uncle bill Posted 11 February , 2005 Share Posted 11 February , 2005 Hello I've just aquired two French salient maps, one July 1915 Boezinghe- Pilkem. The other more from the flooded areas down to Ypres itself. Does anyone know which French units were here at these times ? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle bill Posted 18 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 18 February , 2005 putting this one back up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 18 February , 2005 Share Posted 18 February , 2005 'Bill', Sorry, I must have overlooked your first posting. And being interested in Boezinge maps (my village) ... Your question is a little surprising, for in July 1915 and 1916 there weren't any French troops. There had been of course, at the time of the gas attack (22 April 1915) and the 5 or 6 weeks after that. But from 8 June on the French 153 DI, 152 DI and 45 DI were replaced by British units in the south, and Belgian units north of Steenstrate. Except, if my information is correct, in the sector Steenstrate - Het Sas (Steenstrate = where the road Ypres - Diksmuide crosses the Yser canal ; Het Sas = the lock, 1.2 km south of it.) The French later came back, and east and northeast of the village centre, together with the British troops who were southeast of the centre, they launched the Battle of Pilkem Ridge (31 July 1917). However I'm not sure since when they had arrived back in the area. Probably not before July 1917. And these French troops must have been 1 DI and 51 DI. I would be extremely interested in seeing the maps you have (I'm not asking anything, for I know scanning would be a technical problem). Just this : do they have a name on top ? Or : what is the north, west, south and east edge of the Boezinge-Pilkem map ? And : what exactly is meant by "the flooded areas down to Ypres" ? (Do you mean the flooded areas north of Diksmuide (Dixmude) ? Is it a map from the Belgian coast down to Ypres ? Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 18 February , 2005 Share Posted 18 February , 2005 And : what exactly is meant by "the flooded areas down to Ypres" ? (Do you mean the flooded areas north of Diksmuide (Dixmude) ? Is it a map from the Belgian coast down to Ypres ? Aurel. The "permanently" flooded areas also extended south of Dixmude. This map shows their southern-most reaches (almost reaching Steenstraat). Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 18 February , 2005 Share Posted 18 February , 2005 Thanks, Dave. For making me panic ! For Steenstrate is only 2 km from where I live, and it has just started to rain ! But you're right. I should have known. But then, that little bit of flooding is so normal here ... (Photo Fr. Pyck) Aurel (keeping his feet up) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 18 February , 2005 Share Posted 18 February , 2005 Hello I've just aquired two French salient maps, one July 1915 Boezinghe- Pilkem. The other more from the flooded areas down to Ypres itself. Does anyone know which French units were here at these times ? Thanks Hello, You're sure they're French maps and not Belgian maps (Plan Directeur)? Regards, Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest paultimmins76 Posted 18 August , 2005 Share Posted 18 August , 2005 Hello I've just aquired two French salient maps, one July 1915 Boezinghe- Pilkem. The other more from the flooded areas down to Ypres itself. Does anyone know which French units were here at these times ? Thanks <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hello Bill, I'm interested in your trench maps. Any advice on where I could get other copies? I'm interested in tracing the whereabouts of 1/5th PWO West Yorks who were in this area up to at least 23 July 1915 (the day my gt-uncle was killed). These maps may go some way to helping when I get in touch with the Regiment. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 18 August , 2005 Share Posted 18 August , 2005 Paul, That's correct. 1/5 WYR on 1st July was in Proven (northwest of Poperinge On 4 July still in Proven. On 7 July 1/5 and 1/7 WYR (were in 146th brigade) relieved troops of the 4th Div. (43 km) north east of Ypres. I think that this brigade was on the Canal bank, (now the Boezinge industrial estate, where Yorkshire Trench and Dug-out is), or immediately southeast of it. (First line crossing the Pilkem road and going farther to Turco Farm. (The sketch is in E. Wyrall, The West Yorkshire Regiment in the War 1914-1918, p. 143, and in E. Tempest, History of the 6th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment, Vol. I, p. 60. The 49th West Riding Division remained in that area until the end of 1915. Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 18 August , 2005 Share Posted 18 August , 2005 Paul, Just in case you haven't found out yourself yet. 1/5 WYR : - 20 July : 2 (fatal) casualties - 21 : 4 - 22 : none - 23 : 2 (among them George Timmins ; the other man was DoW) - 24 : none - 25 : 1 So : no major action at the time. (Which I already knew. After 10 July the fighting died down dor a while). Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle bill Posted 18 August , 2005 Author Share Posted 18 August , 2005 I have since sold the mpas but can put you in touch with the guy who bought the Boesinghe map. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 18 August , 2005 Share Posted 18 August , 2005 Uncle Bill, Yes please, on or off Forum. I 'd like to know the name, date etc. of the map in the first place. (Just to know in how far it is a well known map or not. I mean : whether they have it in the Ypres documentation Centre.) Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest paultimmins76 Posted 19 August , 2005 Share Posted 19 August , 2005 I have since sold the mpas but can put you in touch with the guy who bought the Boesinghe map. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yes Please Bill, or alternatively where you bought the maps from. thanks Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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