Guest tintin Posted 5 June , 2003 Share Posted 5 June , 2003 I wonder if anyone can help. My Gran's brother, so his comrades informed her family, fell and was buried 3 miles outside Bethune on the banks of the La Bassee canal. Is the canal still active? Can you walk along the tow path? He fell with 4th Bn MGC in the early part of the Battle of Bethune in 1918 and there is now no known grave. Can anyone recommend a book on this battle. Has anyone been to Bethune? Is it a big place? Is it on the railway? I am thinking of going, but have never been abroad on my todd so any advice would be most welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 5 June , 2003 Share Posted 5 June , 2003 The La Bassee canal is still active, and there is a tow path you can walk along. Bethune is on the main railway line from Calais, but it can be reached from Lille via Hazebroucke I think. You can check with http://www.sncf.com/ I am not sure where 4th MGC were in April 1918, but I though the area around the La Bassee canal was defended by 55th (West Lancs) Division - they were one of the few units that did not give up ground in April 1918 and the position was held. There are some MGC experts on this forum who will no doubt add more to this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 5 June , 2003 Share Posted 5 June , 2003 Bethune itself is a decent enough little town. There are a few hotels and plenty of cafes and restaurants, especially those arranged around the main central square. It's quite lively on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening. It has a railway station, and is on the lines from Arras and St Omer, so you can travel there pretty easily from the Channel ports, or Paris. If you are driving it is less than an hour by autoroute from Calais. The canal area where the fighting was is a few miles out of town. You could hire a bike (this is often a feature of railway stations in Europe). Warning: there is not much by way of any catering, and no accommodation that I now of, in that area. You can't get a sandwich for love nor money on a Sunday or Monday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Michael Orr Posted 5 June , 2003 Share Posted 5 June , 2003 I don't think there is a book on the Battle of the Lys itself, nor is there a divisional history for 4th Div (4th Bn MGC was the divisional MG battalion). References in the Official History (1918, Vol 2) indicate that 4th Div was originally in reserve "behind Arras, 20 miles south of Bethune" & was at 4 hours notice to move on 12 April. It was ordered to Lillers by bus on 12 April & the MG Battalion left at noon. The Division was in the line along the La Bassee Canal north-east of Bethune from 13 April until the end of the battle. Its sector, according to the OH maps ran from near Hinges to just south of Robecq. I think the only way to get more detail about the battle would be to check the divisional war diary and the machine gun battalion war diary in the PRO in the WO 95 series. If you can get there they should give you a good idea of the sector involved. There are British cemeteries at Hinges and Mont Bernachon near the canal & I suppose there must be a chance that your great uncle ended up in an unidentified grave there. Good luck. Michael Orr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tintin Posted 6 June , 2003 Share Posted 6 June , 2003 Very, very many thanks for your kind and helpful replies.I am very impressed with the quality of the information and the speed of delivery. I am hoping to go later this year. I will send back report of how I get on. I now have two of the three brothers pretty much tracked down (the two that were killed), the third was taken prisoner (after being gassed and then ran through with a sword) and had a dreadful time. One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the astonishing accuracy of my Gran's memory, the recent book "The Baby Killers" showed her account of the Zeppelin attack on Loughborough was spot on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 7 June , 2003 Share Posted 7 June , 2003 The La Basse canal area is a very interesting (and under-visited area), fought over in both wars. I included it on my 2000 Tour, which unfortunately has gone down in History as 'The Monsoon Tour' We did go to the canal and saw where Rommel staged his assault crosiing and also went to where a grandfather of one of the boys on the tour was captured in the 1940 rearguard, The 1940 actions are well-covered in After The Battle Publications' 'Blitzkrieg in the West: Then and Now' (Sorry for straying from the Great War) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedley Malloch Posted 26 June , 2003 Share Posted 26 June , 2003 Bethune itself is a decent enough little town ... (snip) ... Warning: there is not much by way of any catering ... (snip) Give over, Chris: Bethune is home to one of France's finest restaurants. The Meurin et Residence Kitchener has two rosettes in the Red Michelin Guide an award which makes it one of the top 100 restaurants in France. Its specialities are: frog ravioli (I am not joking), Saint-Jacques aux chcons and beignet de maroilles. It also has rooms. And with a name like that it has to have a Western Front connection. But a word of warning: take lots of money. Lots and lots of money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 26 June , 2003 Share Posted 26 June , 2003 There's a very good chip van that stands just outside the Hotel La Coupole, for those who can't stretch to the Michelin job ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 26 June , 2003 Share Posted 26 June , 2003 Hedley you have never lied to us before but frog ravioli , and in France too... Let's take a vote! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steve Seaman Posted 26 June , 2003 Share Posted 26 June , 2003 If you want a lively Friday night try a bar called the Irish Yob which is situated opposite the clock tower in the Town square. It is run by an english chap and when I went last May it had its fair share of merry WW1 enthusiasts. As regards something to eat , we managed a find a decent cheap pavement cafe on a Sunday , again located in the square. I cannot remember the name but it's on the corner and one of the few places open and next door to a bar advertising exotic dancers! Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Beckett Posted 27 June , 2003 Share Posted 27 June , 2003 I had a great Aunt who was born in 1915 and died 1981 who was named (and I kid you not) St Margaret La Bassee Hall. I always wondered where the La Bassee came from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Steele Posted 27 June , 2003 Share Posted 27 June , 2003 I had a great Aunt who was born in 1915 and died 1981 who was named (and I kid you not) St Margaret La Bassee Hall. I always wondered where the La Bassee came from. Perhaps thats how Shirley La Bassee got her name..... 'Goldfinger.... !!!!' *** sorry I'll get my coat *** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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