Daryl Posted 18 April , 2020 Share Posted 18 April , 2020 (edited) I have recently been fortunate enough to purchase a couple of original watercolours by Gunner F.J. Mears - Royal Garrison Artillery - BEF Over the last few days I have been overwhelmed with the research that I have been able to do. It has been a real eye-opener to realize what those poor soldiers went through. The watercolours have appealed to me since I first found them. They somehow bring home the atrocities of what each individual went through. I wonder how many agree with me by simply doing a search on his works. I am hoping that, with your help I may learn more about one of my pictures. Despite hours of studying so many wonder maps I cannot identify what must be the location detailed in the title of one picture. I have done all I can with the image, with my limited experience to enhance the writing. Mears signature & title is as ever written upside down as, to quote him, "with the world being up side down, why should his signature be any different" The final word is Ypres, could the previous word be chateau? Is the first letter of the first word perhaps P and not T as it first appears. I would love to know what it says and look forward to your comments. Thank you all, in advance. Daryl Edited 18 April , 2020 by Daryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 18 April , 2020 Share Posted 18 April , 2020 welcome to the forum may i suggest you change title to add something like"what does this say". Draws people in ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryl Posted 18 April , 2020 Author Share Posted 18 April , 2020 ahh, thanks for the advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 18 April , 2020 Share Posted 18 April , 2020 (edited) Ive had a look , some of his painting I rather like, but I have no taste it seems as liked the cheapest one Edited 18 April , 2020 by Coldstreamer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted 18 April , 2020 Share Posted 18 April , 2020 Could it be the White Chateau? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryl Posted 18 April , 2020 Author Share Posted 18 April , 2020 It's not great artwork... but I felt it to be very evocative. The exhibition .. Brushes with War: Art from the Front Line 1914-1918 Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum was created such that the exhibits were not artists, not even 'war artists' but amateur paintings. The images show the sentiment. It worked for me! Thank you for your reply. White Chateau? I'll give it some research, thanks for that one, Daryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted 18 April , 2020 Share Posted 18 April , 2020 There was a White Chateau. I haven't checked but IIRC it was Haig's HQ during First Ypres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryl Posted 18 April , 2020 Author Share Posted 18 April , 2020 White Chateau, also called Bayernschloss, or Chateau Mahieu, an impressive white castle about 1.5 km (1 mile) west of the Canal. It was where now the Palingbeek Golf Course. It's from an old post by Aurel Sercu Major-General Old Sweats 4,296 posts Location: Boezinge-Ieper (Ypres), Flanders It's looking good thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryl Posted 18 April , 2020 Author Share Posted 18 April , 2020 Douglas Haig Haig’s plan called for a preliminary attack on the Messines Ridge in order to straighten out the Ypres salient on its southern flank and to attract German reserves. This was executed on June 7, 1917, by the Second Army, under Gen. Sir Herbert Plumer. A strictly limited attack, made with true siege-war methods and based on preparations begun a year before, it proved an almost complete success within its limits. It owed much to the surprise effect of 19 huge mines that were simultaneously fired. I'm learning! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted 18 April , 2020 Share Posted 18 April , 2020 There was a famous incident in October 1914 at the White Chateau (it was Haig's HQ) and the nearby Hooge Chateau. If you are interested there'll be plenty of detail online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryl Posted 18 April , 2020 Author Share Posted 18 April , 2020 I'll follow up... I do enjoy the research! Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 18 April , 2020 Share Posted 18 April , 2020 If it's the White Chateau (at Palingbeek), could make out Palin....but not sure about the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryl Posted 18 April , 2020 Author Share Posted 18 April , 2020 Thanks mebu, I'm busy on Google and it's looking promising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Forge Posted 19 April , 2020 Share Posted 19 April , 2020 Hi Daryl, thanks for posting. FWIW, Haig's White Chateau is different to the one mentioned above - it was on the Menin road out of Ypres, shortly before you reach Hellfire Corner. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryl Posted 19 April , 2020 Author Share Posted 19 April , 2020 Interesting, thank you. More for me to research! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 16 May , 2020 Share Posted 16 May , 2020 (edited) Not sure I read White ...(Sorry, Daryl ....) What could be the very first word(s), before Chateau ? Does it begin with Th... ? (But I must say the image itself looks like White chateau ...) Aurel Added one and a half days later ... I agree : it reads "The White Chateau Ypres" indeed, I think. And I think it is the Chateau Mahieu (Palingbeek now), Hollebeke (actually the chateau was Voormezele), not the one near Hell Fire Corner Edited 18 May , 2020 by Aurel Sercu Addition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Davies Posted 16 May , 2020 Share Posted 16 May , 2020 (edited) Hi Daryl, thanks for sharing the picture, to me it captures the time and place. From memory of having looked at maps all round Ypres there are a number of "White Chateaux" The link here shows a picture of one. If anything comes to mind I will let you know. I suppose if you follow the long long trail,(see top of the home page GWForum) you might find where Gunner F.J. Mears was fighting at various times during the war and work it out from that. Regards, Bob. http://digitalarchive.mcmaster.ca/islandora/object/macrepo%3A4858 Edited 16 May , 2020 by Bob Davies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Davies Posted 16 May , 2020 Share Posted 16 May , 2020 (edited) A map here for you Daryl and all. Two Chateaux known as "White Chateaux". Hollebeke Chateaux to the west of the village of Hollebeke and White Chateaux to the north north east of Hollebeke just below the Ypres Comines canal. Hollebeke is top right on the map. Ypres is on the next sheet up to the n n east. Map is courtesy of Nat library of Scotland. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101464939 Edited 16 May , 2020 by Bob Davies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danBww1 Posted 4 August , 2021 Share Posted 4 August , 2021 Hi Daryl, Just an idea but Try turning it a 180 degrees. think it maybe a reflection thing and the feet are ground level Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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