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Remembered Today:

Questions about 45 CCS


Buffnut453

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According to my Great-Great Uncle's service record, he was wounded on 2 July 1916 during the second day of the Battle of the Somme and was treated the following day at 45 CCS.  This prompts a couple of questions.

Firstly, most records show that 45 CCS didn't arrive in France until September 1916.  Presumably those records are incorrect and the unit was in France earlier?

Secondly, I understand 45 CCS was located at Edgehill near Dernancourt.  However, does anybody out there have a map reference for the location?  Presumably it was close to the site of the Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension?

Any additional insights/corrections would be hugely appreciated.  I plan to visit the Somme next month and am interested in seeing the actual locations where my Great-Great Uncle was known to be in 1916.

Many thanks,
Mark

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44 minutes ago, Buffnut453 said:

Edgehill near Dernancourt.  However, does anybody out there have a map reference for the location

@Buffnut453, Chasseaud gives the reference for this as Edge Hill [station; Dernancourt area], 62dNE [1 Dernancourt] E 20 b, so somewhere within the marked square (unless it is specifically the railway station surrounds, which is logical for a CCS). @TEW will know!  The trenches marked are from 1918 (you can guess the country that named Emu trench and Culcairn trench) so not relevant to your story.

image.png.c70644bf8ea3221d7f32aa3dac7c2d0c.png

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The usual Pension letter source does seem to be wrong with dates and location.

The 45 CCS diary says they're at Vecquemont. I've looked through and see no details of location.

I found a DMS diary with a large scale map that shows 45CCS on the SE side of Vecquemont. Better maps show a Halte on the SE side, 62d.O.7.central.

I checked 34 & 56 CCS diaries as they were also in Vecquemont during July 1916. An area of grassland is the only description given by 34 CCS.

Lucknow CCS who arrived 3/7/16 say they were shown were to camp by the OC of 45 CCS and told to take charge of a shed near the station (must be the Halte) for reception of light cases.

45CCS moved to Edgehill 4/9/916.

TEW

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Many thanks for all the responses that are helping me piece together the story.  It seems I'm not the only one who was confused over the location of 45 CCS in July 1916. 

Based on the unit's War Diary, Vecquemont seems to be the place, although it's a long way back from the fighting which seems odd to me (approx 24km from La Boisselle to Vecquemont, the former being the area where my Great-Great Uncle was wounded on 2 July) .  Then again, it sits on the railway line between Albert and Amiens so, presumably, evacuation of wounded over that distance was somewhat simplified.  He was first treated at the 34th Division Collection Station which, presumably, was much closer to the front line.    

Edited by Buffnut453
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According to the ADMS 34th Division the Divisional Collecting Station was at Dernacourt, same railway line from Albert.

TEW

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7 hours ago, TEW said:

According to the ADMS 34th Division the Divisional Collecting Station was at Dernacourt, same railway line from Albert.

TEW

That makes perfect sense, TEW.  The 19th Division, of which 9th RWF was part, had been in reserve on 1 July and was brought into the front lines on 2 July due to the losses sustained by the 34th Division.  Thus my relative's route from the front line was via Dernancourt to Vecquemont before ending up at the 11th Stationary Hospital, Rouen, on 4 July.

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On 27/08/2021 at 11:04, Augustin said:

Here is a picture of the place in question

297408435_dernancourtx16_1_orig(2).jpg.9e9f453f03495056b6be342426abce47.jpg

 

Many thanks for that image, Augustin.  Do you have a date or source for that image?  It clearly shows Dernancourt, the view being generally eastwards, and the railway line running across the image.  

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 Indeed this photo shows Dernancourt well, it is dated 30 May 1918, I found it on a military cemetery distribution site but you can find it on the Australian war memorial 

Accession Number A01058

Augustin

Edited by Augustin
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I went to have a look at it, it has 192 photos of Dernancourt, some are aerial you can clearly see Dernancourt and the railway line.

Augustin
 

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Many thanks for the pointer.  I'll go and have a peruse.

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