9th West Yorkshire Regiment - which company? Trench maps?

[teach3r]

Good evening and thank you for any help that can be given.

I am trying to work through the War diary of the 9th West Yorkshire Regiment (WO 95/1809/2) as the brother (George Whitfield Moulson Private 40917) of my wife's great grandfather served with them in WW1 after being transferred from 6th York & Lancaster .  As the battalion was split into 4 companies A, B, C, D my first hope for advice is how can I identify which Company he was in so that I can more accurately identify his movements.

Secondly, the diary mentions specific trenches that the battalion fought in, for example Q18 A 5.4. Maps 57D.  I would be grateful if anyone could help me identify exactly where this trench is based on the code given.

Many thanks in advance for any help that can be given.

Nic

[MaxD]

To save trawling all through the diary, what was the date on which that map reference was given (one can turn up the location on a number of dates and trench lines will be different).

MaxD

[teach3r]

Thanks Max - 28/11/16

Nic

[MaxD]

Nic

Finding a man's company is all but impossible (which is not to say a stroke of luck may find it but frankly I doubt it.

The link shows the side by side map as near to the date as I can find - Feb 17.  Look at the number 18, 18 a is the dotted edged quarter of the square immediately above and to the west, where the Gare de Beaucourt is today.  Martinsat Wood is to the south west from which they went to Englebelmer over on the west edge of the map.
http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=14&lat=50.0687&lon=2.6495&layers=101465245&right=BingHyb

MaxD

[MaxD]

Nic

This slightly earlier map, Aug 1916, has more detail of the trench system.  http://digitalarchive.mcmaster.ca/islandora/object/macrepo%3A69477/-/collection

The top left quarter of 18 is 18a, look at the D of Station road and come down half way in that square to one of the trenches.  If it was still there in November then that is where the grid ref is.

If jim1 is looking in, he is a wizz at annotating trench maps!

MaxD

[jim1]

How to read map refs:
Q = area of sector map 57D.
18 = the 1 mile square section of Q.
a = the 1/2 mile square of 18.
Each small square is is divided into 10.
The start point is the bottom LH corner of the small square reading across to the right.
So the 1st. ref. is 5 which is the middle of a.
For the next ref. (4) the start point is the bottom LH corner of a & reading up.
Trenches in blue are British & trenches in red are German so you can see the Batt. are in recently captured German trenches taken during the Somme Offensive.
This map:
Martinsart Wood where they were earlier is in W3 & the huts in W.10.c & W.9.d.
http://maps.nls.uk/view/101465248
Just a bit of logistical info. On the 20th. the 6/Borders were ordered up to the front line in R7a (see above link) which now ran through Beaumont Hamel & Beaucourt along the Beaucourt Rd. so your man at this time was about a mile behind the front line in what was now a British reserve trench.
The trench was described a having dug-outs & "quite comfortable".... apart from the shelling that is.

[teach3r]

Thanks Jim1 - much appreciated!

As I am working through the diary, more trench references are coming up and your kind explanation will certainly help me pinpoint these.

Regards,

Nic

[teach3r]

Hi Jim1

I have just read that my man's battalion had orders to move to S1a7.6 on 24/5/17 as shown in the attached extract.  Looking at the method you explained, would S be the area, 1 the 1 mile square section, a, the half mile square and 76 the reference point?  However, there isn't a map number such as 57D so how would I be able to find this.  The battalion is currently in Meteren about 12 miles SW of Ypres.

Many thanks,

Nic

[teach3r]

Hi Jim,

By my naïve reckoning the location would be as attached where x marks the spot!  I would be grateful if you could let me know if your teaching has paid off!

Regards,

Nic