Bernafay Trench

[Don Regiano]

I have been asked to post the following:

"The war diary for 27^th July 1916 for 14^th Gloucesters talks of them going into support in Bernafay Wood and then on to support in “Bernafay Trench”, from whence they are digging support trenches. There is no hint as to where “Bernafay Trench” is relative to the wood but I suspect that it would have been east to south-east of the wood. It isn’t listed in Rats Alley and searches on the www have so have failed. Can anybody ID it ?"

I have failed to find it also.

[brianmorris547]

Op Order from the WD of 105 Infantry Brigade WO 95/2485. 

I have a map in one of the RE WDs I will attach it.

Brian 

EDIT Map of Montauban from the WD of the CRE 9 Div 

I had a look in the WDs of 20 LFs and 104 Infantry Brigade. It just refers to Bernafay Wood Trenches. The Op Orders for 104 IB are signed by a certain Captain B L Montgomery, Brigade Major.

Edited 29 October , 2021 by brianmorris547
additional info

[Don Regiano]

2 hours ago, brianmorris547 said:

Op Order from the WD of 105 Infantry Brigade WO 95/2485. 

I have a map in one of the RE WDs I will attach it.

Brian 

EDIT Map of Montauban from the WD of the CRE 9 Div 

I had a look in the WDs of 20 LFs and 104 Infantry Brigade. It just refers to Bernafay Wood Trenches. The Op Orders for 104 IB are signed by a certain Captain B L Montgomery, Brigade Major.

Many thanks Brian.  Very helpful.  I will pass it on.

Regards.

Reg

[brianmorris547]

The WD of 35 Div Commander Royal Engineers 26/07/1916 records that at night 204 Field Co with 300 Infantry dug an Assembly Trench from S 29 a 7 8 to A 5 b 7 4 and a Support Trench southwards from Trones Wood. On 27/07/1916 at night 204 FC with 500 Infantry dug a second Support Trench southwards from Burnafay (sic) Wood. There is also a report in the 35 Div HQ General Staff papers of the work carried out by 105 Infantry Brigade.

I thought that I had made a note of where there was a map of Bernafay Wood in a RE War Diary but I can not put my finger on it.

Brian

[Don Regiano]

12 hours ago, brianmorris547 said:

The WD of 35 Div Commander Royal Engineers 26/07/1916 records that at night 204 Field Co with 300 Infantry dug an Assembly Trench from S 29 a 7 8 to A 5 b 7 4 and a Support Trench southwards from Trones Wood. On 27/07/1916 at night 204 FC with 500 Infantry dug a second Support Trench southwards from Burnafay (sic) Wood. There is also a report in the 35 Div HQ General Staff papers of the work carried out by 105 Infantry Brigade.

I thought that I had made a note of where there was a map of Bernafay Wood in a RE War Diary but I can not put my finger on it.

Brian

Thanks Brian.

Via an intermediary (!), I have also been asked to convey thanks to you from the person who was seeking the information.

Reg

[brianmorris547]

Thanks Reg

I did a search in the Western Front Forum for Bernafay Wood. I found one thread that we had both replied to.

Brian

[Don Regiano]

35 minutes ago, brianmorris547 said:

Thanks Reg

I did a search in the Western Front Forum for Bernafay Wood. I found one thread that we had both replied to.

Brian

Thanks Brian.

I did find a map in my files showing some unnamed trenches.  I couldn't remember whether it related to something on here or just because it is about 2 or 3 minutes from where I currently am!

Regards.

Reg