Trench Map "Markings "

[Gordon Haymes]

Can any member explain these markings circled

and there military meaning ?

In anticipation of your help i thank you .

regards

Gordon Haymes

[Mick D]

they look similar to the symbol for mine craters.

Mick D

[Smithmaps]

Can any member explain these markings circled

and there military meaning ?

In anticipation of your help i thank you .

regards

Gordon Haymes

Definately Mine Craters

Guy

[CROONAERT]

Just to expand a little, they're a cluster of unfortified (unconsolidated) German held (dependant on the edition of the map) mine-craters.

Dave.

[Gordon Haymes]

Dave / Mick / Guy,

Thankyou for your help in making that clear ,

Is there an official index to trench map markings available ?

Regards

Gordon Haymes

[CROONAERT]

Is there an official index to trench map markings available ?

There is, but it's not really complete as some symbols occur on certain maps and not others. Not all are mentioned. Most pre-1918 regular maps had the index of symbols found on them actually on the maps themselves. These can differ from edition to edition with some tables being more complete than others.

However, this webpage (LINK) shows a few tables from maps.

Dave

[Gordon Haymes]

David,

Thank you very much for your help, Could i ask...........as you seem to have a very

clear passion for Trench Maps, and seeing as i find mooching about the Somme with

a Modern and a local Trench map in hand one of the best ways to feel a link with the

past..............what would you advise to be the best source for Trench Maps ?

I have followed the Forum and view with interest the various debates on the merits of

the IWM Cd-Rom......the new "Linesman" Project.......and the forthcoming WFA project

but what in your opinion is the best purchase for someone like myself who has a passion

for Trench maps , has a PC , walks the area's, but probably would not purchase a handheld

sat nav as tramping about with a good old fashion map (abiet a printed off copy) is still a

good buzz and worked for our boys then....works for me now

In anticipation of your help i thank you

Regards

Gordon Haymes

[Smithmaps]

David,

Thank you very much for your help, Could i ask...........as you seem to have a very

clear passion for Trench Maps, and seeing as i find mooching about the Somme with

a Modern and a local Trench map in hand one of the best ways to feel a link with the

past..............what would you advise to be the best source for Trench Maps ?

I have followed the Forum and view with interest the various debates on the merits of

the IWM Cd-Rom......the new "Linesman" Project.......and the forthcoming WFA project

but what in your opinion is the best purchase for someone like myself who has a passion

for Trench maps , has a PC , walks the area's, but probably would not purchase a handheld

sat nav as tramping about with a good old fashion map (abiet a printed off copy) is still a

good buzz and worked for our boys then....works for me now

In anticipation of your help i thank you

Regards

Gordon Haymes

I'm not sure that is an entirely fair question yet Godon, give it a few months maybe.

I've sent you a PM.

Kind regards

Guy

[CROONAERT]

Hi Gordon.

Depends what you mean by a "source" of trenchmaps.

If you mean originals, then,to be honest, there is no such thing a good source of them these days. It's more a case of good luck and a full wallet. I've bought them (and been given them) over the years from a very wide variety of sources (as common as eBay and as bizarre as a petrol station!)

Copies can be obtained (in B&W at the moment) from the WFA, G.H.Smith & Sons (full colour 1/7 scale) and (do they still do this service?) the IWM. Maps can be viewed and, if you're very nice with them, copied from many other places too such as the NA, IWM, various regimental museums etc, etc.

If it's an archive of maps that you can view on your PC that you're after, then there's the N&MP/IWM Trenchmap Archive CD-ROM, the Linesman DVD's (which I'm sure that Guy has now made you aware of) and the WFA/IWM DVD project that's in the pipeline. Some German maps (not all trenchmaps) are also covered in a N&MP/NA CD-ROM.

If it's the type of item mentioned in the paragraph above that you want my opinion of then, as Guy has mentioned, it's not really a fair question - I have full experience of one of the items (happy , but a few quibles), a little of another (very impressed with what has been seen so far) and none at all of the other (but expects to be impressed! ). This matter, I'm sure, will be resolved over the next few weeks/months but I think that they will all be a huge benefit to the serious and casual researcher/historian/student alike.

All that said, I'll always be a fan of the original map - that's what I started collecting in the first place! - i'd need a huge monitor screen to be able to view a trenchmap the same way that I can do an original!!!!

Dave (not "David", by the way - that's used only when i'm in trouble! )

[Gordon Haymes]

Dave / Guy

Thank you Gentlemen, nuff said ! i bow to your experience of such matters

Thanks for your help both of you

Regards

Gordon

[green_acorn]

I realise this thread is long cold, but can I offer the opinion that the multiple dot symbols are not "Unfortified/Unconsolidated Mine Craters" but "Uncolidated/Unfortified Shell Craters, pedantic I know, but mine craters tended to be a tad larger.

Cheers,

Hendo

[CROONAERT]

can I offer the opinion that the multiple dot symbols are not "Unfortified/Unconsolidated Mine Craters" but "Uncolidated/Unfortified Shell Craters, pedantic I know, but mine craters tended to be a tad larger.

Not with the symbols depicted on the map extract in question... these are unfortified mine craters without a doubt according to the conventional signs (and ,though the symbols only very loosely depict size, these, being shown as being about 20 - 50 yards in size (each) pretty much qualify size-wise too). Large calibre shell craters could, of course, be mistaken from aerial photoghraphy as being small mine-craters but, when the almost daily occurance of mine detonations in some places is considered, chances are that mine crater symbols do actually depict just what they are.

Shell craters (when depicted- which isn't all that often) are usually depicted by a series of small circles or (in the case of total obliteration), by a "dotted out" area.

Dave.