Kiboko Wood Cemetery

[MDPMicahDominicParsons]

Hello everyone,

I am planning a return trip to France for when the pandemic is over and I was hoping to get some advice. I have an interest in old battlefield cemeteries which were later relocated and I have located a battlefield cemetery which I wish to record in my research, I was wondering how it would be possible to go about doing this? I have been to the location many times and have photographed the area but I seem at a loss of what else I can do to really learn more about this site and it's relation to the battlefield especially with its location in relation to an event which occured on Sunday 4th February 1917.

I have been trying to figure out why many dead were placed there following the aftermath of a raid but from that point forward it was never used again.

I really hope to get some further advice and ideas of how I can further research this location.

Best Wishes,

Micah Dominic Parsons

Edited 17 July , 2021 by MicahDominicParsons

[thetrenchrat22]

Micah 

 

the white cross touring atlas of the western battlefields, show the cemetery as no 860 

 

It would seem that the original cemetery was moved to Assevillers New British Cemetery 

 

it would be best to contact the CWGC 

 

Alan 

[thetrenchrat22]

The is another post on this forum and the title of the post is 

 

La Maisonette Biaches.  Graves help

 

this mentions Kiboko Cemetery 

 

 

[MDPMicahDominicParsons]

Hello The Trench Rat,

 

Thank you so much for your help. I have never seen this map before and this has helped me confirm my location of this cemetery. Thank you so much for your help. Was there any further information that accompanied this map?

Best Wishes,

 

Micah Dominic Parsons

[Dost]

Hi Micah

I have visited Kiboko Wood as my Great Uncle was one of those, from the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, killed on 4th Feb 1917.  He was buried there temporarily, but was exhumed and moved to Assevillers Cemetery in 1920.

There are two small copses which lie to the north of the Flaucourt to Biaches road, about half way between the two villages.  Bandika Wood is slightly larger and is closest to the road, Kiboko Wood is to the north-east of Bandika.  There is a track from the road to Kiboko Wood and the wood itself is unfenced (photo attached).

I have not been able to discover where the temporary burial site was in relation to the wood.  My thought is that the graves may have been dug to the west of the wood, using it as a screen from the fighting to the east - but this is just a guess.  At the time of my visit, there was a small pile of rusty munitions at the edge of the wood which looked as if they had been recently ploughed up, so the site may have been in use prior to the battle.

Hope this helps and, if you haven't been to France already, enjoy your trip.!

Regards

Dost.

 

[LDT006]

Kiboko Wood British Cemetery is on an old CWGC list with their map references, see extract below and it's location on a trench map.

Hope this helps,

Luc.

[MDPMicahDominicParsons]

Hello Dost,

Thank you so much for your message. I was wondering who your relative was who was killed in action during the raid by The 1st Prussian Guards which took place on Sunday 4th February 1917?

The area surrounding Kiboko Wood is really fascinating. Kiboko Wood was used as brigade headquarters and was located close to a supply dump which was called Warwick Dump which was located in the same field as the Biaches French Military Cemetery. This area would have been a hive of activity in February and March 1917. 

In relation to where the Kiboko Wood Cemetery was located, I believe it was located at a similar place as indicated by the map posted by LDT006. There is a small line of trees which lead to Kiboko Wood and I believe that this is the area was the actual burial area for the men of The 1/6th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment. It must have been a huge undertaking to move these men back from the front line located at La Maisonette to this area but I believe this decision must have been taken due to the conditions of the ground around La Maisonette. There are a number of accounts which state that the ground was frozen and that the trenches were collapsing. It must also be noted that after Sunday 4th February 1917, most men who were killed in action whilst serving with The 1/6th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment were buried close to where they fell. 

I really hope that this information is of use to you and I really hope that we will be able to catch up in the near future.

Best Wishes,

Micah Dominic Parsons

 

[Dost]

Thank you both Luc and Micah.

We hope to return to Walter's grave next year and will be sure to pay another visit to Kiboko Wood, armed with your new information.

Best wishes.

Do.

[MDPMicahDominicParsons]

Hello Dost,

It is great to hear that you are planning another visit to Kiboko Wood. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance in regards to any questions that you may have about the area and the events that took place in and around Biaches in February 1917 and March 1917.

Best Wishes,

Micah Dominic Parsons

[Chris Coling]

Some wonderful information in this thread. Thank you. I have visited the grave of my namesake and great-uncle, Pvt Christopher Coling 1/6 Warwks in Assevillers on a number of occasions, but only recently discovered the Kiboko Woods link.

I am taking my father and my newly discovered American brother to visit  the graves of all three of my great uncles lost in the Great War [Namps-au-Val, Crossroads, and Assevillers cemeteries], and the above will help me greatly in putting some meat on the bones of Chris' service and death.

Thank you all again :-)

[MDPMicahDominicParsons]

Hello Chris,

It is absolutely amazing that you have been able to visit Christopher Coling at Assevillers New British Cemetery.

I was wondering if you needed a map to help you locate where Kiboko Wood in?

I really hope that we can keep in touch as I have been working on a project which focuses on the lives of the men who served with The 1/6th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment between July 1916 and March 1917.

I really hope that we will be able to catch up again in the future!

Best Wishes,

Micah Dominic Parsons

[Chris Coling]

Hi Micah, I will take anything you can offer up to help in this regard.

We are visiting the graves of the three brothers Coling who were lost in the Great War. 11323 Sjt Philip Coling RFA [Namps-au-Val], 11322 Cpl Arthur Coling MM RFA [Crossroads], and 21008  Pvt Christopher Coling 1/6 Warwks [Assevillers]..

I want to be able to furnish my brother and father with a printed sheet or two with as much additional info as is possible to glean between now and September, so anything you have would be a bonus. I believe Kiboko Wood is now known as Bois Marc. I think I have it pinpointed, but confirmation would be great.

Thanks in advance.

[MDPMicahDominicParsons]

Hello Chris,

You are totally correct in saying that Kiboko Wood is now known as Bois Marc. There is a track and as you walk down the track to Bois Marc you will see the French Cemetery just to the right of the cemetery in front of the cemetery was a dump which was known as Warwick Dump and I believe the entry up to the front line was around this area. I must mention that Kiboko Wood was where brigade HQ was usually located so there was lots of activity around this area.

The reason that Kiboko Wood Cenetery came into being was due to the raid on 4th February 1917, due to the amount of casualties and the ground being frozen hard and the need to clear the trenches it was decided to move those who had been killed back to this area for burial. You notice following Sunday 4th February 1917 that all men are pretty much buried in front of the front line from that point onwards.

I would also recommend visiting La Masionnette to see the location where the raid took place.

Best Wishes,

Micah Dominic Parsons

 

Edited 29 July , 2022 by MDPMicahDominicParsons

[Chris Coling]

Hi Micah,

Apologies for late reply.

If you have any map work that includes the specific location of Kiboko Wood and La Maisonette I would be most grateful.

Thanks in advance,

Chris

[WhiteStarLine]

@Chris Coling if you use the free TrenchMapper service from the Western Front Association (members get larger zoom levels and a free download), you can see Luc's location for the original cemetery (yellow pin), the wood and La Maisonette, all on the same map.  If you have a tablet / laptop with wireless or GPS with you, you can switch on Location once you get close and find exactly where you are on the original trench map or modern map.  There are 37 georeferenced maps of this area.

Kiboko Wood: 49.921679, 2.887520
Biaches, Péronne, Somme, Hauts-de-France, Metropolitan France, 80200, France
Great War reference 62c.H.36.a.02.54

[Chris Coling]

thank you very much!

 

[Chris Coling]

Greetings all,

With my father and brother, I made the trip to visit the graves of my three great uncles.

Biaches and La Maisonette proved most interesting. I attach two pictures of the rebuilt La Maisonette, plus one of my great uncle and namesake, Christopher Coling. We also visited his grave at Assevillers Cemetery.

Thank you for your help, otherwise the three of us would not have known about Kiboko Wood and the German raid.

[Michelle Young]

@Chris Coling was at Assevillers today so said hello. 

[Chris Coling]

thank you. Our cross is still there too :-)

 

[Michelle Young]

@Chris Coling

[MDPMicahDominicParsons]

Hello everyone,

It has been absolutely incredible to learn a little of Christopher Coling’s experiences during his time with The 1/6th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

I really hope that I will be able to find similar stories from surviving family members of the men who served with The 1/6th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment in the near future!

Best Wishes,

Micah Dominic Parsons

[Chris Coling]

Thank you so very much. I have since found out that Chris was working in the fields with his father, my great-grandfather, when they had a severe argument. Chris downed tools , packed up his things, and went straight to a recruiting office. His father never spoke to him again. Apparently, he was the stubbornest of stubborn men, even though Chris did have home leave.

[MDPMicahDominicParsons]

Hello Chris,

This is an absolutely fascinating story to hear!

I have to admit that having had a small insight into a few of the men who served with The 1/6th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, I have been totally fascinated by the drivers range and backgrounds that all these men came from!

Thank you so much for sharing this story with me!

Best Wishes,

Micah Dominic Parsons

[Chris Coling]

Thanks. The Coling family from Grandborough [near Southam] sent four men to serve their country and, sadly, none came home. There were two other groups of Colings, one from Normanton, one from Kent, and I think we have some connection with the latter as I was contacted by a lady from Kent many years ago. [NB I was always told that we sent five to the war, three brothers and two cousins. My father's failing memory means I do not know the identity of the fifth [cousin] or if indeed he is a figment of someone's imagination.]

Arthur, Philip, and cousin John Thomas joined the RFA.  Chris joined the Royal Warwickshires as you know. I have taken my father to visit the three brothers on two separate occasions, the cousin just once [Rouen]. The last occasion I took him was the visit I researched with help from the above persons, and we were accompanied by my new found brother from the USA.

I prepared three documents to help them understand more about Chris, Phillip, and Arthur. I don't think I'm breaking any rule by attaching them here if anyone cares to have a gander.

Once again, thanks for all the help I received :-)

PHILIP.pdf JTC.pdf CHRISTOPHER.pdf ARTHUR.pdf

[Chris Coling]

Further to the above, my father now remembers the details as Thomas Coling [died 2/11/18] who is listed as 3rd Btn, The Worcester Regiment as the missing cousin. He did not reside in Grandborough though, so is not featured on the memorial there. I have not yet researched him obviously :-)