LizM Posted 25 May , 2005 Share Posted 25 May , 2005 Hi all Hope someone can help with a dilemma of one of my guests. He has his Gt Uncle's diary and has managed to find many of the places it refers to even thought place names have changed. He is trying to find a place mentioned called Zeneghem Does anyone know where this could be and what battles took place there? Any information would be most helpful. His Uncle was in the London Rifle Brigade if this helps. Many thanks Liz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 26 May , 2005 Share Posted 26 May , 2005 Hello, It would help if you could give extra info: battalion involved, when mentioned etc. Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 26 May , 2005 Share Posted 26 May , 2005 Zeneghem ? Never heard of, and I cannot imagine any place name that remotely sounds or looks like it. The name must be in handwriting, and there is no doubt about the first element "Zene" ? (I suppose a scan of this fragment is not possible ?) And are there any other place names mentioned in the diary that were in the vicinity ? Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizM Posted 26 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 May , 2005 Hi all This is from my guest It is within walking distance (not marching) of Watten, which was nearest town for socialising. It was a royal engineers stores with a rail connection. First diary mention 27-04-18, so it was in operation before that date. 'Fritz' bombed it during May, June, July, 1918. Incident on May 13th when chinese (labourers) attacked the garrison guard in connection with a grievance. 3 dead/5 wounded. Posted out of Zeneghem on 20-11-18. Apart from the above, I haven't anymore to aid identification of the actual place. I hope this can shed a bit more light on it. Many thanks Liz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 26 May , 2005 Share Posted 26 May , 2005 I have checked all villages in a radius of 12 km around Watten, but no result. There were a dozen ending on -ghem, but none seemed to look or sound like Zeneghem. However ... Googling helped me out ! Zeneghem Yard is mentioned twice in this article (first time scroll down to 6th paragraph) http://www.1914-1918.net/re_rlwy_cos.htm (Where have I seen this website URL before ? And as the Chinese Labour Corps is mentioned in the article, and the R.E., this must be it. I cannot find it on my Michelin map (mine is only 1/200 000), but it must be near Audruicq, which is between Watten and Calais, 10 km northwest of Watten. (Which is walking distance) The railway Calais - St. Omer goes through the south side of Audruicq. So Zeneghem Yard must be there ? If someone has a more detailed map of the area with a smaller scale ? Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zijde26 Posted 26 May , 2005 Share Posted 26 May , 2005 To Aurel and Liz, In that same area is " Teteghem " (not so far from Duinkerke) (Northern France). Gilbert Deraedt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 26 May , 2005 Share Posted 26 May , 2005 Gilbert, That's right, but as Teteghem is approx. 30 km (to far for a walking distance ?) of Audruicq / Watten, and as Zeneghem does (did) exist near Audruicq / Watten, and was mentioned with regard to R.E. and Chinese Labour Corps, and a rail connection, I think we can say we have a hit... Besides, Teteghem being so close to Dunkirk I don't think that Watten is a candidate when it comes to 'socializing' ... Every time I am in Teteghem and feel the need for a bit of socializing, I know where I can find the fun nearby. A girl in every port, you know. Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizM Posted 26 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 May , 2005 Thank you all very much I will pass all this information on, sounds like it could be just what we were looking for. When trying to read someone's diary it can be very hard to disifure words and place names do change over the years. I will let you know the outcome. Liz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jmve2004 Posted 27 May , 2005 Share Posted 27 May , 2005 Hiz Liz i found this on internet http://www.iceknowledge.com/PDFs/15538.pdf Rues et photos de CAPPELLE BROUCK (59630) ruesdemaville.free.fr/VILLES_59/page_ville_25071.htm Last week i go to the IWM with Dominique and i consult book about the railway and I saw this name but i don't remember more. Ask me be the IWM about it J-M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizM Posted 31 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 31 May , 2005 Thank you J-M Have sent the scipt to Graham, thanks for looking it up for me. See you Friday! Thank you everyone who answered my query, it seems that it was the right place and Graham is going to go there next time he is over. Regards Liz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awakefield Posted 9 October , 2006 Share Posted 9 October , 2006 Just in case this one is still of interest. I am about to catalogue (at the IWM Photo Archive) a set of vertical aerial photographs of Zeneghem Dump, taken by No.2 Squadron RNAS on 16th and 23rd March 1918. The dump appears to be spread onver quite an extensive area with numerous railway lines, slidings, hutted camps etc etc. Accession number for the collection is 8207-38. ALAN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem49 Posted 9 October , 2006 Share Posted 9 October , 2006 Thank you all very much I will pass all this information on, sounds like it could be just what we were looking for. When trying to read someone's diary it can be very hard to disifure words and place names do change over the years. I will let you know the outcome. Liz It is also possible that the name was made up as with Bandaghem, Mendinghem and Dozinghem. Hem being 'village' stevem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
better ole Posted 9 October , 2006 Share Posted 9 October , 2006 The Wardrobe - Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire ...They went to France 19/8/16 and were employed at Zenegham near Calais building an ammunition depot. On the 9th May 1917 the 12th was transferred to the ... Googled and found this. Hope it helps. This may be even more useful. http://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/guestbook.ph...ge=61%20-%2031k Note to self. Elbow halfway down outside of arm, sitting on my ..................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMPISSE Posted 8 May , 2011 Share Posted 8 May , 2011 Hello, I am French inhabitant AUDRUICQ municipality near CALAIS; There is a small village called RUMINGHEM at approximately 10 km, This village is situated at the edge of a railroad, and there is in this village a Chinese cemetery dating the first world war; Chinese worked in the English army as well as on the military camp of AUDRUICQ. RUMINGHEM was bombarded in 1918 by the German, and some Chinese were killed and buried in this cemetery I think that he can involve ZENEGHEM Be hoping to be able to advance the question Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archer Posted 4 December , 2013 Share Posted 4 December , 2013 I would agree with vigo2603 that Ruminghem is in the vicinity of the mysterious "Zeneghem", but there are sources which suggest that it was actually on, or near, the canal. The author of one work places the camp firmly at nearby Saint-Pierre-Brouck (“La guerre de 14-18 vue de Saint-Omer” at http://www.antiquairesdelamorinie.org/NouvellesPublis.htm, accessed on 4 December 2013). It was clearly an important establishment, at which were stockpiled large quantities of munitions for the war effort, but which is now completely forgotten. :Cheers William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green_acorn Posted 20 December , 2013 Share Posted 20 December , 2013 See http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205239279 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malte Znaniecki Posted 23 December , 2013 Share Posted 23 December , 2013 "Zeneghem (variously referred to a Zeneghem Yard and Zeneghem Camp) did not appear on any war maps probably because it was a sensitive establishment and stockpiled large amounts of munitions for the war effort. However, it has been possible to identify it to an area between and south of, Audruicq and Hennuin, where the main canals and railways intersect coming from the channel ports. These transport links were necessary and vital to ensuring continual supply and movement of the much needed ammunition and shells. Acknowledgement and thanks to the Great War Forum for its assistance in pinpointing it to Audruicq. There is no trace left of the camp today." taken from: http://www.tome.at/re1918aprjun.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zijde26 Posted 25 December , 2013 Share Posted 25 December , 2013 Beneath you will find a scan of a ww1 aerial photograph of Zeneghem. Gilbert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 26 December , 2013 Share Posted 26 December , 2013 Gilbert's aerial photo above is obviously Zeneghem. Tried to reconcile this on a map.....the canal (is it a canal?) runs almost N-S, whereas the canal at Hennuin runs almost E-W. Could be somewhere on the Aa? Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malte Znaniecki Posted 2 January , 2014 Share Posted 2 January , 2014 And here comes another fire cracker from my archieves ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malte Znaniecki Posted 2 January , 2014 Share Posted 2 January , 2014 In addition Audruicq Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 4 January , 2014 Share Posted 4 January , 2014 posted a query on actual location of Zeneghem in post 19....could not reconcile the aerial photos on modern map. Found it today,,,,was confused by what I thought was canal, actually nowadays Rue Verte, between this and the canal is Route de Watten Attached map shows area covered in aerial shot. Peter PS only just noticed original query was from 2005! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPhillips Posted 26 August , 2014 Share Posted 26 August , 2014 Zeneghem was a depot originally established by the directorate of Inland Water Transport in 1916, to reduce the burden on rail traffic from both Calais and Dunkirk. The History of IWT (WO 158/851) places its location as being 'on the Aa river near its junction with the Calais canal'. This location was chosen as it was within a day's journey of both Calais and Dunkirk,and so that barges returning to Dunkirk could do so by a different route to the loaded barges leaving the port, thus reducing congestion at lock gates and minimizing delays to the craft on the waterways. Although the necessity for such a depot was recognised in early 1916, construction on the site did not begin until late July, and the first quay was not completed until October 1916. A second, far smaller, quay was commissioned in May 1916 and completed the following month. At its peak in October 1918, personnel at Zeneghem discharged almost 80,000 tons of material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joroti Posted 30 October , 2014 Share Posted 30 October , 2014 Hi, Zeneghem was the site of an ammunition depot, 14 Ordnance Depot and held about 49,000 tons of stock. A contemporary note of the time states that Zeneghem, "was a difficult place to find (except apparently from the air!) and if a highly placed official visitor was new to the place he could generally be relied on to turn up two hours late, which curtailed the inspection though, possibly rendering it somewhat more hectic while it lasted." Co-located at the Depot was an ammunition school. Once again, a note of the time relates, "One of the most interesting events in each course was the practical instruction in destruction of 'dud' shell, which, if the weather was favourable, meant a pleasant outing to the other side of St Omer. True the picnic was rather spoilt by having to take cover hurriedly at intervals and wait for a horrid noise but even on the wettest day compensation could be obtained on the return journey through the town". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joroti Posted 30 October , 2014 Share Posted 30 October , 2014 For Molte Znaniecki, Impressed with your achives and your aerial images of Audruicq and Zeneghem. I have been researching British ammo depots for a while. I have a map of the depot at Audruicq and would like to try and overlay it onto the aerial images you posted. However could you PM me the image so I can try to manipulate them together. Its hard to do with the 2 pieces you posted. Happy to share my map of the depot but not able to upload it currently. Also interested in sites at Blargies, Dannes, Rouxmesnil, Arcques and Saignville. Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now