german units and locations

[chrislock]

My Great Uncle was killed in action during the small hours of June 13th, 1916. He was in A Coy, 7th Batt, Som L.I. The batt was assisting the Canadians during the attack to recover mount sorrell, on the top of the Menin rd, Ypres. The Somersets were entrenched between Railway wood and Y wood. I would be very grateful if anyone could identify the German unit opposite them. A trench map copy of the area would also be most welcome.

[Ralph J. Whitehead]

From looking through some area maps I would say that your Great Uncle was killed opposite the 117th Division, 157 IR, 11 RIR and 22 RIR. I do not have any details on these regiments but will see what I can locate. I have some period maps that might help.

Hopefully this will give you a place to start. Good luck.

Ralph

[Guest Jeff Floyd]

The 117th Division went into the line at the beginning of June 1916 east of Ypres (along the Ypres-Menin Road) and stayed there until July 20th. From there, it went to the Somme and then (in August 1916) to the Carpathian Mountains, Romania, and on to Italy.

The 117th was recruited from Silesia and was apparently used primarily in holding actions rather than offensive operations.

[CROONAERT]

A trench map copy of the area would also be most welcome.

Havn't got one for the exact date you require, but this is early 1917...

[CROONAERT]

...and a German one for a similar date (British trenches in red on this one)...

[CROONAERT]

...and finally, a map extract from the CEF history showing as far north as Y Wood.

Dave.

[chrislock]

Thanks lads, just goes to show what a wonderful site this is! Now I can stand almost at the site of his last action and wonder at the men across the "strip" who he was facing, on that hellish, gas drenched sodden night! By the way, the trench maps are superb. Thank you. I would like to include a poem, written at the time, from one of the surviving somerset tommies if I may.

As the sun was setting o,er Ypres town, a band of warriors was standing around. Bespattered with mud and covered with grime, for they,d just returned from the firing line.

They were tired and weary with battle,s dread din and their thoughts wandered back to their own kilth and kin. As the deadly shells whistled and screamed overhead, their thoughts wandered back to where their comrades lay dead.

Those heroes belonged to the the 7th Somersets, they,d been fighting like hell and squaring old depts. Giving Fritz socks mids,t the gas,s dread stench, while Canadians charged and regained their lost trench.

For five days they stuck it without thought or pain, with shrapnel and bullets falling round them like rain, all covered in mud and wet through to the skin, in that hell upon earth mids,t the guns deafening din.

So tired and weary, those men from the west, are going back to "Pop" for a well deserved rest, with a glass of French beer and a cooler of ale, they,ll forget those five nights that they suffered in hell.

And when all is over and we,re at peace once again, and the Canadians return to their homes o,er the main. There,s a Regiment they,ll praise all through life till they die, that,s the old "Western Bulldogs", the 7th Som LI.