Peter Beckett Posted 7 December , 2005 Share Posted 7 December , 2005 I am doing some research for a friend regarding some Aussie soldiers from a small farming community in Gippsland, Victoria and have come across some placenames in a diary which I cant find and was wondering if anyone has either heard of them or more importantly, knows where they are Rifle Villa House - possibly near Armentiers Sercus possibly near Polygon Wood Inxent and the following 2 I have no problems with, having been there Delville Wood Switch Trench Many thanks in advance Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 7 December , 2005 Share Posted 7 December , 2005 Peter There is a French town called Sercus: http://nona.net/features/map/placedetail.706535/ Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Beckett Posted 7 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 7 December , 2005 Terry, many thanks. My brain is in neutral this morning . I have just found Inxent, its just NNE of Etaples. Well that great, now just Rifle Villa farm Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yves Le Cuziat, MBE Posted 8 December , 2005 Share Posted 8 December , 2005 Good day I do think Rifle Villa was in the Rue de Bois, at Sailly Sur La Lys...and it was a First aid post Best wishes Yves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Beckett Posted 8 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 8 December , 2005 Yves, thats great! Can you point me in the right direction or even possibly give a trench map reference please Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Beckett Posted 8 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 8 December , 2005 Just done a quick search and the river Lys is on the following maps: Sheet 28 SW; 28 SE; 29 NW and 29 SW so I will get my trusty CD out Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yves Le Cuziat, MBE Posted 8 December , 2005 Share Posted 8 December , 2005 Good day Peter I have a map showing the emplacement ..I think also that you can get it in the volumes of AIF medical Official history...on line AWM website By the way what was the unit of the Australian soldier ? Regards Yves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Beckett Posted 8 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 8 December , 2005 Yves, he was in the 5th Brigade, 60th Battalion. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yves Le Cuziat, MBE Posted 8 December , 2005 Share Posted 8 December , 2005 Dear peter Sorry mate but the 60th Bn belongs to the 15th Brigade 5th Aus Inf DIV ..they were slaughtered at Fromelles 19 July 1916. Lest We Forget Regards Yves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 8 December , 2005 Share Posted 8 December , 2005 Sercus possibly near Polygon Wood Peter Peter, Shame on you ! You didn't think of me ?! Who else could inform you better than I ? I go to Sercus once a year (sometimes by bike). Sort of pilgrimage. My surname tells you why... And Terry called it a "town" ?Well, that's too much honour I guess. Far too flattering. For all the times that I was there there was not even a cat in sight ! (Should your friend want a pic or two of the village church ...) By the way, Sercus is 6 km (3 3/4 miles) south west of Hazebrouck (a town in France ; a real town that is). And Hazebrouck is 28 km (17 1/2 miles) south west of Ypres. And Ypres is ... Well, you have to find that out yourself ! Also this : I'm pretty sure that this is the Sercus you mean. I've never heard of a place with the same name near Polygon Wood. Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred van Woerkom Posted 8 December , 2005 Share Posted 8 December , 2005 Peter, I agree with Aurel: Sercus is in the place where he says it is and I think it will be there for a long time to come. I was there with Aurel in October and we visited the Estaminet de Sercu for some gin (Aurel , careful driver that he is, drank a lemonade). This estaminet is an absolute must visit: the bar is something out of a distant past and one can well imagine that it was the same in 1918, apart from the drinks, that is.There is only bottled beer, I am afraid. The landscape is enchanting, too. Brueghelian I would call it: gently rolling, a few steeples in the distance and an occasional farmstead. In winter one could imagine being inside Brueghel's HUNTERS IN WINTER. All the best, Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 8 December , 2005 Share Posted 8 December , 2005 In winter one could imagine being inside Brueghel's HUNTERS IN WINTER. One of his less strange ones, Fred. Clickety click Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 8 December , 2005 Share Posted 8 December , 2005 This estaminet is an absolute must visit: the bar is something out of a distant past and one can well imagine that it was the same in 1918, Fred I'm afraid that once again I have to disagree with Fred, whose eysesight and mind may have been misty by the excess of gin so early in the morning . The landlady did look old indeed. But then : not that old! (Fred, take my advice : drink champaign. The only beverage it is said that makes women look younger. Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred van Woerkom Posted 8 December , 2005 Share Posted 8 December , 2005 John , Yes, what a marvellous picture it is, isn't it? Aurel, No , I was not referring to the lady, whom, you might like to know I addressed with my usual courtesy as 'jeune fille'. But alas, the Northern Frenchwomen are immune to such gallantries. All the best, Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Beckett Posted 8 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 8 December , 2005 Dear peter Sorry mate but the 60th Bn belongs to the 15th Brigade 5th Aus Inf DIV ..they were slaughtered at Fromelles 19 July 1916. Lest We Forget Regards Yves Yves, sorry about that but thats the info I was given . Looks like I will have to get more info from my source. Peter Aurel, I thought about you when I saw the name Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gericht 1914 Posted 8 December , 2005 Share Posted 8 December , 2005 Yves, thats great! Can you point me in the right direction or even possibly give a trench map reference please Peter Peter. Rue du Bois - 36SW S9 & S10 Sailly sur la Lys - 36NW C16 & C22 (They're about 11 miles apart!) D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gericht 1914 Posted 9 December , 2005 Share Posted 9 December , 2005 Peter. Rue du Bois - 36SW S9 & S10 Sailly sur la Lys - 36NW C16 & C22 (They're about 11 miles apart!) D. I just noticed that you have the Trenchmap CD which, I believe, doesnt't have the 1:20,000 maps (the references I gave). On the 1:10,000 maps the references are as follows... Rue du Bois is on the "Richebourg" maps - 36SW3 S9 and S10 Sailly sur la Lys is on the "Fleurbaix" map - 36NW3 C16 and C22. D. 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