rap1943 Posted 10 February , 2007 Share Posted 10 February , 2007 Would anyone have a map that can be scanned of what I believe was a communications trench called the 'Great Wall of China' and the surrounding area. I think near Zillibeke - time, Sept 1917. Thanks Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhill Posted 10 February , 2007 Share Posted 10 February , 2007 There is a rather ratty map with the June, 1916 diary of the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade of this area. I believe one can see GREAT WALL winding through square 16. Perhaps it was in the same place as would be the following year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rap1943 Posted 10 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 10 February , 2007 Thanks for that James, I'll get out the magnifying glass Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 10 February , 2007 Share Posted 10 February , 2007 May 1917... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rap1943 Posted 13 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 13 February , 2007 Thanks for that Croonaert Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TullochArd Posted 7 January Share Posted 7 January Has anyone ever come across a photo of the actual China Wall/Wall of China communication trench as described on this thread? I've tried to locate something on GWF and the wider web and failed. It seems odd that such a significant, and presumably well known feature wasn't photographed and tucked away somewhere. Regards and thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteStarLine Posted 7 January Share Posted 7 January Here is an aerial from September 1918. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TullochArd Posted 7 January Share Posted 7 January Thanks WSL. That certainly puts it into perspective ........ a serious bit of Field Engineering! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianmorris547 Posted 8 January Share Posted 8 January There was another position called Chinese Wall (Chineze Wall in the RE WDs) south of the Vierstraat to Wyjtschate road. It was in square N 18 d. See the 16 Div papers for the Ops 07/06/1917. There is a map in the WD of 47 Infantry Brigade but it is not marked. The Zillebeke one is correct, I just posted this to avoid confusion. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TullochArd Posted 8 January Share Posted 8 January 29 minutes ago, brianmorris547 said: The Zillebeke one is correct, I just posted this to avoid confusion. TVM Brian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianmorris547 Posted 10 January Share Posted 10 January I have cropped this map from the July 1917 WD of the Commander Royal Engineers 8 Div which shows the Wall of China. The 8 Div HQ GS papers refer to it as the China Wall. I will try and find out more. TNA/Ancestry WO 95/1690 Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 11 January Share Posted 11 January There are two contemporary photographs of China Wall in Peter Barton's The Battlefields Of The First World War - The Unseen Panoramas Of The Western Front. The first is on pages 104-105 and shows the feature from the Allied side taken in a snowy January 1917, the second is on page 118 and is a German panorama taken from just south of the Menin Road. The feature is a breastwork as it crossed the low boggy ground between Hellfire Corner and the Perth (China Wall) CWGC cemetery which took its name. Both images are quite small in the book but may be searchable; the first photo is Second Army Panorama 101 and the second German Panorama G-8. I've done a quick search of the net and the IWM site but can't find either unfortunately. Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TullochArd Posted 11 January Share Posted 11 January 22 hours ago, brianmorris547 said: I have cropped this map from the July 1917 WD of the Commander Royal Engineers 8 Div which shows the Wall of China. The 8 Div HQ GS papers refer to it as the China Wall. I will try and find out more. TNA/Ancestry WO 95/1690 Brian TVM Brian. That certainly shows the scale and significance of China Wall. It must have been memorable feature to all those deployed forward of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TullochArd Posted 11 January Share Posted 11 January (edited) 2 hours ago, Fattyowls said: There are two contemporary photographs of China Wall in Peter Barton's The Battlefields Of The First World War - The Unseen Panoramas Of The Western Front. The first is on pages 104-105 and shows the feature from the Allied side taken in a snowy January 1917, the second is on page 118 and is a German panorama taken from just south of the Menin Road. The feature is a breastwork as it crossed the low boggy ground between Hellfire Corner and the Perth (China Wall) CWGC cemetery which took its name. Both images are quite small in the book but may be searchable; the first photo is Second Army Panorama 101 and the second German Panorama G-8. I've done a quick search of the net and the IWM site but can't find either unfortunately. Pete. Thanks Pete. That's a great steer. I'll get onto tracking down a copy of Barton's book. Edited 11 January by TullochArd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianmorris547 Posted 14 January Share Posted 14 January Just out of interest I've been trying to find out when the Wall was built and who built it. The WD of 101 Field Co (23 Div RE) 20/11/1916 records that work on the China Wall started. I do not know if this is when 101 FC started to work on an existing feature or started to build the wall from new. They took over from 7 FC Australian Engineers. The CRE WD does not help and 23 Div HQ just records that 0n 26/11/1916 I 16 d was shelled and mentions China Wall. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now