Grantown

[BrianAW]

Hello

 

Can anyone identify the location of a camp called Grantown on the Somme in the vicinity of Bray?

 

Thanks

Brian

[George Rayner]

Apart from Grantown on Spey this comes up on Google

BOIS DES TAILLES	7/5/16 to 16/5/16		The Battalion remained in billets. 2nd Lieut B.L. Cumpston[1] joined the Battalion on 9/5/16. A draft of 50 Other Ranks joined Battalion on 13/5/16.
— " —	17/5/16		B & D Companies and Battn Headquarters proceeded to shelters at GROVETOWN – A & C Companies proceeded to shelters at GRANTOWN.

https://thelonsdalebattalion.co.uk/wiki/2nd_Battalion_War_Diary,_May_1916

 

which may give you a starting point

 

George

 

[brianmorris547]

And going on from the WD of 2 Border Regt I checked the WDs of 20 Infantry Brigade and HQ 7 Div for May 1916. Lots of mentions of Grovetown and Grantown without any map references. The best I could find was in the WD of 7 Div Signals Co RE in the form of two Circuit Diagrams showing Grovetown and Grantown with map references underneath. See page 123/281 which shows Grovetown at L 1 d 4 5 and Grantown at L 4 d 1 6

They can be plotted on this NLS map 62 D NE. They are both in the general area to the north of Bray. For reference the Bois Des Tailles is between Bray and Morlancourt to the north of the road (not marked on the map). 

Brian

https://maps.nls.uk/view/101465323

Edited 13 January , 2020 by brianmorris547

[WhiteStarLine]

Brian has done the hard work and here are the 2 points on a 1916 trench map.  They are 2.6 kilometres (2,850 yards) apart.

[brianmorris547]

Thank you. I knew from reading various WDs that Grovetown and Grantown were somewhere between Bray and The Citadel (now a Cemetery of the same name - see NLS map, square F 21 b). I would like to find some corroboration for the map refs. 

Brian

[Don Regiano]

On 13/01/2020 at 06:26, brianmorris547 said:

Thank you. I knew from reading various WDs that Grovetown and Grantown were somewhere between Bray and The Citadel (now a Cemetery of the same name - see NLS map, square F 21 b). I would like to find some corroboration for the map refs. 

Brian

 

Brian.

 

I did come across Grovetown some time ago either during some research (into 10 Lancs Fusiliers I think or, possibly, the first tanks) or reading someone's diary.  I seemed to remember it being described as "not a town; more like camps around railway sidings.  That would put it in L.1.b I think.  This is confirmed by Rats Alley which also refers to that square.  However, it also says Grovetown CAMP was in L.8 and 14.  I've been going through the 20th Brigade's war diary for June 1916 which makes several references to both Grovetown and Grantown, the former at one time being Brigade HQ and a relief area for battalions when out of the line.  However, presumably because of their size, no reference was given until I got to this page:

 

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/60779/43112_1653_0-00000?backurl=&ssrc=&backlabel=Return#?imageId=43112_1653_0-00384

 

You will see it puts Grantown at L.4.a.8.9 and there's also a reference to "East of Grovetown"  I'll keep on reading to see if there is anything further.  I also came across this some time ago:

Regards.

 

Reg

 

 

[brianmorris547]

Reg

Thank you

Brian

[Don Regiano]

This map also shows the area with the railway traversing and the sidings:

 

 

[Don Regiano]

Well, just to add a bit more to the possibility of Grovetown being fairly widely spread, the 16th (Irish) Divn war diary for September 1916 has a reference to Grovetown being in L.8. a & b as the position of the 77 and 177 Bgdes RFA.  At the time, the Divisional HQ was at Forked Tree (L.2.a & b) just prior to moving to Minden Post.  So I guess the arean of "Grovetown" really was quite spread out.

 

Maybe someone has more expertise on the location.

[mikebabes15]

Very interesting reading all the above.  My great grandfather Herbert Middleton was with 95 Field Company RE and was based at Grovetown Camp whilst his unit worked on the camp and  various Trenches in the area along with work at Grantown.  This was from 18th April 1916 till the end of June 1916 according to the unit war diary's.  It states that they also had help from infantry regiments such as the 'Queens', 50 gunners from the RA and a pioneer company, I think 24th Manchester Pioneer Company.

[Don Regiano]

2 hours ago, mikebabes15 said:

I think 24th Manchester Pioneer

 

Yes, 24th Manchesters war diary confirms they were in the area at the time.  For the month of June it locates itself at Bois des Tailles.  Most of the work seems to have been north of Grovetown in squares F11, 16, 17 and 22, basically on the slopes above Mansel Copse, including doing work for various RE companies.  However, towards the end of the month there is more reference to undertaking work at Grovetown and there is a specific reference to 95 Field Company RE on 30 June. "A" Company was attached to 95 RE.

Edited 23 May , 2021 by Don Regiano

[Don Regiano]

Map from 24 Manchester war diary June 1916, for completeness but not adding much:

 

[mikebabes15]

On 23/05/2021 at 17:58, Don Regiano said:

Map from 24 Manchester war diary June 1916, for completeness but not adding much:

 

 

         Hi  Thanks very much for that information, very interesting to see the map from the 24th. 

[mancpal]

The 24th Manchesters were also known as the "cotton town comrades". There is a book about their war available 

 

Simon

Edited 26 May , 2021 by mancpal
Glaring spelling error.