saint venant 1940-------farm boulet

teecee1941 · 02-07-2012, 21:30

Originally Posted by Baconwallah

Make sure you ask them about unidentified burials, Tony. They should be able to produce a little map with all the burials in the area, named or unnamed.

John

teecee1941 · 02-07-2012, 21:34

Thanks once again, John, I'll email them tomorrow.

I omitted to tell you before that I emailed that address and he said he'll get back to me later in the week, so thanks also for that.

**Baconwallah** · 02-07-2012, 22:23

Well, we may be getting somewhere, Tony. Cautious optimism.

John

**Bob Bacon** · 02-07-2012, 22:53

Posted on behalf of Brian Donovan:

I have scanned 3 photos from the Red Dragon for the man who lost an Uncle around Saint Venant and he served in the Durhams. I thought they may be of use to him. I am awfully busy at present and wondered if you can post them for me please.

Regards as ever Brian Donovan

Page 19 Red Dragon Ottenburg position.png Page 27 Red Dragon.png Page 35 R W F Route May 11th to May to May 31st.png

teecee1941 · 02-07-2012, 23:28

Hello Brian,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I've had a look at the maps and with your consent, I'll pass them over to my DLI Historian to see what he can glean from them. Thanks again, Tony

teecee1941 · 02-07-2012, 23:30

John, just a quick one to tell you that I emailed the CWGC about an hour ago. They say it will take a week or so for them to reply.

**ivor43** · 03-07-2012, 01:35

hi all.
had a quetish day trying to get a line on a temporary bridge over the Lys, which was'nt blown and allowed the Germans over to the north bank. so i have been floating around the area courtesy of google earth, looking for possible clues.one place in particular looks very promising.the north end of ''Rue de Motte Baudet ''. if you Google Earth the field directly across the river you will see some very distinct straight tracks.these are between 15' and 20' wide(using Google ruler) and from ground level appear quite deep.
where the DLI guarding this as well as the road at this point the main road is only 220 yds from the river.the account i read stated that the position came under fire from both sides of the river.
before i go any further i would like an opinion from someone out there who knows a bit more about tanks than i do.

ivor.

oh, john, i think i have found the Motte as in Rue de Motte Baudet. a small village about 3.5 miles N called La Motte-au-Bois.

**Baconwallah** · 03-07-2012, 01:40

Ivor, if you look at the map I posted you'll see the name 'Motte Baudet' north of the canal. Your road was probably named after it because it led there before they dug the canal.

I was a tankie once, so I'll have a shufti at your bridge site tomorrow.

John

**ivor43** · 03-07-2012, 01:56

hi.
seems a lot further west than our road.flying back to uk tomorrow am. so will have another look tomorrow evening.

ivor

**Baconwallah** · 03-07-2012, 02:09

If the Rue de Motte Baudet led from Calonne to the nearest ford (and you have to cross the Lys to get to Motte Baudet) the position of the road may be entirely logical. I have no way of finding out, I'm afraid.

Re your tank tracks, Ivor: tread width of the German Pz III was about 15", if I remember correctly, so that's a good argument. But would the tracks still be visible after 72 years? The fields look cultivated, the Lys further west is no more than a ditch, if that, so a tractor might be more likely. Or even the pre-canal continuation of the Rue de Motte Baudet. Local inspection would solve this...

John