David_Blanchard Posted 30 October , 2019 Share Posted 30 October , 2019 I am trying to identify a pill box attacked on 24 December 1917 just north of 5 Chemins Sector north of another pill box named Colombo House. Not sure if this bunker has a name. It is marked on a map produced in the History of the 35 Division during the attack here on 22 October 1918. I have looked in Oldham’s book on pill boxes but doesn’t appear to be included. I enclose an extract from a trench map where it is and a report on the action here in December which provides coordinates. Any help appreciated. Thanks David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 31 October , 2019 Share Posted 31 October , 2019 David I have had a look for any info on the pill box in question but unfortunately cannot find anything. As it looks to be in a cluster of others, and seems to have stayed more or less on the front line, it is quite likely that like the others it remained unnamed by the British. The Germans probably had it numbered. Attached is German map of the area, with a Lager or store nearby it looks like they didn't think the group of shelters important. Sorry can't give more info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 31 October , 2019 Share Posted 31 October , 2019 Hello, If I'm not mistaken, the bunker shows very well on the pic in the book "Het onbarmhartige Bos" by Eddy Lambrecht (published by me) on page 100... Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 31 October , 2019 Author Share Posted 31 October , 2019 Thanks for your help- Mebu. Jan- is there any chance you could send me the photograph? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 31 October , 2019 Share Posted 31 October , 2019 Jan, I would be pleased to see the photo also, either on this thread or by message. Thanks, Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Posted 31 October , 2019 Share Posted 31 October , 2019 (edited) This might help. Full size one here. Sadly the photo date is a bit late. The separate map shows trenches corrected to 15/1/1917. Howard Edited 31 October , 2019 by Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 1 November , 2019 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2019 Howard, Brilliant- thanks very much for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 1 November , 2019 Share Posted 1 November , 2019 The 15th Sherwoods reported an empty pill box at U.6.a.4.7 on 22nd October. The same day the 16th Cheshires reported hostile fire from two pill boxes at U.6.a.40.35 and U.6.a.55.70. Very clearly a cluster of pill boxes. The 35th Divisional HQ diary may hold some further clues I’ll have a look later when I’m back home. From memory the McMaster Archive have several aerial photos that cover the area. J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 1 November , 2019 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2019 Tried to find 35 Division WD on Ancestry with no luck. Thanks for the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 1 November , 2019 Share Posted 1 November , 2019 Found an aerial shot of the area. Have located what I think is the pill box at the map reference given, it's at the tip of the blue patch (tried to do a circle round it but the technology failed me). I know it's not the picture you originally requested, best I can find. Jan AOK said he had a picture to post? Peter owls wood 2.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 1 November , 2019 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2019 Excellent thanks for your help. I wonder if anyone has the book he mentioned? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 2 November , 2019 Share Posted 2 November , 2019 Hello, I was the publisher, but the picture is not mine to share. I'll make a pic of the mentioned page later today and post it though. Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 2 November , 2019 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2019 Hi Jan, no problem - thanks for getting back in touch. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 2 November , 2019 Share Posted 2 November , 2019 As promised, a pic of the ilustration from the book "Het onbarmhartige Bos" by Eddy Lambrecht. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 2 November , 2019 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2019 Brilliant thanks very much. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 2 November , 2019 Share Posted 2 November , 2019 Good picture, seems to show the same structure as in the aerial I posted. However, re-looking at David's co-ordinates of 6a 30.65 the one in the aerials is at 6a 45.70, in the middle of the wood. David's position is shown as on the edge of the wood, by what appears to be a footpath. This would put it in the area somewhere in the red circle attached. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 2 November , 2019 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2019 Thanks, Peter- map coordinates were never my strong suit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 2 November , 2019 Share Posted 2 November , 2019 Just had a look on tmapper, Scottish maps etc.Interesting (well for me anyway) Have just looked at the site through google earth, Scottish library, tmapper etc. All show, the map reference given, 6a 30.65, an empty field. However all show, at the other reference, 6a 45.70, a strip of green area with a solid something that looks very much like the remains of the pill box in Jan's photo. A pale coloured square, with what may be rubble next to it. Photo (sorry it's b/w, not sure why) attached. Sorry cannot post pic as site won't accept tif file but anyone looking will see it clearly. Wish I was due over to have a look. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 2 November , 2019 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2019 Hi Peter- must have driven past last week en route to Valdslo - do you think there could still be remains in the field? ps are you Peter Oldham? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 2 November , 2019 Share Posted 2 November , 2019 David, think it unlikely there will be remains of the one at 6a 30.65, looks like a ploughed field. However it looks very much like the remains of the other one, in the photo, are there. Peter PS yes that is my name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 2 November , 2019 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2019 On a separate note- do you know much about the German bunkers in the Bois des Buttes? i am in the process of researching a second book about the Aisne Battle focusing on the Battle in the Wood- Bois des Bittes- which still has a large underground tunnel system and a number of bunkers and OPs- built by the Saxon regiment stationed here in 1915 and 1916- but it has proved difficult to find any sources or documents with regard to the building of these structures. Just wondering if you have visited the area at all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 2 November , 2019 Share Posted 2 November , 2019 (edited) Known/recorded locations of pill boxes in U.6.a. The star indicates the 2/7th Liverpool's post U6 No.9 Edited 2 November , 2019 by jay dubaya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 2 November , 2019 Share Posted 2 November , 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 2 November , 2019 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2019 This is brilliant thanks for all the work you have put into this post- just wondering where did the set of photographs of pill boxes come from? David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 2 November , 2019 Share Posted 2 November , 2019 Good post Jay, interesting report and some good info. Confused though by 2/7 Liverpools, unless that was earlier, with 57th Div? Certainly 35th Div had a hard time there. I presume the green dots are references from a WD? In which case the one that looks like its remains are the second from the right. There certainly were quite a number of structures in this area, many were photographed after the fighting, many being turned into post cards as these attached. The problem is determining precisely which is/was which. Peter owl6.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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