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Remembered Today:

Help with locating coordinates


Carolyn5771

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Hi

I have just been to visit my great-grandfathers grave at Serre Road Cemetery but discovered that he was originally buried elsewhere, can anyone help find a modern location for the reference 57c.N.33.d.8.5. - his name if it helps is Andrew Russell of the Scots Guards number 12675, I would really appreciate any assistance as I am fairly new to this.

Many thanks

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It says he was originally buried in the bank of a sunken road. 

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As far as I can tell, it’s approximately here. Should be easy enough to find on the ground. 

map copyright National Library of Scotland. 

IMG_1112.jpeg

IMG_1113.png

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The 2 Scots Guards War Diaries are here, free after free registration. This will tell you about his war. 
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7351852

His medal index card ©️ Ancestry shows he did not enter a theatre of war until after 31/12/1915. 

IMG_1114.jpeg

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1 hour ago, Carolyn5771 said:

Hi

I have just been to visit my great-grandfathers grave at Serre Road Cemetery but discovered that he was originally buried elsewhere, can anyone help find a modern location for the reference 57c.N.33.d.8.5. - his name if it helps is Andrew Russell of the Scots Guards number 12675, I would really appreciate any assistance as I am fairly new to this.

Many thanks

You can easily get the exact point. Just put 57c.N.33.d.8.5 into the box in TrenchMapper and click Convert. Then you can select from 350 maps in the left panel. Some have trenches, some not. The undated maps are such because they were not marked with a date on the original.

You can right click and select Streetview and have a look around.

It sounds to me like he was moved in the operations to create concentration cemeteries. Many of the original cemeteries from which people were moved are marked on maps in the Body Density collection. The officer responsible was Sir Herbert Ellissen, if you look at TrenchMapper's Help Files under Body Density you will see what role he played. To see the relevant sheet, right click, choose Map ID jump and use ma_004580 as the ID. Ellissen marked cemeteries with his characteristic purple pen.

Your great-grandfather may not have been in one of these cemeteries, it is worth checking.

Regarding the rather odd British map references like 57c.N.33.d.8.5, you can find an explanation in the Help Files but also note, the reference is shown continuously updated on the lower left of TrenchMapper's screen as the cursor moves.

Howard

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For anyone who wants to learn how to find their way around trench maps there is an excellent page on Chris Baker's website The Long Long Trail HERE which explains trench map references. The Western Front Association has a page which does the same HERE.

William

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Thankyou so much everyone really appreciate your help can’t wait to do some research x

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