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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Maltz Horn Farm, Trones Wood - August 1916


Guest Chris Witcomb

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Welcome to the forum.

 

The 90th Company, Machine Gun Corps War Diary for the period you are interested in should be this one https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7353664

The National Archive is currently offering a free download service if you register for an account.

 

Just in case I checked out the International Committe of the Red Cross website to see if they received a missing persons enquiry, but sadly drew a blank.

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

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  • 3 months later...
On 23/05/2016 at 00:32, Don Regiano said:

...I spotted this grenade (I believe it is French)...

post-41609-0-20003900-1463959911_thumb.j

 It is ... It's a French Grenade Fusante nr.1 (better known as the 'F1') with an (incomplete) bouchon allumeur à percussion modèle 1916

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6 hours ago, OM4619 said:

 It is ... It's a French Grenade Fusante nr.1 (better known as the 'F1') with an (incomplete) bouchon allumeur à percussion modèle 1916

 

Thanks for the confirmation - which fits the disposition of the forces at the time.  I think the grenade is long gone.  I don't know whether it was moved before the farmer dumped more stuff in the area (I had marked it with some stones and a red field marker) and the area has been cleared subsequently.

 

Reg

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For illustration, this F1 in my collection is exactly the same model depicted in both images but has it's allumeur à percussion modèle 1916 in a complete (though deactivated) state:

F1 grenade with 1916 percussion fuze (3).JPG

F1 grenade with 1916 percussion fuze (4).JPG

F1 grenade with 1916 percussion fuze (1).JPG

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  • 4 months later...

I am planning to visit the Maltz Horn Farm area in October as my Great Uncle Philip Wilkinson was killed there on the 20th July 1916. He was with the 23rd Batalion of the Manchester Regiment and is remembered on the Thiepval War Memorial. Is the location easy to find and can you walk in the fields? Any comments / suggestions welcome. Thank you. Kind Regards Mike. 

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2 hours ago, Mike Power said:

Is the location easy to find and can you walk in the fields?

 

Hello Mike.  Welcome to the forum.  Maltz Horn is easy to find.  It is very close to Guillemont Road cemetery.  It is on the road from Trones Wood to Hardecourt-aux-Bois.  There are quite a few tracks in the vicinity which are accessible on foot and by car.  The fields are agricultural so I would just check for any crops growing (and any ordnance still left lying around!)  Check out the photos and maps earlier in this thread to get an idea of the lie of the land.

 

Reg

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  • 3 months later...

Wonderfully evocative posts. I have just undertaken some research on my mates grandfather. He was wounded at Bazentin le Grand on 14th July, 1916 but survived the war. He was with the 13th Bn King's Liverpool Regiment which may interest Paddy 60. I pulled together a film of his war which you may find interesting. It is on YouTube and is entitled Sam Leavesley King's Liverpool 13th Bn (updated). Apologies for any errors caused by my lack of expertise! There are a couple of other zoom films that I did for his family that you may enjoy. You will find them searching under Sam Leavesley 13th Bn King's Liverpool. Chris. 

 

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Just watched this Chris and it was very polished and informative.

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I find Maltz Horn Farm amongst one of the most moving spots on the Somme. 

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  • 1 year later...

Hi Gents,

Me too I am very much interested in the spot, although a bit more the (northwestern) SA area, with Bray s/ Somme as its starting point, 1 July 1916 (after they left the "resting" area Le Bizet (Belgium). Indeed, Maltz Horn (Farm & trench system) is rather easy to find/imagine with today's trenchmappers, geoportals and Google Maps, the same with Glatz Redoubt, la Briqueterie and Grovetown. Alas, a bit of "empty" fields today. Is there anyone knowing whether there have ever been taken pictures of e.g., Grovetown, Glatz, Montauban - or Chimney alley? 

I missed a detail in the preceding pages: anyone having an idea where Happy Valley trench ran? 

Sincerely,

Benjamin Thyla

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I am told by one of our French friends in the village that there are some damned windmills scheduled for construction in the area close to Maltz Horn Farm so best to take any photos now before the landscape changes for ever.

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Hello,

I was in the area in May as I was doing a recce for a tour in September.

There are already plenty of windmills in the area. I know a lot of the British are against them, but it is what it is and landscapes do evolve because of human activity.

Jan

44 Ferme Maltzkorn.jpg

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