Alan_J Posted 19 September , 2005 Share Posted 19 September , 2005 Thought the forum might be interested in these two views of the above at Ploegsteert. The first was published in the Michelin Guide to Ypres and the battles of Ypres in 1919. At first, I thought the second (a postcard with divided back, by what looks like A. Biebyuck of Hazebrouck) was perhaps a crop of the first - but it is in fact a slightly different viewpoint. I can't see anything to readily identify the soldier in the second image; I'll see if I can enlarge that section. Neither are exactly top quality images I'm afraid, despite considerable "cleaning up". Any comments? Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan_J Posted 19 September , 2005 Author Share Posted 19 September , 2005 And the second...(the postcard) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan_J Posted 19 September , 2005 Author Share Posted 19 September , 2005 Close-up of the soldier - as best as I can get it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ypres1418 Posted 19 September , 2005 Share Posted 19 September , 2005 The close up has got me puzzled, what is he doing? Is he writing on something or putting something onto the tree? Puzzled of East Sussex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan_J Posted 19 September , 2005 Author Share Posted 19 September , 2005 Mandy, I think he is just leaning against the tree - trouble is that this bit of the postcard is slightly damaged, so it's not very clear at all....... Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ypres1418 Posted 19 September , 2005 Share Posted 19 September , 2005 Alan I see it now behind his hand is a piece of a cross, thanks, I can sleep better tonight, lol, Stiil on a serious note I wonder whats going through his mind as he stands there? a few notions come to mind, Why them and not me? being one of them, is he saying farewell to old buddy? We will never know. Mandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan_J Posted 19 September , 2005 Author Share Posted 19 September , 2005 Mandy, I think the second picture (with the soldier) is later than the first (which is 1919), so perhaps he is someone who went back later to see his comrades - but any experts on unifroms welcome to comment on what they can see form the not terribly good scan............ Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike10764 Posted 19 September , 2005 Share Posted 19 September , 2005 Great pictures Alan, it's those old pictutres of the makeshift graveyards in amidst the still shattered trees I find most haunting. The "wooden crosses in a row" really bring home the devastation of the Great War to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOMMESOLDIER Posted 19 September , 2005 Share Posted 19 September , 2005 Hi There, I reckon he is signing an old cemetery register !!!!! ? Cheers Tim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Whippy Posted 20 September , 2005 Share Posted 20 September , 2005 The picture fits well with the modern day landscape too, Hyde Park corner, Royal Berks extension sits at the side of the Ploegstreet memorial, and the ground to the right (north) rises steeply up where the chateau was, I think it belonged to the Hennesey Cognac family. It will be all the more poignant next time i am there. I am no Uniform expert but the Soldier does appear to have some wound stripes on the lower left cuff beneath his Sgt stripes. JW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan_J Posted 20 September , 2005 Author Share Posted 20 September , 2005 Julian, Interesting about the wound stripes - whilst that part of the picture is probably too damaged to be sure, it would be interesting to think that this is a soldier visiting his fallen comrades. Being a little cynical, lucky that the photographer happened to be about at the same time. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD60 Posted 20 September , 2005 Share Posted 20 September , 2005 Because of many details common those photos seems very close in date. Look especialy the trees. Note: some details on the ground on the picture 1 seems to be 'painted'. I wonder if this soldier is not just cuting the wires of the tree to let the photograph have a good place to taking a pic... the first one ! sorry not very exciting in that scenario Kind regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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