KIRKY Posted 22 September , 2005 Share Posted 22 September , 2005 One of my favourite areas is the walk from 38th Div memorial down to Baz Petite Road. I noticed that towards the end of the wooded area near to the road end is a quarry on the right. This seems quite big but have not seen it mentioned anywhere. Anyone know anything about it and was it used in WW1? Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOMMESOLDIER Posted 19 October , 2005 Share Posted 19 October , 2005 Hi Tony, I agree the walk along there is one of my favourites too. I have noticed railway stock around there, so would also be interested to hear if anyone can shed any light on the subject !! Cheers Tim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gunners dream Posted 19 October , 2005 Share Posted 19 October , 2005 The rolling stock, what gauge is it? A railway spur ran into the Bazentin Le Petit Wood back in WWI. The spur ran up to Martinpuich. It then spread towards Courcelette, Pozieres and Le Sars to name a few! If you look at trench maps of the area and the IGN map for Bapaume you can still see spurs running, especially by L'Abbaye d' Eaucourt Farm and also to the North West of Courcelette. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOMMESOLDIER Posted 19 October , 2005 Share Posted 19 October , 2005 The rolling stock, what gauge is it? A railway spur ran into the Bazentin Le Petit Wood back in WWI. The spur ran up to Martinpuich. It then spread towards Courcelette, Pozieres and Le Sars to name a few! If you look at trench maps of the area and the IGN map for Bapaume you can still see spurs running, especially by L'Abbaye d' Eaucourt Farm and also to the North West of Courcelette. Steve <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi Steve, As far as the guage, I haven't a clue. What I know about railways you could write on the back of a stamp and still have space to write the Lord's Prayer !!!! Thanks for the information, it would be very interesting to see if someone knows the gauge and how long it dates back !! Cheers Tim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gunners dream Posted 19 October , 2005 Share Posted 19 October , 2005 Hi Steve, As far as the guage, I haven't a clue. What I know about railways you could write on the back of a stamp and still have space to write the Lord's Prayer !!!! Tim. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Tim, LOL! No probs, I'm just wondering if the stuff is a narrow gauge style (e,g, smaller rails) which would denote trucks used for the quarry, or if the stuff seems bigger it will be from a normal sized railway track. I've often wondered about the quarry myself. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burlington Posted 19 October , 2005 Share Posted 19 October , 2005 I think that the gauge used was narrow gauge. So far as I know, and I am trying not to appear like an expert, there was quite a network of light railways in parts of this area, partly to carry sugar beet, but also people and other goods. For example a line ran through both Trones & Bernafray Woods ending up at the Briqueterie south of Bernafray. There was also a station at Guillemont and an embankment which I think now contains a timber yard- or perhaps my memory deserts me. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike10764 Posted 20 October , 2005 Share Posted 20 October , 2005 Could it be the quarry where Robert Graves was laid wounded, thought dead ? I was sent a picture of a quarry in that area, with that description on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveBrigg Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 Could it be the quarry where Robert Graves was laid wounded, thought dead ? I was sent a picture of a quarry in that area, with that description on it. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I am fairly sure (though stand to be corrected) that the quarry behind this soggy group of students is the one where Graves was first taken. He mentions being hit by fragments of gravestones from Bazentin cemetery, which is just out of the picture on the left. We read the relevant pages of Goodbye to All That and shivered a little. This is out of sight of Flat Iron Copse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 I am fairly sure (though stand to be corrected) that the quarry behind this soggy group of students is the one where Graves was first taken. He mentions being hit by fragments of gravestones from Bazentin cemetery, which is just out of the picture on the left. We read the relevant pages of Goodbye to All That and shivered a little. This is out of sight of Flat Iron Copse. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> This is not the quarry where Graves was taken to when wounded; it is a much more modern one. The actual quarry is where the trees are in the background and is now much overgrown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 One of my favourite areas is the walk from 38th Div memorial down to Baz Petite Road. I noticed that towards the end of the wooded area near to the road end is a quarry on the right. This seems quite big but have not seen it mentioned anywhere. Anyone know anything about it and was it used in WW1? Tony <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Tony - I am pretty sure this is a much more recent quarry. It is not noted on the trench maps - see below - and I have never seen it mentioned in any war diaries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRKY Posted 21 October , 2005 Author Share Posted 21 October , 2005 Thanks Paul, hope you see you next week , bring your son along to meet Dan, Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike10764 Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 This is not the quarry where Graves was taken to when wounded; it is a much more modern one. The actual quarry is where the trees are in the background and is now much overgrown. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Paul - any ideas which quarry this is then ? The picture was among those sent to me by a friend of mine in June, and labelled as I said above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 This looks like the Bazentin one, which as I say, is not the one where Graves was in 1916. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike10764 Posted 21 October , 2005 Share Posted 21 October , 2005 Thanks Paul, obviously a misunderstanding.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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