Broadmarsh Crater

[Jacksg]

Can someone give the co-ordinates of the Broadmarsh Crater inside the Canadian Memorial Park at Vimy?

Where in relation to it would the 10th Bn Cheshires have been during the German attacks of 20th-22nd May 1916?

Thanks in anticipation!

Jacksg

[nigelcave]

Broadmarsh Crater (I am afraid that I cannot give you the co-ordinates) is right next to the road junction above the preserved outpost line/subway area when heading up to the memorial - on the right hand side, just beyond the junction and slightly below the turning to the cemeteries, which goes off on the left hand side from the main road. The crater is still there, as are remnants of the German outpost line facing the Canadians. The British Tunnelers had prepared another, very large mine, whose chamber is more or less under the road junction, for the 9th April attack, but this was not fired, not least because of the huge blast which created the series of mines known as the Longfellow, fired by the Germans in 1917 and, from the evidence underground, caused damage to the proposed British/Canadian mine. As regards the 10th Cheshires - I can get back to you, given a day or two.

[Jacksg]

Broadmarsh Crater (I am afraid that I cannot give you the co-ordinates) is right next to the road junction above the preserved outpost line/subway area when heading up to the memorial - on the right hand side, just beyond the junction and slightly below the turning to the cemeteries, which goes off on the left hand side from the main road. The crater is still there, as are remnants of the German outpost line facing the Canadians. The British Tunnelers had prepared another, very large mine, whose chamber is more or less under the road junction, for the 9th April attack, but this was not fired, not least because of the huge blast which created the series of mines known as the Longfellow, fired by the Germans in 1917 and, from the evidence underground, caused damage to the proposed British/Canadian mine. As regards the 10th Cheshires - I can get back to you, given a day or two.

Many thanks Nigel- I'll look out for your post! I'm off there shortly to look for where a relative was in action there in May 1916...

[Simon Jones]

I make it here. Hopefully Nigel will confirm.

S

[towisuk]

Broadmarsh crater shown on a trenchmap.

regards

Tom

[towisuk]

p.s. your coordinates are correct Simon

Tom

[nigelcave]

So it seems; the crater is quite visible and is a little further down and to the left - the path up to the Memorial effectively skirts it.

[Jacksg]

Excellent! Many thanks for all your responses. Tom's trench map shows how mining had cratered the whole area ... would most of these have been created during early 1917, or would they (like Broadmarsh) have been there during the British involvement in 1916? (Is your trenchmap dated, Tom?)

Jacksg

[towisuk]

Hi Jack, the map I posted is from trench map dated 10/2/17 mate

regards

Tom

[nigelcave]

The Trench Map must be post May 1916, as that is the time at which the British line was pushed back in a very limited German offensive, brilliantly executed.

There are several reference to 10/Cheshire in my Vimy Ridge (Battleground Europe) and Jack Sheldon's 'The Germans on Vimy Ridge' talks about he capture and interrogation of 11 members of D Coy during Op Schleswig Holstein on pp 157 - 159. Most of the mines on that trench line (if not all), certainly noth of Broadmarsh (German Schleswig Hostein) date from pre May 1916. When the line stabilized at the end of 1914, the French were gradually inched back from their positions towards the summit of the Ridge in this sector.

[Jacksg]

Thanks Tom & Nigel - that will help me understand the terrain when I get there next month!