stiletto_33853 Posted 8 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 8 May , 2008 Fritz, Glad that it was all of use, always good to help someone digging away at something although Ali was the one who pointed out the Official History account in a telephone call to-day, but I am happy that the aerials helped someone, they have been a great help to me following the 14th Division at Arras. Still need to get those 56th Division orders over to you if you still need them, but, as the London Scottish went over into the 14th Division area they might not be necessary. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 29 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 29 May , 2008 Fritz, Jim, Just a catch up post to see if there were any further little snippets, a few more maps that might help I will e-mail to you fritz. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fritz Posted 31 May , 2008 Share Posted 31 May , 2008 Hello Andy, thank you for your activities for me. I am looking forward to your e-mail. Fritz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 31 May , 2008 Share Posted 31 May , 2008 HI Just to say that I have still not worked out that last photo! (post 99) Also I will be taking copies of many of the photos with me at the end of June when I have a long weekend in France. If it's alright with you Andy I want to use them as part of a display in the study of my house, along with maps etc. I will also begin looking at Monchy le Preux more closely Fritz and will probably try to take lots of photographs, bearing in mind where the 163rd were at the time. Is your history of the 163rd one by Ritter published Hamburg 1926? Colin Fox used that document as part of his research for his book on Monchy. Enjoy a hot Sunday! (at least for you and I Fritz) Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 31 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 31 May , 2008 Jim, Not a problem here with you using them, if you need the full size scans let me know. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havrincourt Posted 31 May , 2008 Share Posted 31 May , 2008 Would be great to see any photographs of Monchy Cheers Andy H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fritz Posted 1 June , 2008 Share Posted 1 June , 2008 Hello Andy, Andy, Jim, glad to see that our activities are going on. Sorry to say that I have hard to work actually for my job. But in July I hope I shall be able to send you anything about Monchy-le-Preux. Jim, the most of my informations about I.R. 163 I read in this book you mentioned. Holger Ritter was at least a Regimentskommandeur (Regimental Commanding Officer R.C.O.? in English?) but for a long time he commanded a batallion in 163. He was not the type of an author but he had done his best. The engagement at this front ended for 163 at april,11th but they came back in the summer. I also have a source “Reichsarchiv: Osterschlacht bei Arras 1917” which includes all units and actions at the whole front surround Arras and of course those at Monchy. I am pleased with the idea to produce a new thread together. Kind regards Fritz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 27 July , 2008 Share Posted 27 July , 2008 Thanx for the link Fritz Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 28 July , 2008 Author Share Posted 28 July , 2008 Jim, Look forward to meeting you in Arras this weekend coming, I will bring my secondary hard drive over so that if there is anything else you need on there you can download it. Some of the maps I have been trying to send you are far too large for e-mail attachments. See you in Arras. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 10 August , 2008 Author Share Posted 10 August , 2008 Jim, It was a pleasure to meet you over the weekend in Arras, we all enjoyed your company. I hope that the glimpse at the 14th and 56th Divisions medical evacuation route, courtesy of Ali, was of interest to you. Fritz, If you do meet up with Jim this year, he has downloaded relevant diaries from my hard drive that will help you. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fritz Posted 11 August , 2008 Share Posted 11 August , 2008 Splendid, Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 12 August , 2008 Share Posted 12 August , 2008 Hi Andy & Fritz Writing from an internet cafe in Arras - French keyboards are a pain!! Enjoyed the day immensely Andy - be honoured qnd delighted to join in any trip you have in the future, if you will have me. Plus, you have also seen possible accomodation for you! Had a brief look through some of the material and it really does add lots to the area. Walked the area of Telegraph Hill Sunday, really got to know the forming up areas and line of attack of the 14th Div. Found an old dugout in the woods - part of Telegraph Lane, used by the Germans before the retreat. Photos will follow when I am back in Germany. I will be in touch with you Fritz when back. We must meet up and discuss the material we have and where we go from here. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 12 August , 2008 Author Share Posted 12 August , 2008 Jim, Glad that you enjoyed your time with us, and, it was good to have a few beers with you in the evening. Good to hear that the material you downloaded was of interest and use, unfortunately time ran out before you could download it all so will have to see about sending you a disc with the rest of the material. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 19 August , 2008 Share Posted 19 August , 2008 Hi Andy Back on the old French keyboard again. The q is where the a should be etc etc so apologies for the typos! Weather has not been brilliant so lots of decorating has been done, not much exploring. You will be welcome at the house anytime for visits, just get in touch. The leqst I can do for all the help you are giving. A copy of the material will be superb, hopefully I can reciprocate some day as my researches progress. I picked up a few good postcards at the big flea market here in Arras on Sunday. Will post some of them when I am back. One is supposed to be rare (Neuville Vittasse mill before the War) so I may just send that to Fritz and yourself if you are interested. Hopefully see you again soon. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Banning Posted 4 June , 2009 Share Posted 4 June , 2009 I picked up a few good postcards at the big flea market here in Arras on Sunday. Will post some of them when I am back. One is supposed to be rare (Neuville Vittasse mill before the War) Hi Jim, Just reread this old thread and greatly enjoyed it. Is there any chance you could scan the rare pre-war Neuville Vitasse mill postcard? I'd be most interested to see what the structure was like. Cheers Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 6 June , 2009 Share Posted 6 June , 2009 Hi Jeremy This is the postcard. I think, from the lay of the land, that it taken from the north-west, in other words the Mercatel towards Neuville-Vittasse road would be running from right to left. Getting an Andy style 'before and after' might be a little tricky as I think I would have to stand in the farmer's field! Having re-read this thread, did I post the other postcards? Must have been on another thread - I think I did?? Jim Ooops, forgot to resize the image so as not to go off the page. Sorry Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Banning Posted 6 June , 2009 Share Posted 6 June , 2009 Thanks for posting this. We have no panoramas that show what this structure was like and so it is interesting to see its actual structure. BTW, I don’t suppose you know which tank it was that was specially detailed to knock out Neuville Mill – the one that fired a shell through the MG embrasure? Using the WO95/91 files from Kew I have narrowed this down to either Tank D1 or D2. Have you any idea which one it was? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnx Posted 6 June , 2009 Share Posted 6 June , 2009 Hello Jeremy, you found out interesting results! This tank (D 1 or D 2) killed most probably Unteroffizier Adolf Rühle, born 22.3.1896 in Finkenwerder (Hamburg) Unteroffizier Heinrich Haß, born 7.3.1891 in Perdoel Schütze Gustav Sorath, born 13.12.1896 in Zahna Schütze Willy Kirst, born 31.10.1894 in Kiel of 3. Maschinen-Gewehr-Kompanie IR 163. Fritz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 6 June , 2009 Share Posted 6 June , 2009 Hi Fritz Welcome to the Forum, an especially warm one from me as you seem to have an interest in this area. The mill was attacked by B Coy of the 1/3rd London Regiment. Unfortunately they do not name the tank that assisted them Jeremy except that it was one of 4 that should have assisted the whole attack but the only one that made it and that they were from D Battalion, 1st Brigade, Heavy Branch M.G Corps. They report taking 4 prisoners with 9 Germans dead. Fritz - have you looked at the threads of the 'other' Fritz (name on the Forum). His grandfather fought in the 163 and was captured on the 9th April. Search the Forum for more threads on the area + if you have information on other German units in this area I would love to get in touch. I have histories for IR 163, IR84 and IR 51 but am looking for any more that may be around that fought 9th to 12th April in the Osterschlacht bei Arras. Jim Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fritz Posted 7 June , 2009 Share Posted 7 June , 2009 Unteroffizier Adolf Rühle, born 22.3.1896 in Finkenwerder (Hamburg) Unteroffizier Heinrich Haß, born 7.3.1891 in Perdoel Schütze Gustav Sorath, born 13.12.1896 in Zahna Schütze Willy Kirst, born 31.10.1894 in Kiel By the way, there are no known graves for them. Perhaps they are still lying in the ground of Neuville-Mill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwp2007 Posted 7 June , 2009 Share Posted 7 June , 2009 very interesting thread, just wondered if anyone knew the positon of fir alley redbout, this was one of the objectives along with pine lane and telegraph hill trenches for my grandfathers batt. the 6th KOYLI on the 9th april, many thanks, John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 7 June , 2009 Share Posted 7 June , 2009 Here you are John. None of the paperwork I have call it a redoubt but with wire around it I suppose it could earn the name. I have copied the map as far as Mule Lane as this was the line reached by the KOYLI before the 6th Somersets passed through. I think I have a photograph of the Fir Lane area - I'll try and dig it out. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 7 June , 2009 Share Posted 7 June , 2009 The photograph shows the area of Pine Lane/Fir Alley. Pine lane goes straight ahead in the centre of the photo, crossing the lane and heading for the trees near the top of Telegraph Hill. Where it crosses the road, Fir Alley goes off to the right. The 6th would have passed through where I stood for the photo and in front from left to right. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Banning Posted 7 June , 2009 Share Posted 7 June , 2009 very interesting thread, just wondered if anyone knew the positon of fir alley redbout, this was one of the objectives along with pine lane and telegraph hill trenches for my grandfathers batt. the 6th KOYLI on the 9th april, many thanks, John. I have the memoirs/recollections of a man, Pte Frank Harris, who served with the 6th KOYLIs. We are using extracts from this in the forthcoming book to aid the section on the 14th Division attack on 9 April as well as the 10 April attack on the Wancourt-Feuchy Line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fritz Posted 7 June , 2009 Share Posted 7 June , 2009 very interesting thread, just wondered if anyone knew the positon of fir alley redbout, this was one of the objectives along with pine lane and telegraph hill trenches for my grandfathers batt. the 6th KOYLI on the 9th april, most probably your grandfather shot on my own grandfather, who was positioned in Telegraph hill trench that day. But he failed him. He finished the war without a scratch. Fritz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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