 6-pounder gun and five machine guns, the tank could carry fourteen infantrymen, with three extra machine guns, into action."

 

I hope this helps!

 

Ron
 

Edited 25 May , 2017 by Ron Clifton

[laughton]

Yes, any information helps Ron, particularly when there is detail provided as above.

 

I have the RAF, Cavalry and the Tank Corp in that area. There are others, including an unknown pilot in D.20 (see here). I have already been digging into the Tank Corps losses, as a number of Canadians were attached to the British Tank Corps during the battle.

 

What I have not been able to find was any British back as far as the Green Line that ran between Demuin and Ignuacourt. Most certainly, a plane could have gone down at the Green Line.

 

The tanks and cavalry, that were in support of the Canadians (i.e. not the main force south nearer Moreuil), did not appear until the Red Line near Beaucourt and Cayeux Wood. Of course, they had to get there somehow, probably along the Amiens-Roye Road, but I have no proof they did not come cross-country.

 

It probably is Lt. Langford so I am interested in any information that positively identifies British ground troops in Sector C.11 and then the case is closed.