Billy Congreve's Armageddon Road

[Simon Birch]

Does anyone have an electronic version of Congreve's sketch map No. 15 (p.90 in my copy) - the 14th Dec - attack by the Royal Scots and Gordon Highlanders? I have taken a photo of the map in my copy of Congreve's book but these is a map on the page behind it which shows through, and I could do with a 'cleaner' picture.

Any help would be gratefully received.

Simon

[Promenade]

[Fattyowls]

4 hours ago, Simon Birch said:

Any help would be gratefully received.

Would a photo of the area as it is today be of any use Simon?

Pete.

[Simon Birch]

Gentlemen.

Thanks so much for the sketch map - and yes please a photo of the area today would be really handy.

Promenade - I don't know how you did that - mine try was rubbish, but then thinking about it now my copy is getting on a bit.

 

Again Gents - many thanks for your help. Much appreciated.

 

Simon

[Fattyowls]

2 hours ago, Simon Birch said:

a photo of the area today would be really handy

 I'm just trying to work out where my viewpoint was in relation to Billy Congreve's map as I haven't annotated all of my photos. Schoolboy error. I will be in touch......

Pete.

[Simon Birch]

No worries Pete.

Simon

[Fattyowls]

Hi Simon, I think I've worked out roughly where this was taken; the Gordons would have attacked from right to left towards Madelstaede Farm which is on my left. Kemmel is the hill in the distance. On the map I think the viewpoint is close to the rightmost 'C'.

 

[Simon Birch]

Hi Pete.

Thanks for this. I think this is where the Gordon's that were attacking E (on the sketch map) had to cross. The house and the telegraph poles follow the road where the British frontline trenches were - marked as H2 leading to H1, on the map below. Also below is a google picture, taken from the road in between the two yellow arrows. In that one you can see the same house as in yours - which is a much clearer photograph that I am grateful for. I have been there but the maize was 6' high which made photographing the site tricky.

Am most grateful for your help. Simon

 

[Fattyowls]

1 hour ago, Simon Birch said:

the maize was 6' high which made photographing the site tricky

The bane of the battlefield photographer Simon, we've all been there. I have said more than once "as we turn this corner you have an excellent view of......six foot high maize......"

I'll try and dig out a couple more now I have got my bearings.

Pete.

Edited 16 December , 2021 by Fattyowls
Unpaired quotes - unforgivable

[Fattyowls]

I think this one is looking WNE from the same spot as the first one which looks WSW. I think it shows the ground across which the Royal Scots attacked Petit Bois going left to right.

[Simon Birch]

That's a great picture and again just the job - many thanks again Pete.

Simon

[WhiteStarLine]

Here is an overlay of @Promenade's sketch map which may or may not help orientating it on modern ground.  The link to GeoRef lets you change opacity, swap between several types of base layer maps, calculate distance and bearing and see modern lat, lon values at various points.  Field sketches never exactly match surveyed areas but it is a pretty good guide:

[Fattyowls]

That's excellent as ever WSL; thank you.

Pete.

[Simon Birch]

On 18/12/2021 at 12:12, WhiteStarLine said:

Here is an overlay of @Promenade's sketch map which may or may not help orientating it on modern ground.  The link to GeoRef lets you change opacity, swap between several types of base layer maps, calculate distance and bearing and see modern lat, lon values at various points.  Field sketches never exactly match surveyed areas but it is a pretty good guide:

That also is great - its fits and is just the job.

 

Thanks Again.

Simon