War Diaries Talk

Gridreference

  • erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be by erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be

    The position (place) of the battalion in the line is being displayed as U.1.1 and U.1.9 SW of Messines. In the text itself the author uses "normal" gridreferences next to "unusual" gridreferences such as U.1.4 and U.1.8. How should I "read" the "unusual" once?

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  • ral104 by ral104 moderator, scientist

    I think you have to just treat them as incomplete grid references, or at least less accurate ones. So fill in as much of the tag as is possible, but leave the remaining boxes blank. Hope that helps 😃

    Posted

  • cyngast by cyngast moderator

    I think those are not actually grid references. I think they are designations of various points in the trench system there. The U probably does come from their maps, but otherwise I think the numbers do not correspond with anyplace on a map.

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  • erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be by erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be

    Somewhere in this diary I read something about a lecture on a new numeration system of the trenches. Maybe that explains the strange "grids". Is there someting wrong with the website of the McMaster University ? There are no maps available.

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  • cyngast by cyngast moderator

    I've seen this type of numbers to indicate troop positions in the trenches in this area east of Messines in several diaries, so it probably is the new system you mention. I haven't seen them marked on any trench maps I've found.

    Yes, there does seem to be an issue with the McMaster site right now. Have you tried the National Library of Scotland? Here's the link for it: http://maps.nls.uk/geo/find/#zoom=9&lat=50.5106&lon=3.2134&layers=60&b=1&point=0,0 You can zoom in on the area you want and then pick a map by date from the list on the right side of the page.

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  • erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be by erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be in response to cyngast's comment.

    Thanks for the tip. Is there a possibility to search a place or a trench?

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  • cyngast by cyngast moderator

    I don't think so. They use a map similar to the one at McMaster that lets you find the area you want. Some of the maps have trenches marked and named and others don't.

    The maps for the area around Messines tend to name the German trenches but not the British ones, although they do show the farms the British tended to use for headquarters and machine gun emplacements.

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  • ral104 by ral104 moderator, scientist

    Good catch there, Cynthia!

    Posted