Flooding at Newport

[centurion]

Yes Cnock but you are relating things to sea level when the important factor was the local water table (not the same thing). The Anglo Dutch fortess designer and siege engineer Cohorn back at the end of the seventeenth century found this a real problem when digging trenches in the area as one didn't need to dig down too far before the siegeworks began to flood and dainage measures had to be introduced. The Yser canal runs very close to Ypres and to either end of the salient trench line and would have normally been a major influence on local drainage and the level of the water table. If this was no longer doing its job then the latter would rise. If one thinks that the noemal way of draining a trench was to dig soak holes at intervals then this would be critical. Of course the Germans on rising ground would be less badly afected.

[Cnock]

Because of being close to the sea the local water table was there higher than at Ypres, even with draining.

Bunkers for example could only be built in diques or on the higher dunes.

Cnock

[NigelS]

Quote Post#9 'Chris_Baker' date='Jan 10 2008, 01:51 PM' post='835413': "Just as an aside, serious preparations were made in spring 1918 to flood the area near Calais in case of an enemy breakthrough on the Lys. Henry Wilson was pressing Foch to do it."

There is a letter in today's Telegraph (19th April) "Remembering Flanders" ( see: http://tinyurl.com/3bjrb9 ) relating to how the use of these pumps was avoided by the fighting which stopped the German offensive during April '18.

Nigel

[FionaBam]

On 06/04/2008 at 11:49, Cnock said:

Robert,

I enlarged the section of the railway,

Phil,

it is indeed the green areas

Regards,

Cnoc

Hoping you are still on the Forum- my grandfathers plane was shot down 22 3 1918 whilst on escort in RNAS 2 Squadron (Navy operation to shell the Leugenboom)and it crashed " near Pervyse this side of the lines ". So your maps are very interesting for me. 

The frontline was the thick green wiggly line of the Yser river ?

 

Many thanks 

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

15 hours ago, FionaBam said:

Hoping you are still on the Forum- my grandfathers plane was shot down 22 3 1918 whilst on escort in RNAS 2 Squadron (Navy operation to shell the Leugenboom)and it crashed " near Pervyse this side of the lines ". So your maps are very interesting for me. 

The frontline was the thick green wiggly line of the Yser river ?

 

Many thanks 

I believe Cnook still visits the forum, this  @Cnock should send him an invitation to reply.

[FionaBam]

13 minutes ago, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said:

I believe Cnook still visits the forum, this  @Cnock should send him an invitation to reply.

Thank you! 

[PhilB]

I still think that higher water level at Nieuport means slower drainage from the Steenbeek!

[FionaBam]

2 minutes ago, PhilB said:

I still think that higher water level at Nieuport means slower drainage from the Steenbeek!

Very interesting thread ! Perhaps the hydrologists will appear now !

For my grandfather I have worked out that he must have crashed West of Pervyse as he would have drowned had his plane crashed into the waters east of Pervyse.  Also the RNAS gathered witness statements following the crash who spoke of Bam releasing his hold on the stricken plane at the last minute and throwing himself clear and landing . The fuselage broke away and rolled on top of his legs pinning him down . Locals and I thank them all then rushed to help him I assume .

I read here too that waters covered barbed wire and other obstacles placed there by the allies so no chance of running through those waters to assist a pilot trapped beneath his plane

Anyway I digress. 

Welcome any comments on my analysis above !