Mark Trapnell Posted 13 March , 2006 Share Posted 13 March , 2006 Can anyone help me with the identity/village and or country of this ruined church? It has a telegraph pole outside which looks very different. It is part of a series of photos but without subject descriptions... the photographer was in The Somme and Italy Many thanks Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malte Znaniecki Posted 13 March , 2006 Share Posted 13 March , 2006 The photograph surely was not taken in Italy. I think it must be Northern France (Somme or Nord-Pas de Calais). Little chance for Belgium. Would you like to post some more pics of the series ? This could eventually help to identification of the place. regards Malte Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PBI Posted 13 March , 2006 Share Posted 13 March , 2006 Definetly France,the type of concrete pylon in front of the Church,are still visible all over the Somme area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papineau Posted 13 March , 2006 Share Posted 13 March , 2006 It is the village of Hebuterne. Strictly speaking it is in the Pas de Calais, but it was in the northern area of the Somme battlefields. It had a very large church, both then and now. There is a memorial to the Bradford Pals in the modern village close to where you see the crucifix in the photo. I am presuming your man was in a unit of the 48th (South Midland) Division, who were here in 1915/16 (and Italy in 1917-18). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Trapnell Posted 13 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 13 March , 2006 It is the village of Hebuterne. Strictly speaking it is in the Pas de Calais, but it was in the northern area of the Somme battlefields. It had a very large church, both then and now. There is a memorial to the Bradford Pals in the modern village close to where you see the crucifix in the photo. I am presuming your man was in a unit of the 48th (South Midland) Division, who were here in 1915/16 (and Italy in 1917-18). If it is Hébuterne that makes sense since grandad was in trenches there - here is the crucifix. These are photos of Major EE Wookey who served with my grandfather in 1/4th Gloucestershire regt. His son has sent them to me after I made contact with him. But there are no descriptions of where each one is. I will post a photo of a village which may have been Hébuterne (if this church is Hébuterne) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Trapnell Posted 13 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 13 March , 2006 Here are some street scenes which could then also be Hébuterne - anyone recognise anything? Thanks to Papineau and Malte. You're both great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papineau Posted 13 March , 2006 Share Posted 13 March , 2006 I am looking for my postcards and photos of Hebuterne, but cannot find them all. I will post at least one later today. I would say the other photos may not be Hebuterne; the amount of men and equipment in the streets suggests it may be a little further behind the lines. The building to the left behind the railings may be another church or a large house; whichever, it is built in a traditional Picardy style (red brick and chalk stone) which Hebuterne church was not, and indeed few buildings in that village were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papineau Posted 13 March , 2006 Share Posted 13 March , 2006 Still can't find all the postcards. There is one taken almost on the spot of yours. This is a view in the village in 1915 when the French were still there; the level of destruction seems to confirm the other photos are taken in another place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papineau Posted 13 March , 2006 Share Posted 13 March , 2006 This is Hebuterne church and war memorial in 2003. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Trapnell Posted 13 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 13 March , 2006 Thanks Papineau. Heres another of Hébuterne Church from a different angle. Any further ideas on village scenes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malte Znaniecki Posted 13 April , 2006 Share Posted 13 April , 2006 Map 1 Location: Hébuterne Subject: Space of time: Source: http://pathsofglory.co.uk/Trenchmap%20extracts.htm Many thanks to Dave CROONAERT for the permission to post it here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_ageing_young_rebel Posted 14 November , 2022 Share Posted 14 November , 2022 I know this is a long discontinued post, But @Mark Trapnell, I don't suppose you still have these photos do you? I would love a copy of them and any others as my Uncle served with Major EE Wookey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Trapnell Posted 21 November , 2022 Author Share Posted 21 November , 2022 Everything scanned (EE Wookey Diaries and photos) i gave to the Soldiers of Gloucester Museum on CD ROM. Some of the original photos I believe were at Imperial War museum London. Then had contact with Major EE Wookey's son, who sent me the diaries to scan. I attach a resume of the photos i can find on file here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Trapnell Posted 21 November , 2022 Author Share Posted 21 November , 2022 (edited) Some were Hébuterne (Church and cemetery) others were when they went to Italy 1917 1st/4th (City of Bristol) Gloucestershire regt. If you send me your address in a message I will send you the Wookey diaries on CD. Edited 21 November , 2022 by Mark Trapnell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Trapnell Posted 21 November , 2022 Author Share Posted 21 November , 2022 Last batch i have... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 22 November , 2022 Admin Share Posted 22 November , 2022 What a magnificent set of photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_ageing_young_rebel Posted 22 November , 2022 Share Posted 22 November , 2022 13 hours ago, Mark Trapnell said: Some were Hébuterne (Church and cemetery) others were when they went to Italy 1917 1st/4th (City of Bristol) Gloucestershire regt. If you send me your address in a message I will send you the Wookey diaries on CD. Mark, thanks so much! Those photos are fantastic! I don't suppose they have any notes on them or anything do they? And do you know any of the men in the pics? I assume one of them is Wookey himself? I already have a digital copy of the diary though thanks (you kindly sent it to me years ago). Its been the basis of lots of my research and I was even working on transcribing it at one point (I only managed the first few months). Its such a fantastic historical document Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Trapnell Posted 22 November , 2022 Author Share Posted 22 November , 2022 I think the early batch of photos i saw had some names (The ones that are in the Imperial War Museum London.) Major Eric Wookey is indeed in some of them. The ones i posted didn't make it to the IWM collection. If you can find on here a Gloucestershire regiment expert I'm sure someone has all the lists of the men in the regiment. The collection is listed on the IWM site 9603-07 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?query=wookey Eric Major&pageSize=30&media-records=all-records&style=image&filters[collectionString][WOOKEY ERIC (MAJOR)]=on Remind me of your Uncles Name? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Trapnell Posted 22 November , 2022 Author Share Posted 22 November , 2022 Just checked back in old research folder and the IWM scans of photos I have mention the following names: GS Catle MC (then Lt, later Lt Col), Platoon Officer Lt Beauvoir, Corporal Pocock, GR Wookey (Eric Wookeys brother who did not survive 2nd Battle of Ypres 1915), and the Graves of Private A Cottell and Private L Yeoman, Private A J Hammond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_ageing_young_rebel Posted 23 November , 2022 Share Posted 23 November , 2022 13 hours ago, Mark Trapnell said: I think the early batch of photos i saw had some names (The ones that are in the Imperial War Museum London. Remind me of your Uncles Name? Thanks, I think I might need to plan a trip to the IWM to get a look the original photos. My Uncle was Arthur Henry King (201401 / 4538) who was only a private so isn't mentioned in many offical docs, but died under Wookey's command in an attack on the Somme on 21st / 22nd August 1916 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_ageing_young_rebel Posted 23 November , 2022 Share Posted 23 November , 2022 14 hours ago, Mark Trapnell said: The Graves of Private A Cottell and Private L Yeoman, Private A J Hammond. After a little research I found Pvt Cottell and who I assume is the Pvt Yeoman. I might do a little extra digging to see what I can find about them. I wonder why Wookey photographed their graves in particular Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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