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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Burial return, extra reference.


Philip Squire

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My great grandfather George Fletcher was KIA 23 august 1918. He is now buried in Bailleul. His Burial return shows his original burial as being on Sheet 28.M21 which I understand. The reference has the added information: b9.2 which I don't understand. Can anyone shed any light on this? 

 

I met my Great Grandmother, his widow as a small child and I inherited a good real of paperwork from his military service, his medals etc etc. There was a family story that he'd been injured and was in a hospital that was shelled and was killed. He seems to have been posted to another unit at the time of his death as the war diary of his regiment places them a good distance away at another part of the front.

 

The trench maps of this area show red German(?) trenches in this area at this time.

 

George's record is at the very bottom of the attached image.

 

I'd be very grateful for any pointers. 

 

Phil

concentration.jpg

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The squares e.g M21 are divided into 4 500yd squares marked a,b,c,d going from left to right, square 6 on some maps shows this. These squares are then divided into tenths and using the SW corner as the origin 9.2 would be nine tenths east and 2 tenths north, to give a more accurate reference. The colour of the trenches was swapped over in early 1918 so on later maps enemy trenches are in blue.

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1 minute ago, ajsmith said:

The squares e.g M21 are divided into 4 500yd squares marked a,b,c,d going from left to right, square 6 on some maps shows this. These squares are then divided into tenths and using the SW corner as the origin 9.2 would be nine tenths east and 2 tenths north, to give a more accurate reference. The colour of the trenches was swapped over in early 1918 so on later maps enemy trenches are in blue.

Fantastic! I really appreciate the quick reply! I shall have another look at the maps with this information! Oh and thanks for shedding light on the trench colours! I did wonder. 

Regards

Phil

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4 minutes ago, Philip Squire said:

shedding light on the trench colours!

It's caught out most trench map researchers I'm sure, I guess if you were on the ground at the time it was pretty obvious which was which and didn't cause confusion.

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According to his battalion war diary (2/17 London Regiment) 6 other ranks were killed that day whilst working with 171 Tunnelling Company. It's possible one of them was your man.

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12 hours ago, ajsmith said:

According to his battalion war diary (2/17 London Regiment) 6 other ranks were killed that day whilst working with 171 Tunnelling Company. It's possible one of them was your man.

I found the War Diary for the 2/17. It seems likely that he was one of those KIA that day. I'll look for the 171 dairy to see if that can shed any light on the day's events. 

Edited by Philip Squire
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Phil, this is where his body was exhumed from:

 

image.png.00f5617f78fc5021e8d73c28dcd3fe81.png

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1 minute ago, WhiteStarLine said:

Phil, this is where his body was exhumed from:

 

 

Ah, I had it further to the east by the yellow pin next to the Tobin Buildings but I see you have used the correct map reference. I really appreciate your help! 

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I found the 171 war diary but although it says "in the field" for August the diary only relates the transfers in and out of troops and men going on leave and being sent to hospital sick. It's unclear to me where they were "in the field".

 

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