War Diaries Talk

Panorama of trenches

  • Stork by Stork

    Can someone explain what this is? I've seen lots of trench maps in these diaries, but this is nothing like those. What do the degrees indicate? The biplane is sitting on the ground, but there's no sign of a runway. This is the left half- I'll put the right half immediately following this post.

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  • marie.eklidvirginmedia.com by marie.eklidvirginmedia.com

    I think they are the compass points marked on the sketch. (along the top.). i.e 121 degrees etc.

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  • cyngast by cyngast moderator

    Really great sketches!

    I'm not sure, but I think these are what this brigade, or a battery of the brigade, sees when they look across to the enemy lines, and the degree markings correspond to where particular targets are marked on the artillery maps.

    The markings on the left-hand side of this sketch indicate the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd line of the German trenches.The plane probably crashed or was shot down there.

    Can you tell us when and where this is?

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

    On the second sketch AWD0003o3o , one can see the village Aubers being indicated.

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  • Stork by Stork

    Sorry, cyngast, it was many pages ago, so I don't remember when or where. I should have thought to make note of that when I posted.

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

    Thank you, Erik. I also notice now that it says "Opposite Picantin." On Google Earth, I found a restaurant called Le Picantin north of Aubers and east of Laventie, so I would guess they are somewhere around this last place.

    Stork, that's okay. I'm really glad you shared these. They are so detailed, right down to the plane! I've never seen a sketch like this for this purpose before.

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  • ral104 by ral104 moderator, scientist

    They're great! The readings in degrees must be compass bearings from the battery's position, as Cynthia says.

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  • David_Underdown by David_Underdown moderator

    The bearings may go with SOS fire requests from the battalions in the line. If they came under attack they'd put in an SOS, either by phone or using flares, and the artillery would immediately lay down fire on pre-determined targets, often roads behind the lines, communication trenches etc to try to stop the enemy bringing up more men.

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  • Stork by Stork

    I'll second your conclusion, cyngast- both Aubers and Lavantie have been mentioned frequently in this diary.

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