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I happened, by chance, to fluke upon the unfolding of an account of life on the Western Front during WW1 through the eyes of an Australian, who enlisted with a British artillery squadron (?).
Here is my attempt to anchor my following of his diary and letters home to his father and mother. Mentioned in his diary thus far are
Beuvry (A)I will update this map whenever a new location is mentioned in either the diary or the letters. If you were to click where it says 'View larger map', you will be taken out of my Plumbing blog and into Google maps. Then if you were to click on the + end of the sliding bar that is down the LHS of the map, you can zoom into the map and take a closer look at the terrain.
Bethune (B)
Cambrin (C), and
La Basse Road (D).
Walford's blog emanates from Canberra, and can be found at Diary of E.W. Manifold.
9 comments:
I have made the first adjustment to this map.
When locating La Bassee Road, I was originally given a choice of 3 locations, and chose the closest.
However, whem I scanned the map myself in close detail, I found a La Bassée which was much much closer and really the most logical choice.
Hence, I have linked the blue line to that La Bassée.
It has occured to me that the Auchie which I added to the map is actually known today as Auchy-les-mines. I will investigate further to see if this is a name related to the Mine Point to which EWM refers in his diary entry today.
Today I have added a referene to Rue de Vermelles.
Still searching for an anchor for the references to 'Les Briques'. Temmpting to refer to Raoul Briquet but he came to prominence in 1917 at Bapaume which is further south and hence NOT relevant here.
Today I have included Annequin on the map as EWM caught a 'bus' from the intersection of Rue d'Annequin and Rue de Cambrin into Beuvry to cadge soda siphons from the village to no avail.
Today I have included Wingles. which is way out from their normal landscape. However, EWM noted in his journal for 6th January that 'One of our important landmarks has had a nasty knock: the left-hand chimney at Wingles has been hit and has broken off a third of the way up.' Somehow, I have this in my head as a church, but he says chimney rather than steeple.
Added a link to Annequin, which EWM mentions on 7th January 1916 as coming under sustained artillery straffing.
Have added in Rue de Poterne, Bethune which Walford mentioned in his journal of 9th Jan 1916.
Found the place where Walford did the boring training. Spelt 'Labeuvriere' with a grave, and is in the opposite direction to the front, which makes sense.
Have now added in the small town of Choques which is just to the NW of Bethune.
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