Coldstream Guards at Cuinchy

[Sue Light]

At present I’m trying to piece together the death of 11948 Pte. William Carter, 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, who died at Cuinchy on 25th September 1915. I now know his exact place of death which is given as:

'In rear of small trench in rear of Coldstream Hollow'

The battalion war diary for that day says:

'About 7am a German deserter came in and reported an attack imminent. The German attack commenced by the explosion of a mine in the trench held by No. 4 Coy. under Capt. Campbell. The first line of trenches were consequently rushed by the Germans. No. 1 Coy. on the embankment by the La Bassee Canal held its ground and No. 2 Coy. under Lt. Viscount Acheson held on to the keep and Brickstacks and repelled the German attacks. The Scots Guards on our immediate right shared a similar fate but were able to maintain a stand at the Brickfields. Reinforcements of London Scottish, Black Watch and Cameron Highlanders were sent up and a counter attack was made but it was found impossible to dislodge the Germans from the front trenches they had taken.'

I don’t know which company William Carter was in, but can anyone pinpoint where ‘Coldstream Hollow’ was/is exactly – was this the position of the mine that was blown? Casualties were extremely heavy for the day, and it seems likely that many of these were men of No. 4 Company.

Thanks - Sue

[brindlerp]

Hi Sue

Check out > http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/the...chy/cuinchy.htm

This link has trench map, aerial photographs (before and after mine explosions) and modern aerial photgraphs of the Loos Battlefield including the Brickstacks area.

If you copy the trenchmap, zoom in on Cuinchy, just below 'Church (ruins)' is a trench marked 'Coldstream'.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Richard

[brindlerp]

Hi Sue, again

Found an earlier trenchmap with 'Coldstream' indicated at Cuinchy. Check out > http://www.trenchmaps.co.uk/siteFiles/trenchMap.html

Attached is a photograph of the Cuinchy Brickstacks, date unknown.

Each stack concealed a manned dugout.

There is very good information about the area, maps and photographs (IWM) etc. in this excellent book by Andres Rawson, BATTLEGROUND EUROPE:LOOS-HOHENZOLLEN: Loos 1915 The Northern Battle and Hohenzollern Redoubt.

The story of I Corps’ part in the Battle of Loos.

Check out > http://www.naval-military-press.com/FMPro?...ameset.htm&-new

Regards

Richard

[Sue Light]

Richard

Thanks so much for great information and links. The book is definitely on my list. You're obviously a 'mine' of information - if you could just let me have some lottery numbers.....!

Regards - Sue