1914 maps of Belgium are these military

[arantxa]

To have about 40 of these are they military 

[chaz]

As they are dated pre start of the war, I suspect they were civilian maps held in a library,  school or council office. They would then have been collected up after the outbreak to stop assisting invading forces. Looks like a set rather than a few area maps like the trench map sets  that can be bought nowadays. Not a clear enough picture to try to pick out key establishments such as bases, early airfields etc.

[AOK4]

In those days, that kind of maps was mainly meant for the military or for other officials. I am doubtful whether these were ever available to the public. The maps are the standard 1/20.000 series, which both the Germans and the Allies later used for the basic data during the war.

[healdav]

Even today in Belgium, 1 in 20,000 maps are regarded as a military secret. Some years ago I needed a whole series of maps for walks I was organising in the Ardennes, so I went to a shop in the town across the border from me.

"Oh no", they said, "We aren't allowed to sell those maps, they're a military secret. You have to get them from the Tourist Office". And it wasn't a joke. You do have to get them from a Tourist Office. Problem is that each Office only sells the maps for its area. To get the whole Ardennes you have to go to each individual Office.

It took me a whole day driving to get them.

That's Belgium.

[Ron Clifton]

It may be relevant that the Belgian Ordnance Survey was evacuated to Britain, complete with its printing plates, at the outbreak of war in 1914, and apparently co-located with our OS at Southampton. This meant that the BEF could very quickly be provided with accurate maps of Belgium, on which later British map revisions were based.

 

Ron

[arantxa]

Thank you.  It was just one of those oddity’s I bought an auction on a whim 

[RobertBr]

arantxa

 

Well I seems to have 4  Secret Maps!

I bought them to trace my Grandfathers route through Belgium in the lead up to the Armistice.

Unfortunately I have been unable to locate one place 'Nagun/Noyun' or similar (its difficult to read his Diary entry).

 

I suspect the name may have changed since 1918, so I have been looking out for wartime maps. The are in question is South of Mons along the Belgium /France border from

Athis to Quevy-Le-Petit. Do any of your maps cover this area.

 

Bob

 

[arantxa]

I will have a look over the weekend and let you know