Map showing Kidney Trench

[Frajohn]

Hi

 

I am looking for a trench map showing the location of Kidney Trench near Le Hamel.

 

Any help appreciated

 

Many thanks

 

John

 

[EDWARD1]

http://digitalarchive.mcmaster.ca/islandora/object/macrepo%3A395

From Google page  Anzacs on The Western Front ..... Vaire Trench which skirted around the front of Vaire Wood. Walk another 800mtrs to the track on the left just before a sharp right ward bend Huns Walk  a communication trench  entered Vaire Wood here and ran 2Km to Accroche Wood. Head along the track which roughly followed Huns Walk for 150mtrs to the tip of Central Copse. Stand with the copse on your left and Vaire Wood on your right  you are now on the end of Kidney Trench  a double line of trenches that stretch 180mtrs ahead of you and 90mtrs to your right.

Eddie

 

Edited 5 June , 2017 by EDWARD1

[EDWARD1]

The rectangular shape in the corner of P14b

http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16&lat=49.8903&lon=2.5594&layers=101465326&b=1

[Frajohn]

Dear Eddie

 

Thank you for the links and information.

 

What I would really like to find is a trench map with the actual trench name, Kidney Trench,  marked on the map.

 

I am amazed that there are so many references to it in the Australian diaries but  I have yet to find a map with the actual name marked.

 

Again, thank you for your time.

 

Kind regards

 

John

 

 

[CROONAERT]

Not the greatest map in the world, but here it is marked on a map from Bean's 'Australian Imperial Force in France'...

 

Dave

[WhiteStarLine]

This extract does not name Kidney Trench but shows it about 1 km S of Pear Trench, at the intersection of Hun's Walk and Vaire Trench.  It appears in the unit war diaries for the 4th, 6th and 11th brigades AIF.

 

[Howard]

On this website, it says 'Situated to the south of both the village of Hamel and the Pear Trench, the Vaire and Hamel Woods were joined by a narrow strip of trees; the Hamel Wood was the northernmost of the two and situated in low ground that rose towards a hill where the Vaire Wood grew. To the west of the wooded area, on the other side of the road that linked Hamel with Villers-Bretonneux, the Germans had constructed a kidney-shaped trench, which the Australians had dubbed "Kidney" or "Vaire Trench".Occupying a commanding view of the ground to the west, over which the Australian infantry had to assault, the position was reinforced with barbed wire, and anchored with multiple machine-gun posts.'

Rat's Alley lists Vaire Trench as 62D SE1, P14 b and d

Here is a map of that area corrected to 7^th July 1918, I hope it is useful.

Howard

 

 

[Frajohn]

Thank you all for the input, your time is appreciated.

 

I will carry on looking for the elusive map. Not sure where to look next though. I have gone through all of the brigade and battalion diaries for the 4th Division AIF, as well as the TM and AFA.  I intend to visit the museum in VB as they have a number of trench maps.

 

Kind regards

 

John

 

 

[barkalotloudly]

there is a trench map of this area {june 1918] for sale on E*** at present showing this area but alas no Kidney trench!

[Guest]

I think this is it - using one of the above maps to highlight it I get this.

Basically with the top trench system being Pear, and looking for another enclosed (loopish) system to the west of the road.

 

(and I'm interested as I'm going there in September and hope to find where my Great Uncle died)

 

 

 

[EDWARD1]

As posts 2&3 almost a year ago