Trench map annotations ? First Field Survey CO RE (1903) (1954)

[brett361975]

Just spent the morning looking at some trench maps of Vimy Ridge. Both maps are marked with the names of the trenches and the trench lines marked in red.

The bottom left hand corner reads - 1st Field Survey CO R.E (1903) and on the second map 1st Field Survey CO R.E (1954)

Would anyone know what the 1903 and 1954 mean ? obviously it cannot be a year as the trenches were not there in 1903 and long gone by 1954

Can anyone help please ? got me stumped this one !

Thanks in advance,

Kindest regards

Brett 

[Knotty]

Hi Brett

Just going to take a wild stab and suggest that it refers to a map catalogue production number specifically to the 1st Field Survey Co.

Awaiting other possible suggestions

John

[brett361975]

Knotty, 

thanks for your reply, I’ve been looking at them as year dates all day so production number could be right .

 

thanks again

kind regards

brett

[WhiteStarLine]

12 hours ago, brett361975 said:

production number could be right

@Howard will know for sure!  I checked some primary sources without sucess, but it is certainly  not a date...

[brett361975]

Thanks White star line, much appreciated, 

Here is the 1903 and as I said the other is 1954

Kind regards

Brett

Edited 13 July , 2021 by brett361975
added info

[WhiteStarLine]

Spoke to @Howard re this.  He scanned several thousand trench maps many years ago and found too many variations between Field Survey Companies and Battalions to come up with a rule.  He also briefly consulted Dr. Peter Chasseaud’s 'Artillery’s Astrologers':- Chasseaud lists all sorts of detail about 1st FSC right down to named officers and section level activity but no clues about the number.  The book illustrated a few maps and showed the numbers but without explanation, as far as he could see.