Walking around Stuff Redoubt

[KIRKY]

Hi, can anyone tell me if it is possible to work from Moquet Farm to Stuff Redoubt and then across to Schwaben?

Tony

[Papineau]

Yes, but you need the required Blue series map to make sure you are on the right track. The tracks are pretty much unchanged, and you can match the maps up with trench maps okay. If you don't have the Blue series, you can buy them at the Thiepval visitors centre.

[Jack Sheldon]

Tony

The walk you have described is mostly a section of my German Second Position walk which will be appearing in the forthcoming Battleground Europe 'Germans at Thiepval' book. This is what you need to do. The current Mouquet Farm is not built on the site of the original, so the bit that interests you is the oblong marked as an enclosure on the 1:25,000 map just above the current farm. There is a rough path/fieldtrack junction 500 metres north of modern Mouquet Farm. Follow it eastwards for 800 metres to point 151 (152 on German 1916 maps). Turn left, heading north for just under 1km and you come to a junction with an acute turn to your left. Take the left turn, heading south west. (If you go straight on it takes you to the complexities of Stallmulde = Stable Hollow and Baummulde = Boom Ravine). About 500 metres up the track, it takes a 90 degree swing to the right. While you are at this point you can follow a rough track straight on up onto the high ground, where some overgrown rough grass is the site of Feste Zollern = Goat Redoubt. In the meantime follow the track round to the right which leads you into Stumpweg = Stump Road. Where the cutting gets really sharply incised is the eastern limit of Feste Staufen = Stuff Redoubt. The HQ of Artillery Group Berta of 26th Reserve Field Artillery Brigade was dug in here and it is also the place from which the Schwaben Redoubt counter-attack was commanded on 1 July 1916. Keep going to the turn off for Grandcourt Road cemetery and make your way up there. The local farmer is a total nuisance. He is always wrecking the path. Just make a beeline across his fields for the cemetery. The cemetery, a battlefield one, was built on the exact line of the second trench of Stuff Redoubt, near its northwest tip. Spectacular views from here, including the slopes below the Hansa Stellung across the road, which is where the IR 180 Recruit Companies got a hard time counter-attacking the 36th(Ulster) Division. To get to Feste Schwaben = Schwaben Redoubt by the shortest route, follow Stump Road down to the Thiepval -Grandcourt road and turn left. Head up the hill until you reach the modern La Grande Ferme. Just across the road was the eastern extremity of Schwaben Redoubt, but the only part of the Schwaben that you can reach on a right of way, is reached by carrying on 500 metres towards Thiepval to the village cemetery, turning right (NNW) and walking up the track until the eastern tip of Mill Road cemetery is at its closest point. This is the western tip of the Redoubt. You will know when you get there, because all of a sudden very long views open to the north. Happy Walking.

Jack

[Jack Sheldon]

Tony

The walk you have described is mostly a section of my German Second Position walk which will be appearing in the forthcoming Battleground Europe 'Germans at Thiepval' book. This is what you need to do. The current Mouquet Farm is not built on the site of the original, so the bit that interests you is the oblong marked as an enclosure on the 1:25,000 map just above the current farm. There is a rough path/fieldtrack junction 500 metres north of modern Mouquet Farm. Follow it eastwards for 800 metres to point 151 (152 on German 1916 maps). Turn left, heading north for just under 1km and you come to a junction with an acute turn to your left. Take the left turn, heading south west. (If you go straight on it takes you to the complexities of Stallmulde = Stable Hollow and Baummulde = Boom Ravine). About 500 metres up the track, it takes a 90 degree swing to the right. While you are at this point you can follow a rough track straight on up onto the high ground, where some overgrown rough grass is the site of Feste Zollern = Goat Redoubt. In the meantime follow the track round to the right which leads you into Stumpweg = Stump Road. Where the cutting gets really sharply incised is the eastern limit of Feste Staufen = Stuff Redoubt. The HQ of Artillery Group Berta of 26th Reserve Field Artillery Brigade was dug in here and it is also the place from which the Schwaben Redoubt counter-attack was commanded on 1 July 1916. Keep going to the turn off for Grandcourt Road cemetery and make your way up there. The local farmer is a total nuisance. He is always wrecking the path. Just make a beeline across his fields for the cemetery. The cemetery, a battlefield one, was built on the exact line of the second trench of Stuff Redoubt, near its northwest tip. Spectacular views from here, including the slopes below the Hansa Stellung across the road, which is where the IR 180 Recruit Companies got a hard time counter-attacking the 36th(Ulster) Division. To get to Feste Schwaben = Schwaben Redoubt by the shortest route, follow Stump Road down to the Thiepval -Grandcourt road and turn left. Head up the hill until you reach the modern La Grande Ferme. Just across the road was the eastern extremity of Schwaben Redoubt, but the only part of the Schwaben that you can reach on a right of way, is reached by carrying on 500 metres towards Thiepval to the village cemetery, turning right (NNW) and walking up the track until the eastern tip of Mill Road cemetery is at its closest point. This is the western tip of the Redoubt. You will know when you get there, because all of a sudden very long views open to the north. Happy Walking.

Jack

[Jack Sheldon]

Tony

The walk you have described is mostly a section of my German Second Position walk which will be appearing in the forthcoming Battleground Europe 'Germans at Thiepval' book. This is what you need to do. The current Mouquet Farm is not built on the site of the original, so the bit that interests you is the oblong marked as an enclosure on the 1:25,000 map just above the current farm. There is a rough path/fieldtrack junction 500 metres north of modern Mouquet Farm. Follow it eastwards for 800 metres to point 151 (152 on German 1916 maps). Turn left, heading north for just under 1km and you come to a junction with an acute turn to your left. Take the left turn, heading south west. (If you go straight on it takes you to the complexities of Stallmulde = Stable Hollow and Baummulde = Boom Ravine). About 500 metres up the track, it takes a 90 degree swing to the right. While you are at this point you can follow a rough track straight on up onto the high ground, where some overgrown rough grass is the site of Feste Zollern = Goat Redoubt. In the meantime follow the track round to the right which leads you into Stumpweg = Stump Road. Where the cutting gets really sharply incised is the eastern limit of Feste Staufen = Stuff Redoubt. The HQ of Artillery Group Berta of 26th Reserve Field Artillery Brigade was dug in here and it is also the place from which the Schwaben Redoubt counter-attack was commanded on 1 July 1916. Keep going to the turn off for Grandcourt Road cemetery and make your way up there. The local farmer is a total nuisance. He is always wrecking the path. Just make a beeline across his fields for the cemetery. The cemetery, a battlefield one, was built on the exact line of the second trench of Stuff Redoubt, near its northwest tip. Spectacular views from here, including the slopes below the Hansa Stellung across the road, which is where the IR 180 Recruit Companies got a hard time counter-attacking the 36th(Ulster) Division. To get to Feste Schwaben = Schwaben Redoubt by the shortest route, follow Stump Road down to the Thiepval -Grandcourt road and turn left. Head up the hill until you reach the modern La Grande Ferme. Just across the road was the eastern extremity of Schwaben Redoubt, but the only part of the Schwaben that you can reach on a right of way, is reached by carrying on 500 metres towards Thiepval to the village cemetery, turning right (NNW) and walking up the track until the eastern tip of Mill Road cemetery is at its closest point. This is the western tip of the Redoubt. You will know when you get there, because all of a sudden very long views open to the north. Happy Walking.

Jack

[Jack Sheldon]

Tony

The walk you have described is mostly a section of my German Second Position walk which will be appearing in the forthcoming Battleground Europe 'Germans at Thiepval' book. This is what you need to do. The current Mouquet Farm is not built on the site of the original, so the bit that interests you is the oblong marked as an enclosure on the 1:25,000 map just above the current farm. There is a rough path/fieldtrack junction 500 metres north of modern Mouquet Farm. Follow it eastwards for 800 metres to point 151 (152 on German 1916 maps). Turn left, heading north for just under 1km and you come to a junction with an acute turn to your left. Take the left turn, heading south west. (If you go straight on it takes you to the complexities of Stallmulde = Stable Hollow and Baummulde = Boom Ravine). About 500 metres up the track, it takes a 90 degree swing to the right. While you are at this point you can follow a rough track straight on up onto the high ground, where some overgrown rough grass is the site of Feste Zollern = Goat Redoubt. In the meantime follow the track round to the right which leads you into Stumpweg = Stump Road. Where the cutting gets really sharply incised is the eastern limit of Feste Staufen = Stuff Redoubt. The HQ of Artillery Group Berta of 26th Reserve Field Artillery Brigade was dug in here and it is also the place from which the Schwaben Redoubt counter-attack was commanded on 1 July 1916. Keep going to the turn off for Grandcourt Road cemetery and make your way up there. The local farmer is a total nuisance. He is always wrecking the path. Just make a beeline across his fields for the cemetery. The cemetery, a battlefield one, was built on the exact line of the second trench of Stuff Redoubt, near its northwest tip. Spectacular views from here, including the slopes below the Hansa Stellung across the road, which is where the IR 180 Recruit Companies got a hard time counter-attacking the 36th(Ulster) Division. To get to Feste Schwaben = Schwaben Redoubt by the shortest route, follow Stump Road down to the Thiepval -Grandcourt road and turn left. Head up the hill until you reach the modern La Grande Ferme. Just across the road was the eastern extremity of Schwaben Redoubt, but the only part of the Schwaben that you can reach on a right of way, is reached by carrying on 500 metres towards Thiepval to the village cemetery, turning right (NNW) and walking up the track until the eastern tip of Mill Road cemetery is at its closest point. This is the western tip of the Redoubt. You will know when you get there, because all of a sudden very long views open to the north. Happy Walking.

Jack

[Jack Sheldon]

Tony

The walk you have described is mostly a section of my German Second Position walk which will be appearing in the forthcoming Battleground Europe 'Germans at Thiepval' book. This is what you need to do. The current Mouquet Farm is not built on the site of the original, so the bit that interests you is the oblong marked as an enclosure on the 1:25,000 map just above the current farm. There is a rough path/fieldtrack junction 500 metres north of modern Mouquet Farm. Follow it eastwards for 800 metres to point 151 (152 on German 1916 maps). Turn left, heading north for just under 1km and you come to a junction with an acute turn to your left. Take the left turn, heading south west. (If you go straight on it takes you to the complexities of Stallmulde = Stable Hollow and Baummulde = Boom Ravine). About 500 metres up the track, it takes a 90 degree swing to the right. While you are at this point you can follow a rough track straight on up onto the high ground, where some overgrown rough grass is the site of Feste Zollern = Goat Redoubt. In the meantime follow the track round to the right which leads you into Stumpweg = Stump Road. Where the cutting gets really sharply incised is the eastern limit of Feste Staufen = Stuff Redoubt. The HQ of Artillery Group Berta of 26th Reserve Field Artillery Brigade was dug in here and it is also the place from which the Schwaben Redoubt counter-attack was commanded on 1 July 1916. Keep going to the turn off for Grandcourt Road cemetery and make your way up there. The local farmer is a total nuisance. He is always wrecking the path. Just make a beeline across his fields for the cemetery. The cemetery, a battlefield one, was built on the exact line of the second trench of Stuff Redoubt, near its northwest tip. Spectacular views from here, including the slopes below the Hansa Stellung across the road, which is where the IR 180 Recruit Companies got a hard time counter-attacking the 36th(Ulster) Division. To get to Feste Schwaben = Schwaben Redoubt by the shortest route, follow Stump Road down to the Thiepval -Grandcourt road and turn left. Head up the hill until you reach the modern La Grande Ferme. Just across the road was the eastern extremity of Schwaben Redoubt, but the only part of the Schwaben that you can reach on a right of way, is reached by carrying on 500 metres towards Thiepval to the village cemetery, turning right (NNW) and walking up the track until the eastern tip of Mill Road cemetery is at its closest point. This is the western tip of the Redoubt. You will know when you get there, because all of a sudden very long views open to the north. Happy Walking.

Jack

Tony

The walk you have described is mostly a section of my German Second Position walk which will be appearing in the forthcoming Battleground Europe 'Germans at Thiepval' book. This is what you need to do. The current Mouquet Farm is not built on the site of the original, so the bit that interests you is the oblong marked as an enclosure on the 1:25,000 map just above the current farm. There is a rough path/fieldtrack junction 500 metres north of modern Mouquet Farm. Follow it eastwards for 800 metres to point 151 (152 on German 1916 maps). Turn left, heading north for just under 1km and you come to a junction with an acute turn to your left. Take the left turn, heading south west. (If you go straight on it takes you to the complexities of Stallmulde = Stable Hollow and Baummulde = Boom Ravine). About 500 metres up the track, it takes a 90 degree swing to the right. While you are at this point you can follow a rough track straight on up onto the high ground, where some overgrown rough grass is the site of Feste Zollern = Goat Redoubt. In the meantime follow the track round to the right which leads you into Stumpweg = Stump Road. Where the cutting gets really sharply incised is the eastern limit of Feste Staufen = Stuff Redoubt. The HQ of Artillery Group Berta of 26th Reserve Field Artillery Brigade was dug in here and it is also the place from which the Schwaben Redoubt counter-attack was commanded on 1 July 1916. Keep going to the turn off for Grandcourt Road cemetery and make your way up there. The local farmer is a total nuisance. He is always wrecking the path. Just make a beeline across his fields for the cemetery. The cemetery, a battlefield one, was built on the exact line of the second trench of Stuff Redoubt, near its northwest tip. Spectacular views from here, including the slopes below the Hansa Stellung across the road, which is where the IR 180 Recruit Companies got a hard time counter-attacking the 36th(Ulster) Division. To get to Feste Schwaben = Schwaben Redoubt by the shortest route, follow Stump Road down to the Thiepval -Grandcourt road and turn left. Head up the hill until you reach the modern La Grande Ferme. Just across the road was the eastern extremity of Schwaben Redoubt, but the only part of the Schwaben that you can reach on a right of way, is reached by carrying on 500 metres towards Thiepval to the village cemetery, turning right (NNW) and walking up the track until the eastern tip of Mill Road cemetery is at its closest point. This is the western tip of the Redoubt. You will know when you get there, because all of a sudden very long views open to the north. Happy Walking.

Jack

[Jack Sheldon]

Tony

The walk you have described is mostly a section of my German Second Position walk which will be appearing in the forthcoming Battleground Europe 'Germans at Thiepval' book. This is what you need to do. The current Mouquet Farm is not built on the site of the original, so the bit that interests you is the oblong marked as an enclosure on the 1:25,000 map just above the current farm. There is a rough path/fieldtrack junction 500 metres north of modern Mouquet Farm. Follow it eastwards for 800 metres to point 151 (152 on German 1916 maps). Turn left, heading north for just under 1km and you come to a junction with an acute turn to your left. Take the left turn, heading south west. (If you go straight on it takes you to the complexities of Stallmulde = Stable Hollow and Baummulde = Boom Ravine). About 500 metres up the track, it takes a 90 degree swing to the right. While you are at this point you can follow a rough track straight on up onto the high ground, where some overgrown rough grass is the site of Feste Zollern = Goat Redoubt. In the meantime follow the track round to the right which leads you into Stumpweg = Stump Road. Where the cutting gets really sharply incised is the eastern limit of Feste Staufen = Stuff Redoubt. The HQ of Artillery Group Berta of 26th Reserve Field Artillery Brigade was dug in here and it is also the place from which the Schwaben Redoubt counter-attack was commanded on 1 July 1916. Keep going to the turn off for Grandcourt Road cemetery and make your way up there. The local farmer is a total nuisance. He is always wrecking the path. Just make a beeline across his fields for the cemetery. The cemetery, a battlefield one, was built on the exact line of the second trench of Stuff Redoubt, near its northwest tip. Spectacular views from here, including the slopes below the Hansa Stellung across the road, which is where the IR 180 Recruit Companies got a hard time counter-attacking the 36th(Ulster) Division. To get to Feste Schwaben = Schwaben Redoubt by the shortest route, follow Stump Road down to the Thiepval -Grandcourt road and turn left. Head up the hill until you reach the modern La Grande Ferme. Just across the road was the eastern extremity of Schwaben Redoubt, but the only part of the Schwaben that you can reach on a right of way, is reached by carrying on 500 metres towards Thiepval to the village cemetery, turning right (NNW) and walking up the track until the eastern tip of Mill Road cemetery is at its closest point. This is the western tip of the Redoubt. You will know when you get there, because all of a sudden very long views open to the north. Happy Walking.

Jack

[Jack Sheldon]

Tony

The walk you have described is mostly a section of my German Second Position walk which will be appearing in the forthcoming Battleground Europe 'Germans at Thiepval' book. This is what you need to do. The current Mouquet Farm is not built on the site of the original, so the bit that interests you is the oblong marked as an enclosure on the 1:25,000 map just above the current farm. There is a rough path/fieldtrack junction 500 metres north of modern Mouquet Farm. Follow it eastwards for 800 metres to point 151 (152 on German 1916 maps). Turn left, heading north for just under 1km and you come to a junction with an acute turn to your left. Take the left turn, heading south west. (If you go straight on it takes you to the complexities of Stallmulde = Stable Hollow and Baummulde = Boom Ravine). About 500 metres up the track, it takes a 90 degree swing to the right. While you are at this point you can follow a rough track straight on up onto the high ground, where some overgrown rough grass is the site of Feste Zollern = Goat Redoubt. In the meantime follow the track round to the right which leads you into Stumpweg = Stump Road. Where the cutting gets really sharply incised is the eastern limit of Feste Staufen = Stuff Redoubt. The HQ of Artillery Group Berta of 26th Reserve Field Artillery Brigade was dug in here and it is also the place from which the Schwaben Redoubt counter-attack was commanded on 1 July 1916. Keep going to the turn off for Grandcourt Road cemetery and make your way up there. The local farmer is a total nuisance. He is always wrecking the path. Just make a beeline across his fields for the cemetery. The cemetery, a battlefield one, was built on the exact line of the second trench of Stuff Redoubt, near its northwest tip. Spectacular views from here, including the slopes below the Hansa Stellung across the road, which is where the IR 180 Recruit Companies got a hard time counter-attacking the 36th(Ulster) Division. To get to Feste Schwaben = Schwaben Redoubt by the shortest route, follow Stump Road down to the Thiepval -Grandcourt road and turn left. Head up the hill until you reach the modern La Grande Ferme. Just across the road was the eastern extremity of Schwaben Redoubt, but the only part of the Schwaben that you can reach on a right of way, is reached by carrying on 500 metres towards Thiepval to the village cemetery, turning right (NNW) and walking up the track until the eastern tip of Mill Road cemetery is at its closest point. This is the western tip of the Redoubt. You will know when you get there, because all of a sudden very long views open to the north. Happy Walking.

Jack

[cockney tone]

Jack,

sounds an interesting walk and one that i would like to undertake, can you please give me some idea when we can expect your book to be out and available please?

Regards,

Scottie.

[Marco]

Someone wants to get in skindles quick!

Regards,

Marco

[paul guthrie]

SEVERE stutter!

[KIRKY]

Jack

superb description ( a bit repetitive! )

I know Stump Road so can visualise your route. Does anything remain of Stuff Redoubt or is it ploughed away?

I am there 16th March and this has really got me excited! Your book will be added to all of the other Battleground ones I have! When is it out?

Tony

[Jack Sheldon]

The stutter is down to the site this morning I am afraid. The post 'hung fire' for ages. It must have been sending and re-sending itself. Moderators to the rescue please. Unfortunately like much else German, battlefield clearance means that the trenches, redoubts etc are gone. Mind you, much the same applies to all the trenches in this farming area. However, we have turned up so much material out of the archives in Germany in the last few years that we are in a position to point you very exactly in the right direction to visit sites of interest.

The idea with the new guides is to complement existing Battleground titles, with the aim of providing good, accurate information about the activities of 26th Reserve Division in particular. The initial idea was to try to produce a single guide, but there is such an abundance of information that it has been necessary to split it into two books. The Germans at Beaumont Hamel is effectively 26th Res Div (North) and covers the sector from the top end of Redan Ridge to the Ancre; The Germans at Thiepval is 26th Reserve Division (South) from St Pierre Divion to Ovillers. B-H is due out in May and Thiepval in June: in good time, we hope, for summer visitors.

I am sure that the deadlines will be met. I am just indexing B-H and expecting the proof of Thiepval next week. Both cover the period 1914 - 1916. B-H has 25 maps and Thiepval 30, so it will be straightforward to follow the action (I hope!)

Jack

[egbert]

Jack the true reason for stuttering is that you wanted to become a skindle club member early, right?

Back to serious: can anybody post a modern 1:20.000 or 1:50.000 map in order to understand Jack's superb advice?

[cockney tone]

Egbert,

I am terrible at scanning etc, if no Pal's can help you with a map directly on this thread just PM me with your address and I will send you a photocopy of my map via the mail,

regards,

Scottie.

[Desmond7]

See battle site below for several good aerials of the area plus some good war diary accounts. Hope to provide more info fairly soon.

Des

[egbert]

Scottie and Des:

I have now access to a modern 1:50000 map, but it is not detailed enough. Is there anybody with a 1:20000 map, covering area Moquet Farm to Stuff Redoubt? Des nice aerials with Schwaben R.