Some photos from the Somme today

[Frajohn]

A few photos for those missing the Somme, just as the poppies are coming out.

 

Kind regards

 

John

 

Looking towards Mametz  wood

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Frajohn]

Around the Ulster Tower

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Frajohn]

Connaught & Mill Road Cemeteries

 

 

 

 

[Fattyowls]

Brilliant John, hope all is well in Martinpuich.

 

Pete.

 

 

[Frajohn]

Hi Pete 

 

thank you, all well in Martinpuich, just as quite as normal. It is such a shame that people still cannot visit the battlefields. It is so beautiful at the moment with the weather fantastic.

 

kind regards

 

john

 

[Fattyowls]

1 hour ago, Frajohn said:

all well in Martinpuich

 

Good news. I find myself thinking about food a lot during these interesting times and as soon as I saw your post I started thinking about Mrs K's breakfasts and your signature scrambled eggs; and that's before I remember the quality of the coffee and the croissants. Please pass on my best to your good lady wife.

 

Pete.

 

P.S. I had a look for your previous poppies posts to link to from the virtual photo tour thread that I set up. I failed, so in the words of my school reports I must try harder.

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

12 hours ago, Frajohn said:

Mill Road Cemetery

 

 

 

Hello John - Interesting how the original location of the War Stone and its base still show up so distinctly after all these years.

Tom

 

[Fattyowls]

15 hours ago, Tom Tulloch-Marshall said:

Interesting how the original location of the War Stone and its base still show up so distinctly after all these years

 

I'd never have noticed that Tom, now you mention it the shape is remarkably clear. My eyes were drawn to the crest to see if there was any trace of the Schwaben redoubt visible in the crops. Do you know the story of what happened to the war stone?

 

Pete.

[303man]

1955 Image of the area.

[Fattyowls]

2 hours ago, Fattyowls said:

Do you know the story of what happened to the war stone?

 

Of course closer inspection of the graves lying flat should have been a giveaway; presumably subsidence of the works below. Put it down to brain fade on a hot day - Doh!

 

Pete.

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

7 hours ago, Fattyowls said:

 

I'd never have noticed that Tom, now you mention it the shape is remarkably clear. My eyes were drawn to the crest to see if there was any trace of the Schwaben redoubt visible in the crops. Do you know the story of what happened to the war stone?

 

If you look at the IWGC survey drawing above, 6th and 7th rows of headstones right of the War Stone you will see a concrete entrance to a German dugout which was yet to be removed. This "clearly" went down to underground workings which were the cause of the instability which led to the problems with headstones and the War Stone and caused the area of flat headstones which you see today and the eventual removal of the War Stone.

 

Mill Road Cemetery No.2 (as it was then called) was started early during 1917 and at the end of the war contained "only" 260 burials. I've long-since wondered, given that the underground conditions were known, why it was expanded so much rather than the existing burials being exhumed to Connaught Cemetery - which could have easily been made much larger than it is.

 

It might be worthwhile looking at the "cemetery file" for Mill Road in the CWGC archives to see if the underground workings are mentioned - though those files tend to be disappointing. CWGC/7/4/2/18219 might be worth a look though.

Tom

[chaz]

Thanks John

X11.A.9 at Connaught visible, normally would have seen great uncle Arthur by now.

[keithfazzani]

Thanks John, marvellous pictures, thanks for sharing. I truly wish I were there. The poppies from seeds I have collected in the past are not yet quiet in flower, but will be shortly and we will be a reminder of past visits. All the best to you both and looking forward to normal times whatever and whenever that means.    

[Fattyowls]

On 01/06/2020 at 00:18, Tom Tulloch-Marshall said:

It might be worthwhile looking at the "cemetery file" for Mill Road in the CWGC archives to see if the underground workings are mentioned - though those files tend to be disappointing. CWGC/7/4/2/18219 might be worth a look though.

Tom

 

Thanks Tom, that link looks like a goldmine. I have a long term interest in Ovillers as I think a young subaltern of the Cameronians called Malcolm Fraser might be in there so I'll check that one out too. I have John's photos coming up as my laptop background and now you mention it I suspect that Connaught could have taken a lot more graves even without expanding the boundaries. Perhaps most of the bodies were at the top of the hill and Mill Road was closer. Ever since I started going to cemeteries in the early 90's I have tended to look at the landscape rather than the cemetery, maybe that will change when I get the chance to go back.

 

Pete.