KIRKY Posted 19 January , 2005 Share Posted 19 January , 2005 I am visiting Somme in March and want to spend some time around Caterpillar Valley. There is a famous photo of the Cavalry all lined up and info always says they are in Caterpillar Valley before their attack on High Wood. Does anyone know where exactly this was taken? Was it in fact in front of Bazentin La Grand or in between Death Valley and The Quarry Cemetery down from Montauban? Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 19 January , 2005 Share Posted 19 January , 2005 Do rember that strictly speaking there is no public access to Caterpillar Valley, and that it is widely used for shooting, especially at weekends. Most farmers, as I know you know, won't mind you walking on the boundaries of fields with no crops in, or through the edge of the trees that line the valley. Although in the latter area take care as there are some areas marked 'piege' - traps (although, not man traps!). Surprisingly there isn't much to be seen here, either of the German 'sangars' that once lined the banks, or any of the British positions that no doubt filled this natural piece of cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRKY Posted 19 January , 2005 Author Share Posted 19 January , 2005 Thanks Paul, your advice is well recieved and we always respect the land we are on. This is so important in order to keep the farmers "happy" We used to visit the field next to Quarry Cemetery towards Catterpillar valley and it was always had bits of of war debris but a couple of years ago they filled/covered it with what I presume was landfill, it was mainly bits of plastic and poly bags, is this common as it has ruined a good walk. On question of the cavalry, any clues ( you were always my best bet for this one!) Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 19 January , 2005 Share Posted 19 January , 2005 Tony I believe the Deccan Horse are lined up on the open ground to the right of the Red Dragon Memorial with Bottom Wood in the distance behind them. I will try and sort a picture out. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRKY Posted 19 January , 2005 Author Share Posted 19 January , 2005 Thanks Terry, you were my other bet! Are you going to somme this March? I am there 10th to 14th and 28th to 31st, got an extended pass this year! Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 19 January , 2005 Share Posted 19 January , 2005 Hi Tony I am looking at some time in March, but nothing booked yet. I am going over towards the end of April with a big party from Knowle in a 21 seater coach and we are staying at Auchonvillers. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 22 January , 2005 Share Posted 22 January , 2005 I think this is the picture that you were refering to Tony. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burlington Posted 22 January , 2005 Share Posted 22 January , 2005 I am going over towards the end of April with a big party from Knowle in a 21 seater coach and we are staying at Auchonvillers. Terry What are your dates? I am at Avril's 25-29 April. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRKY Posted 22 January , 2005 Author Share Posted 22 January , 2005 Terry thats the one! When you say they are lined to the right of the Dragon have you got Mametz Wood behind you or are they lines up in the valley going towards Flat Iron copse? Have you done much walkinmg around that valley? Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burlington Posted 22 January , 2005 Share Posted 22 January , 2005 Tony In this picture, Mametz Wood is on your right. The cavalry are therefore facing East North East, with Mametz Wood on THEIR left. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burlington Posted 22 January , 2005 Share Posted 22 January , 2005 This plan is from '148 Days on the Somme', Barry Cuttell, and marks the various locations very clearly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 22 January , 2005 Share Posted 22 January , 2005 Hello Tony Mametz Wood is behind. If you stand on the high ground where the Red Dragon Memorial is situated it stands a chance that was where the photographer took the picture from. I have been down Caterpiller Valley a couple of times. We walked along what would have been the route of the narrow guage railway from Quarry Cemetery along the valley towards Mametz Wood.The slopes, where caterpillar wood lies, are very steep and pocketed with old shellholes. Paul was right there are numerous 'hides' amongst the undergrowth that shotgun hunters use. Luckily for us it was out of season. Once we realised we could not get any further down the valley (fenced off) we climbed up the slope in Caterpiller Wood and as we cleared the wood we walked the edge until we came to the Red Dragon memorial and from there made our way up the track past Flat Iron Copse Cemetery. Cheers Terry p.s. Martin I will be there 21/22/23 April. PPs another picture of the Decccan Horse on the track where the artillery are parked on the previous picture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 22 January , 2005 Share Posted 22 January , 2005 If that is Bottom Wood in the photo then Mametz Wood is to the right of the photohrapher. Bottom Wood was on the same southern side of the battlefield as where the Red Dragon is located: so it cannot have been taken from there. Personally I think the Deccan Horse are sitting in this bit of ground below and are look towards where the Dragon now stands. Would be interesting in others thoughts on this: it's just, for me, the geography doesn't look right if the photo was taken from the site of the Dragon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 22 January , 2005 Share Posted 22 January , 2005 Terry: I think the bit of woodland they are passing is the original of the wooded area you can see jutting out on the right of my photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 26 January , 2005 Share Posted 26 January , 2005 Just bumping this up as I think it is an interesting one; would be interested to see where others think this photo might be and what Terry C himself thinks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 26 January , 2005 Share Posted 26 January , 2005 Actually I was surprised to see the first picture. Is there any sense when it was taken? I would assume early in the war...1914-15. First of all there appears to be limited damage to the surrounding terrain, and since there is presumably the anticipation that the cavarly will break out in the coming offensive it would also lend it to a picture from earlier in the war. The size of the unit clustered together seems odd since a well placed HE would do tremendous carnage. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 26 January , 2005 Share Posted 26 January , 2005 Andy - no, it is taken in July 1916. This area had only seen limited fighting and generally the Somme battlefield hadn't been churned up at this stage in the battle. It has to be post-1sy July '16 as this was behind the German lines before that! You point about being gathered together is a valid one, which makes me think this was taken in the spot seen in my modern photo. If it was any further up the valley they were in danger of being spotted from the direction of High Wood. Here, as you can see from the terrain in both photos, they are 'protected' to an extent. At this stage we also had air superioty, so direct spotting from German aircraft would have been unlikely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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