Rest Camps - Western Front

[yorksburnett]

I am in the process of transcribing a precis of a period of 18 months in the war diary of 23rd Coy MGC. There are a number of entries which give the locations as Camp 16, Camp 17, Camp 117 etc. It would appear that these were rest camps - is that correct? Is there any record available of exactly where these camps were?

 

Bill Burnett

[Ian Riley]

I think there is a difference between camps where a whole unit (or sub-unit such as 23 MGC) might be billeted when out of the line and something formally named as a 'rest camp' to which individual soldiers might be sent to recover from low-level  injury or illness without being sent back through the casualty evacuation chain. It seems to me that reinforcement drafts might also come into a division through a rest camp (later being formally termed a reinforcement camp)

Edited 23 November , 2018 by Ian Riley

[yorksburnett]

Thanks Ian

 

I understand what you're suggesting - I think!  The 23rd MGC were certainly at these numbered camps at times when they were out of the line but looking at the kind of activities that took place while they where there the men probably worked harder in these camps than they did when they were in the field. It was a change from being in the front line but far from restful! My poor choice of words.

 

Why were these camps given numbers rather than locations?

Edited 23 November , 2018 by yorksburnett

[Ian Riley]

The areas behind Ypres and behind Poperinghe in 1917 were sown thickly with camps that units occupied when they were out of line. They could then spend a fair amount of time on various working parties or carrying parties. The ones in that area were all named 'Dirty Bucket Camp', Derby Camp' Red Rose Camp' etc and others simply lettered A, B, C etc. What area are you looking at?

 

[yorksburnett]

23rd Coy MGC had been at Epaumesnil in the Somme region for several weeks before going back into the field, via Camp No.12 and Camp No.16, near Fregicourt, on New Year's Eve 1916. The company was relieved on 10 Jan 1917 and proceeded to Camp No.117 before going into billets at Vaux. 

[Colin W Taylor]

Bill,

 

If you subscribe to Ancestry you can search for keywords within the 'War Diary' section for the Western Front.  Searching for 'Camp 117' gives a number of units that were there and in some cases the location 'Camp 117' comes with a map reference ('L13 C 8.9') or more detailed location ('near Suzanne').  Doing this for the other locations should provide similar results.  I have a few to look up in this way as well.  I'd suggest posting the coordinates and locations on here if you find them so that others can benefit from your research.

 

I hope this helps

 

Regards

 

Colin

Edited 24 November , 2018 by Colin W Taylor

[Ian Riley]

21 minutes ago, Colin W Taylor said:

 

If you subscribe to Ancestry you can search for keywords within the 'War Diary' section for the Western Front.  Searching for 'Camp 117' gives a number of units that were there and in some cases the location 'Camp 117' comes with a map reference ('L13 C 8.9') or more detailed location ('near Suzanne').  Doing this for the other locations should provide similar results.  I have a few to look up in this way as well.  I'd suggest posting the coordinates and locations on here if you find them so that others can benefit from your research.

 

Colin,

 

I have just realised that I have about 30 or 40 map referenced 'camps' in the area behind Ypres and Poperinghe, all extracted from War Diaries and plotted onto my Google Earth. Perhaps I need to do something like you suggest,

 

Ian

Edited 24 November , 2018 by Ian Riley