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Remembered Today:

Roeux and Chemical Works Arras


lambert

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I would like to visit the area of the Rouex Chemical Works which was taken during the battle of Arras and at which my grandfathers brother was killed when the 10th Lincolns took part in the action on 28th April 1917.

Is the anything left to see, remains of Works Chateau etc. I understand that the Motorway runs near the site and houses have also been built.If anyone has visited the area I would be pleased of some info.

Sid

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Just added a little on Roeux to the Arras pages of my site;

http://www.battlefields1418.com/roeux.htm

I have been visiting Roeux since the early 1980s when the remains of the Chemical Works was still visible. Sadly it is now covered with a supermarket, houses and a tennis court. The nearby bunker, once in open fields, is also now surrounded by houses.

You will find graves from the unit you mention in Roeux British Cemetery.

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I have studied the 23rd to 28th April from the perspectice of the 6th Bedfords who attacked Greenland Hill, between Rouex and Gavrelle. The German guns in the chemical works were what cut their attack to pieces both times and left the Btn 58 strong by the end of the 28th.

Was there Sept and despite the motorway having cut through much of the line of advance from 23rd April, the line they reached and assaulted from on the 28th is still there & if you go armed with trench maps you can stand on the ground OK.

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Here is the supermarket marked on the photo, there is not a great deal to see behind it as you can imagine, but the view from the train station towards the motorway gives a good field of view

Andy

:rolleyes:

post-10939-1170668728.jpg

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Superb comparision Andy - thank you

Stephen

Thanks, some nice photo's already on Pauls link , this area has become a somewhat forgotten battlefield until quite recently

Andy

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I'd like to nominate the nearby British Cemetery as being the most beautifully set and cared-for in the region. Beyond compare, IMHO.

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Yes, another moving cemetery

Sid send me a PM /e-mail and I'll send you what I have

Thanks

Andy

B)

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My thanks to all for the cracking pics.

Rouex Chemical Works was an evil, evil place.

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Great thread IMHO!

Essdee - great photos, thank you. So, just to check I have it right, if you rotate the photos 90 degrees to the right does that put the on a north-south alignment?

Andy's map of then and pic of now is excellent. You can still see some of the buildings from a century ago have been rebuilt in the same shape etc! Wonderful.

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Thanks Steve

Sid, you've got mail !.

........Sorry guys ,the maps are too big!!!, I might try a downsized version or two if you want me to post some here

Cheers

Andy

:rolleyes:

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Thanks for the maps Andy.

You say that the casulties from the battle are buried at Frampoux. I do not know if John L Plowman has a marked grave although his name is on the memorial at Arras. There is no indication on the war graves site only the Arras memorial is mentioned. When I go I will visit the cemeteries at Frampoux and see what I can find

Sid.

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Sid

You will find a number of them around Fampoux a very quiet spot I thought, have you tried his name on cwgc or soldiers died?

Andy

:rolleyes:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Looking at the area on Google Earth, there are signs of a large building, or series of buildings to the east of where the supermarket would be by my reckoning. Would this be the foundations (remains) of the Chemical works. It seems to be in about the right place.post-13680-1172200869.jpg

I'll be there 11 April this year.

Neil

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Looking at the area on Google Earth, there are signs of a large building, or series of buildings to the east of where the supermarket would be by my reckoning. Would this be the foundations (remains) of the Chemical works. It seems to be in about the right place.post-13680-1172200869.jpg

I'll be there 11 April this year.

Neil

I think you may well be right. Unfortunately, on the ground these ' cropmarks' are invisible. My expertise is derived from several years watching Timeteam. :unsure:

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I think you may well be right. Unfortunately, on the ground these ' cropmarks' are invisible. My expertise is derived from several years watching Timeteam. :unsure:

Yes, a good view there, if you go back to the trench map you can see that a rail line comes off the main track [Arras-Douai] - and seems to indicate a connection to the Chemical works!. When I was there last year the back of the Supermarket area was scrub

Can't wait for your photos in April!

Thanks

Andy

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Seems like Google Earth have updated the Arras area. Seems much better definition now.

Neil

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