jwp2007 Posted 7 June , 2009 Share Posted 7 June , 2009 Gentlemen, many thanks for your replies, Jim, the map and photo are superb,thank you very much, Jeremy, look forward to seeing your book and adding it to my collection, Fritz, glad to hear your grandfather made it through,my grandfather was wounded twice,he had been transfered to the 3rd london regt (RF) when the 6th KOYLI disbanded and was wounded in the chest by shell fragments near malard wood on the first day of the battle of Amiens 8th august 1918,he returned to action with the 3rd londons but was caught in shellfire near Bleharies in Belgium on 31/10/1918 and lost a leg,he did return home after a lot of time spent in hospital,he was discharged from the army in 1920, many thanks all, regards, John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 7 June , 2009 Share Posted 7 June , 2009 John It is sad to hear how much your grandfather suffered. It is important that we remember all who suffered during the War, not only those who died. I take it that your avatar is your grandfather and I raise a glass this evening to a brave man who was eventually fortunate to have a grandson who cares. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwp2007 Posted 7 June , 2009 Share Posted 7 June , 2009 Jim, thank you for your kind words, they mean a lot, yes my avatar is a family portrait from october 1917 when grandfather had 10 days leave to the uk, the baby is my father, born 1st june 1916! , many thanks and kind regards, John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fritz Posted 18 February , 2010 Share Posted 18 February , 2010 Just discovered another view of Arras battlefield. It is the fireline between Tilloy and Neuville Vitasse ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 18 February , 2010 Share Posted 18 February , 2010 Does injecting a bit of light into that image help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fritz Posted 18 February , 2010 Share Posted 18 February , 2010 Thanks for switch on the light ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Evans Posted 18 February , 2010 Share Posted 18 February , 2010 I'd missed this this thread the first time around, superb photos, thanks. Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil@basildon Posted 18 February , 2010 Share Posted 18 February , 2010 I might be going slightly off thread here but the angles and lengths of each section of trench appear so regular that there must have been some sort of survey carried out. As these trenches are likely to have been dug in a hurry and possibly under fire how was this done? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjlawson Posted 20 February , 2010 Share Posted 20 February , 2010 Great aerial photos, thanks for posting those. Does any one know of any similar ones of the Roclincourt sector of Arras in early 1917 which are freely available on the internet? thanks, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fritz Posted 21 February , 2010 Share Posted 21 February , 2010 This map with the German positions is corresponding with the aerial pic in post 132. Phil, the trenches appear so regular because they are part of Hindenburg Line, the new defence line which was used after the great retreat in springtime 1917. It was constructed in secure distance of the enemy. Fritz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havrincourt Posted 21 February , 2010 Share Posted 21 February , 2010 Fritz thanks for posting the German map section and aerial view Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 21 February , 2010 Share Posted 21 February , 2010 You crept in while I was in France with that little addition to this thread Fritz - brilliant! Just to add some map history to the question of regular trenches. This is the section of map shown in the photo. Map date March 1917. This is a larger view of the same map, the blue in the top left being the British front line before the retreat. Thus at this point the Harp was some way back and therefore easier to construct in such a manner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 21 February , 2010 Share Posted 21 February , 2010 I have to disagree a little with you Fritz in saying its construction was part of the Hindenburg project. This is the same area in April 1916, note that much is already there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 21 February , 2010 Share Posted 21 February , 2010 Between April and July 1916 Nomeny and the other front trenches of the Harp were added. This was all some time before the main Hindenburg Line was started. Where did you find the photo Fritz? Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fritz Posted 22 February , 2010 Share Posted 22 February , 2010 Hello Jim and Andy, nice to see your statements again. Jim, thank you for the rectification of my supposition about Hindenburg Line. Good maps you sent to have a better insight into this site. There are more aerial pics to find here http://images.google.de/imgres?imgurl=http...t%3D84%26um%3D1 perhaps you can tell something about their location?? Kind regards Fritz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 22 February , 2010 Share Posted 22 February , 2010 Hi Fritz Another good one for you. Trench 5 from the ones on the site is Pine Lane coming down from the lettering with Fir Alley coming off it where the lane crosses. The lane I have photographed is the one cutting through Pine Lane, the one in the bottom right is the Tilloy road from Neuville Vitasse. The complex on the right of picture is all Preussen Werk, most of which were not held by the Germans on the 9th April. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fritz Posted 23 February , 2010 Share Posted 23 February , 2010 Jim, I can´t see trench 5? Fritz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fritz Posted 23 February , 2010 Share Posted 23 February , 2010 Jim, I can´t see trench 5? Fritz ... but now! Sorry about my stupid question. Fritz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 23 February , 2010 Share Posted 23 February , 2010 Sorry Fritz - now I think about what I wrote I was not particularly clear about what I meant by 'trench 5'!! Sorry if I had you looking all over the photo for the words 'trench 5'. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 24 February , 2010 Share Posted 24 February , 2010 Here is another one from the Scots site that you found Fritz. Nice one of the west end of Tilloy in January 1917. I've put a trench map extract for those interested (care of Linesman as always). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 24 February , 2010 Share Posted 24 February , 2010 Had to edit to get it better orientated! Now the map. Covers the area attacked by 4th Royal Fusiliers with a bit of the area of units on either side of them. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fritz Posted 25 February , 2010 Share Posted 25 February , 2010 Thank you, Jim. The conformity is very clear to see especially the wire in the snow. What does these numbers mean? To identify the road forks? Fritz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 25 February , 2010 Share Posted 25 February , 2010 Artillery reference points I think. Others more knowledgeable will probably put me right! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fritz Posted 25 February , 2010 Share Posted 25 February , 2010 That´s what I learnt in my time in the army. Remarkable points in the area especilly road crosses etc. were marked and so could bombarded in spite of night or dust under assistance of a map. Fritz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 25 February , 2010 Share Posted 25 February , 2010 I can't recognise one of the photos and it has no mpa reference to help. I'll leave that for now. Here is one I do know, the road from Tilloy to Beaurains in March 1917. The junction with the large shellhole is marked 55 on the map - clearly a 'heavy' has 55 in its sights! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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