French Map Reference - Reburial at Marfaux British Cemetery

[johntanner]

Can someone help me with the location of the original place of burial on this COG? The fact that all the burials are recorded with crosses suggests it was one of the cemeteries concentrated into Marfaux but the French reference defeats me.

 

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/309092/GEOFFREY PHILIP ELLIS/#&gid=2&pid=1

[johntanner]

I’m now fairly certain that the French map reference for the original burial site was around Ville-en-Tardenois. I’ve trawled all the Bn and Bde war diaries for a relevant map extract, found a couple close - to the south west where the line was later in June - but not around there. Anyone able to help?

[johntanner]

So, with a sheet of plain paper, and extrapolating from the closest extract I have, recognising that the COG, suggests he was buried in a cemetery and that he died from wounds, the location is: NANTEUIL-LA-FOSSE MILITARY CEMETERY (Marne), made by Field Ambulances: 38 soldiers (and 16 French), May-July 1918.

[LDT006]

There are a lot of French maps here:

https://francearchives.fr/fr/findingaid/49c59e299cdde24f8f60d607b1ce31954f27f0ee

 

I tried to find the location using the map location but it's difficult, google maps has Nanteuil-la-fosse to the NE of Reims and the coordinates don't match.

It is very confusing when town names were changed, Nanteuil-la-fosse is now Nanteuil-la-Foret south of Reims, Sigh......

Finally found the correct map: Epernay: https://archives.marne.fr/ark:/86869/a011358428085JTTPnI/1/1

This confirms that your assumption is correct and this map allows you to find the exact location.

 

 

 

Regards,

Luc.

[johntanner]

Luc

Fantastic, many thanks.

 

John