Trenches near Sailly- sur- La Lys July 1916

[Infoseeker]

I am following up 59th AIF Battalion diaries for July 1916 and have a reference for "Front from Pinney's Avenue to V.C. Avenue" on 18th July. The following evening, 4 waves of men were sent over the top at five minute intervals for no gain.  Can I find a map of these trench locations?

Thanks

David

[AOK4]

You most probably mean Sailly-Saillisel?

[Michelle Young]

@WhiteStarLine or @brianmorris547are the men to help you. I’m away from my maps and books so can’t help with location I’m afraid.

[Infoseeker]

Not sure of name, Sailly sur Lys, is written in the Battalion daily diary.

[Infoseeker]

I have now found in the daily diaries that the battalion travelled from Macon to Steinbeque, then Morbeque then Sailly sur La Lys.

[BFBSM]

The trench reference is 36.N.9.a, use https://www.tmapper.com for a map.

[Infoseeker]

Probably Steenbecque as they patrolled the station. Marched from Morbecque to Sailly sur La Lys.

[WhiteStarLine]

@BFBSM has got it for you.  I've shown a June 1916 map because it names each of the features you mention.  VC Corner top left, follow VC Avenue down to Pinney's.  Click to enlarge:

[AOK4]

I was getting confused, I thought Sailly-sur-la-Lys was further from the frontline in 1916. Anyway, the action in July 1916 was near Fromelles.

[brianmorris547]

By the time I had found a map WSL had come up with a more detailed one.

The WD of 61 Div HQ GS has a map but it does not show any features in N 8 b and N 9 a (Ancestry Piece 3033 p 119) but I did find this map in the November WD of 182 Infantry Brigade. Courtesy TNA WO 95/3054. I have cropped it but the full map can be seen on

EDIT: Ancestry Piece 3054 p 336. 

Edited Thursday at 18:00 by brianmorris547

[WhiteStarLine]

2 hours ago, brianmorris547 said:

By the time I had found a map WSL had come up with a more detailed one.

Brian, at the risk of moving into Skindles territory, that has to be the very first time this has happened!  Normally I post and shortly after you come up with an incredibly detailed, coloured, large map done by cartographers 48 hours prior to the date of interest...

Cheers, Bill

[brianmorris547]

Bill

I like to look at these Great War maps and compare them with the IGNs.

This is the modern day area on the 1:25 000 2404 E Armentieres. Sailly-sur-la-Lys is about 6 km north of Fauquissart. The Australian Cemetery is shown between the crossroads at Petillon and Les Rouges Bancs EDIT: A bit south of where Pinney's Avenue was.

Edited Friday at 05:34 by brianmorris547
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