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Remembered Today:

Shaft in DODO WOOD


Arne Vandendriessche

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Hello everyone,

A British man told someone I know that a shaft was dug in dodo wood near dozinghem to find water. That shaft was later backfilled with earth. I'd like to have the location of that shaft to see if there are any traces left. The shaft was probably dug in 1917. The man was able to tell where he was because he saw it as a child, but unfortunately he is now deceased and the location is still unknown. @brianmorris547 Do you think there's still stuff about that in that WD that you get the other information from? All information is welcome. @WhiteStarLine  do you have aerial photos or interesting maps of this area? I know you have a large collection ;-) .I'll also try to say which troop probably dug the shaft. The coordinates of Dodo wood are : 27.F.11.c.03.88

http://www.tmapper.com/

If anyone has drawings from such shafts to search for water, they are certainly welcome. Then I can estimate a bit how big that was. If I have some more info I might be able to find something more with the strategy I explain here.

 

Arne

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There is a feature (pond ?) close to Dodo Wood at F10b 3.2 which is not on 1915/16 or 17 trench maps but appears on 1918  July Map. 

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Arne

The War Diaries of 134 Army Troops Co RE (WO 95/328/3) and 135 Army Troops Co RE (WO 95/546/4) record that they arrived in Proven in April 1917 to work on the Yser Water Scheme under the orders of the OIC Water Supply, 2nd Army.

On 26/04 135 ATC sent 50 men to work in F 11 c

From 01/05 to 01/06 134 ATC worked on the Reservoir at F 11 c 1 7 (sheet 27 NE). 

Brian

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Bedankt
normaal is het in het bos, het was bij een grote boom, waarschijnlijk  op een hoek van het bos, maar dat is niet zeker.

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Arne

The WDs of 135 Army Troops Co RE also include WO 95/546/5 which are supporting documents. They include some photographs of the Water Works at Haringe. The notes only start in July 1917 so they do not include work on the Reservoir at F 11 c. They explain how the pipelines were pushed forward north of Poperinghe.

I can not find a War Diary for the OIC Water Supply 2nd Army or anything else about the Yser Water Scheme. Perhaps someone can help.

When we think of a reservoir now we think of somthing the size of a lake, but on an old map of my home town Blackpool I have seen a large water tank in a bus depot marked as a reservoir. 

Brian

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Attached is an aerial photo where you can probably see the water storage just on the edge?

Arne

 

 

tank.png

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Arne

That is about the size I would expect to see. There should still be some bricks there. Above it on your photograph was the railway line (no longer there) which ran west to east. Compare the photo to this close up Sheet 27 NE F 11 C and the current map Ieper 27-28-36 1:50 000. Note the position of the Hollebeek on both. 

Brian 

001.JPG

002.JPG

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Has anyone ever seen in a war diary of the royal engineers a plan of a shaft dug to find water? Please send me a PM.

Arne
 

 
 
 

 

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The only WD that I could find for a Water Supply Officer was WO 95/1007, 1 ANZAC Corps. I downloaded 1007/1 which covers 1917 and it refers to a number of RE Units. I will read the WDs and see if I can find anything.

Brian

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  • 1 month later...
On 28/10/2021 at 09:18, brianmorris547 said:

OIC Water Supply 2nd Army

Brian,

What is OIC the abbreviation for?

Arne

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Arne

Officer in Charge or Officer in Command.

Brian

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