'Dead End' at Ypres, site of 164th MG Coy HQ July 1917

[Mark Hone]

During the massive German bombardment of Ypres on 12th/13th July 1917, former Captain of Bury Grammar School,  Lt. John Hartington MC,  was mortally wounded by a piece of 4.5 " shell from the detonation of a battery ammo dump near to his Machine Gun Company's positions. By examination of the relevant War Diaries I have established that this occurred in the vicinity of the end of the canal north of the Menin Gate, known unsurprisingly as 'Dead End'. Unfortunately I haven't got an exact grid reference for the 164th MG Company HQ.  We have visited John's grave at Lijssenthoek on previous school tours but this year I thought I'd include a stand at Dead End itself. I've walked past the site a couple of times over the years but never stopped for a closer look. Does anyone have more detailed knowledge of possible points of interest?

John is one of the school's old boys currently featured in a display at the Fusilier Museum in Bury:  'Stories of Fallen Swans'. 

Edited 14 February , 2020 by Mark Hone

[EDWARD1]

According to McMasters, NLS, and the NA British Trench Map Atlas, Tattenham Corner (Dead End) is 28NW4 I2c1.5  (50 51` 29" N, 2 53` 04"E.)The canal end.

Dead End Camp is 28NW4 I2c1.8

[Mark Hone]

Edward, thanks for that but I think that must be a different 'Dead End'. The 55th Division War Diary indicates that 164th Brigade was established on the east side of the city in mid-July, with forward elements in Potijze and Brigade HQ in the ramparts of Ypres and on the canal bank. On a previous thread it was established that this must have been in the area north of the Menin Gate, where a canal also comes to an abrupt stop. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be labelled as 'Dead End' on contemporary trench maps. 

Edited 14 February , 2020 by Mark Hone

[EDWARD1]

The WD for the 164th Inf Bgde on the 12th states that 3000-4000 shells into NORTHERN YPRES.3 guns of a 4.5" How battery and the ammunition dump which contained a number of gas shells fired. The explosion from this dump caused considerable damage to our M G HQ close by.

I would say the Menin Gate is more Easterly than North

Then again there may be more Dead Ends

 

 

[WhiteStarLine]

30 minutes ago, Mark Hone said:

area north of the Menin Gate, where a canal also comes to an abrupt stop

The areas cited by Edward (and also found in Rat's Alley) seem to be north of Menin Gate and where the canal comes to an abrupt stop.  A brigade takes up a fair area and the positions are 2.2 km west of Potijze.

 

[Mark Hone]

Thanks for this. Yes, I'm beginning to be convinced. A pity that as far as I can tell a grid ref isn't given for MG Coy HQ. 

[mebu]

Dead End certainly is the end of the canal north of Ypres. Can't find a marked map at present; attached is an American history, which puts the camp at the end of the canal - at the location stated by Edward.

 

Peter

[mebu]

Whoops sorry, didn't attach map.

[WhiteStarLine]

Nice work mebu and Edmund.  My measurement puts the centre of the filled circle in Dead End Camp at Sheet 28.I.2.c.25.81, in accordance with Rat's Alley.  This now aligns with 3 GWF forumites and a number of authoritative references, so your school should be reasonably confident when you stand nearby!

 

[Mark Hone]

Thanks. I  am grateful to you all for clearing up my misconception that the 'Dead End' in question was the one just up from the Menin Gate. The new location fits in better with the part of my provisional itinerary taking in the canal area: Essex Farm, Hull's Farm, Bard Cottage and the canal bank opposite International Trench.  I just have to work out the best place to stop the coach near the end of the canal....

Edited 15 February , 2020 by Mark Hone

[Chris_Baker]

The war diary of the divisional adjutant includes statements of locations. This is 8 July. Unfortunately there is then a gap to 22 July by which time the brigade has been relieved and moved to Watou. TNA WO95/2909. Crown Copyright.

 

 

[Mark Hone]

Thanks, Chris. That throws things into a bit of doubt again. The location of Brigade HQ given in the War Diary is exactly in the area I originally thought that John Hartington was wounded-i.e. near the end of the short spur of the moat which  leads north from the Menin Gate. Of course that doesn't mean that the MG Coy HQ was also located there. It's a pity I haven't yet managed to find a grid reference for the 4.5" battery whose ammunition dump was detonated in the bombardment.  Thank you all again for your help with this and thanks also to the creators of the marvellous tMapper. 

This is a link to my current entry for John Hartington on our school Roll of Honour. In the light of the contents of this thread, I may have to amend it:

http://bgsarchive.co.uk/Filename.ashx?tableName=ta_boys_rollofhonour&columnName=filename&recordId=58

 

Edited 15 February , 2020 by Mark Hone

[brianmorris547]

On 14/02/2020 at 20:35, mebu said:

Whoops sorry, didn't attach map.

Thanks for that

I have been reading the WD of 431 Field Co RE (66 Div) who were based at Dead End Camp N Ypres in October 1917. The Co was working on the Wieltje to Gravenstafel road and in particular laying a plank road from Spree Farm (Sheet 28 NW C 18 d 3 4) to Kansas Cross Roads (Sheet 28 NE D 14 a 3 2). I could not find Dead End Camp.

Brian

[Mark Hone]

Thanks for this further contribution. Fingers crossed, I am planning to revive the Battlefields Tour in 2022 after a two year Covid-imposed hiatus. The itinerary will be very much based on that intended for October 2020, so if the location of John Hartington's wounding could be finally established that would be very much appreciated. 

[mebu]

Dead End most certainly is the area around the end of the canal. I have seen it on maps  - maybe in a WD somewhere - but despite having looked I cannot find it marked. 

For a map reference for the MGC, have you tried the related Divisional diaries? they often have lists of locations of units.

Peter

 

PS Div CRE refers to shelling of ammo dump on 12th July, visits "Dead End of Canal" couple of days later.

Edited 3 November , 2021 by mebu
added

[brianmorris547]

12 hours ago, Mark Hone said:

Thanks for this further contribution. Fingers crossed, I am planning to revive the Battlefields Tour in 2022 after a two year Covid-imposed hiatus. The itinerary will be very much based on that intended for October 2020, so if the location of John Hartington's wounding could be finally established that would be very much appreciated. 

Mark

I have the July 1917 WD of 19 Corps A&QMG (WO 95/963/3) and I checked for lists of Unit locations with no luck. On p 87/137 however there is A&Q Summary no 38 which shows that 36 Div Artillery att 55 Div arrived on 06/07/1917 and were in locations G 5 c 7 5 and G 4 d 8 2. There are other A&Q Summaries from p 64 to  p 87 which show Artillery arrivals but these were mainly RGA Units. 

I wondered if the Howitzer Bty might be 36 Div but the WD of the CRA 36 Div (WO 95/2494/1) July 1917 is missing, the same for 153 and 173 Brigades RFA according to Discovery. The WD of 36 Div A&QMG (2494/3) has no mention of the Artillery move.

Image courtesy TNA (WO 95/963/3 - 19 Corps A&QMG p 87).

Brian

[Mark Hone]

Thanks for all of this. I can only conclude that John Hartington was fatally wounded somewhere in the vicinity of 164 Brigade HQ, which was situated at I.8.a.9.6, as per 55 DIV Divisional Adjutant's War Diary (cited by Chris Baker), in the ramparts north of the Menin Gate. It would be nice to ascertain the exact position of the ammunition dump which exploded but we have probably got as far as possible. Thank you all for your assistance and to Brian for his recent trawling of artillery WDs. 

[A Lancashire Fusilier by Proxy]

I am uploading a photograph of John Hartington's headstone at Lijssenthoek Cemetery, which I visited earlier this year. I am guessing that the crescent-shaped piece of wood may have secured a wreath or photograph laid by @Mark Hone's school party in 2022.

In the data base in the excellent Visitor Centre at Lijssenhoek there is a photograph of John Hartington's MIC and a newspaper cutting regarding his MC, but, surprisingly, nothing about the circumstances of his death, Or any of the other information that Mark has uploaded on the Bury Grammar School's Roll of Honour http://bgsarchive.co.uk/Filename.ashx?tableName=ta_boys_rollofhonour&columnName=filename&recordId=58 

I have mentioned elsewhere on the site my grandfather's connection to John Hartington as a fellow ex-pupil of Bury Grammar School and fellow officer in the 2/5th Lancashire Fusiliers when they first went to France in May 1915 https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/252640-captain-austin-patrick-hudson/#comment-2553804 

 

[Mark Hone]

Thanks. We did indeed visit John's grave on our October 2022 school tour (my 29th and last) as well as the probable site of his fatal wounding identified on this thread. The present-day School Captain laid one of the new recyclable wreaths available from the CWGC  as well as placing briefly on the grave the School Captain's Medallion (the same one which John himself wore) and John's Military Cross. It was a very poignant moment. The wooden crescent shown in the photograph is the Royal British Legion's Muslim counterpart of the poppy cross. Although we did have some of them with us ( along with those for other faiths),  I do not recall one being placed there at the time. Incidentally, further along the same row is buried 2nd Lt. Gilbert Verity,  an old boy of Manchester Grammar School and friend of Lt. Thomas Hope Floyd , who was wounded just before the start of 2/5th LF's attack on 31st July 1917. 

Edited 24 June , 2023 by Mark Hone

[brianmorris547]

In February 2000 Edward 1 posted that there was a reference to the explosion of gas shells in the WD of 164 Infantry Brigade. I have looked at the WDs of the 55 Div RFA Units which are in WO 95/2914 and 2915. Again July 1917 is missing. I also checked the WDs of the Divisional TMB and DAC which are in 2915 with no result.

WO 95/2919 contains the WD of 2/1 Wessex Field Ambulance who were at Red Farm G 5 a 9 3. On 12 and 13/07/1917 it reported heavy gas shelling of Ypres Canal Bank (Dead End) and the delayed effects of the mustard gas. The numbers who passed through the FA are shown again in the WD of 55 Div ADMS, which records that some of the casualties were partly due to the explosion of the gas shell dump. It also contains this map which I have cropped.

Courtesy TNA WO 95/2912.

In November 2021 I posted that 431 FC of 66 Div RE were at Dead End Camp in October 1917. They moved there on 06/10/1917 and on 25/10/1917 moved to a camp at G 15 a 0 0.

The WD of 66 Div CRE for October 1917 has a March Table showing that 431 FC left their location at I 1 d 4 6 and went to G 15 a 0 0. The other Field Cos were in I 2 and I 7. 

Dead End Camp was at I 1 d 4 6.

Brian

[Mark Hone]

Thanks, Brian. This looks definitive to me. How do you think that this matches up with what I have written on John Hartington's Roll of Honour entry in the School Archives:

http://bgsarchive.co.uk/Filename.ashx?tableName=ta_boys_rollofhonour&columnName=filename&recordId=58

 

Edited 28 June , 2023 by Mark Hone

[brianmorris547]

Mark

I did read it and what a good account. I have only recently visited Bury and Heywood Libraries in order to assist Tricia. It's a pity that we can not identify where the dump was. I thought that the Div TMB WDs might offer a clue.

Brian

[Mark Hone]

Our visit to John Hartington's grave in October 2022.

[A Lancashire Fusilier by Proxy]

@Mark Hone and @brianmorris547, thank you for your posts.

I can confirm that I have greatly benefited from Brian's visits to the Heywood and Bury libraries.

Regarding John Hartington, in the Lijssenthoek Visitor Centre database there was a photograph of someone whom I assumed to be a BGS pupil standing behind the headstone, with a wreath in front of the headstone, and the same medallion as that shown in Mark's latest photograph looped over it, also a book resting against its base. I think that the photograph must have been taken on an earlier visit by BGS, as the wreath is different to that shown in Mark's latest photograph (not the recyclable variety).

I had not known that the crescent was the Muslim equivalent of the poppy cross, so thank you for that. If it was not laid in October 2022 it looks as though someone else apart from BGS and myself is remembering John Hartington.

If I had known that Gilbert Verity's headstone was nearby I would have made a special visit further along the row, as I too have read Thomas Hope Floyd's At Ypres with Best-Dunkley.

It seems that the location of Dead End is pretty well established from the previous posts, so what follows probably won't add much, and I am sure, Mark, that you will be aware of the reference to Dead End in At Ypres with Best-Dunkley in his diary entry for 4 July 1917 in Chapter IX, but for completeness I will just set it out here.  He says:

After tea Beesley and I went up Durham Trench to Wieltje - the strong point on our front line at present held by "C" Company. the headquarters of a company of the 1/4th king's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment is also down the mine at Wieltje. We went down here and saw Captain Mordecai, Agnew and Verity ... We stayed there for a few minutes and then went into Dead End, the front line trench. Here we saw Francis ... and Walsh and I sat and had a chat with them there. These trenches are very pretty - the parapet and parados covered with grass and flowers. In fact they seem to have become natural features in the geography of the district. We returned via New John Street to our Company Headquarters in Bilge Trench for dinner.

I am not very good at searching for specific trenches, even with the help of Trenchmapper, but I am sure that Floyd's narrative will either fit with what has already been flagged up as the probable location of Dead End, or, if not, it may be a different one.

As for Mark's 29 school trips to the battlefields , this is an impressive record indeed, and it means that many, many ex BGS students will have benefited from his knowledge and enthusiasm for the history of WW1. Does the changing of the guard mean that these trips will now lapse, or will they continue under new leadership?

Tricia

 

[Mark Hone]

The photograph in the Lijssenthoek Visitor Centre is of the 2004 School Captain (John was Captain in 1914) during the 10th Anniversary BGS Battlefields Tour. That was the year we also dedicated a plaque to the school war dead during a special service at St George's Menorial Church in Ypres. I provided the photographs and other information for the opening of the Visitor Centre in 2012. We had hoped to send a school group to the opening but this was not possible in the end. 2004 was our second visit to John's grave but we have done so on several occasions since. The booklet in the photograph is the 2004 tour guide book; each of the 29 tours had a different itinerary and guide book. 

Sadly, the school Battlefields Tour will not be continuing, at least in the short term. It may be revived at a future date. 

 

Edited 28 June , 2023 by Mark Hone