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Trench map symbols


roel22

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This is a 1918 trench map from the area between Ypres and Kemmel. Can anybody tell me what the 3 marked symbols mean? No. 2 appears to be some sort of gun, but what is the difference with other guns without a circle?

 

Roel

 

Grote Vierstraat..jpg

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If you haven't seen it before you, could try this link which seems to be to a relevant publication: https://www.scribd.com/document/172393380/German-French-Map-Symbols. I say "seems to be" because you need to sign in and I'm a bit short of time so haven't actually used it. Might be worth a look however. Good luck!

 

Cheers, Pat

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Thanks Pat, a great source! No. 2 appears to be an anti aircraft-gun. I'm still puzzled about no. 1 (machine gun?) and no. 3...

 

Roel

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At a guess I'd say no.3 is a mine crater or quarry, perhaps fortified (dotted line around it)? 

 

Cheers, Pat.

 

Edit: I agree some kind of machine-gun nest, pillbox or strongpoint is certainly plausible for no.2, but we'll probably need an expert to identify that symbol.

Edited by Pat Atkins
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2 hours ago, roel22 said:

This is a 1918 trench map from the area between Ypres and Kemmel. Can anybody tell me what the 3 marked symbols mean? No. 2 appears to be some sort of gun, but what is the difference with other guns without a circle?

 

 

You might like a copy of this, full size version here. Not sure if it helps. Can you post a larger/clearer version of just the symbols in question?

 

Howard

signs2-reduced.jpg

Edited by Howard
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I'd agree no. 3 is a crater. Checking modern day maps I think it's Spanbroekmolen crater. The 1918 map says "Nachschubkommando": Nachschub = supplies. There still are remains of a German bunker at this spot.

That leaves no. 1: I've added a larger version.

 

s.jpeg

Edited by roel22
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Minenwerfer 

 

(Or a version of anyway... German (and French/Belgian/American and Austrian) trench map symbols appear to vary dependant upon who printed it, where, when, what scale and why!)

 

 

Dave

x (3).jpg

Edited by CROONAERT
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17 minutes ago, CROONAERT said:

...Or a version of anyway...

 

...

July 1918.jpg

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My German (which isn't great) can't get beyond wing as a translation of Flügel - is something lost in translation?

 

Cheers, Pat.

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On 4/6/2017 at 15:25, CROONAERT said:

 

...

July 1918.jpg

 

1 hour ago, Pat Atkins said:

My German (which isn't great) can't get beyond wing as a translation of Flügel 

 

Not my field but a Flügel is also a fin, and so possibly a granatenwerfer or trench mortar firing finned rounds, rather like a modern mortar bomb?  

Edited by trajan
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How about an "IKO 24cm Schwerer Flugelminenwerfer - The IKO 24 cm Schwerer Flugelminenwerfer was the standard German heavy mortar in the last half of World War I."??? See e.g., http://en.rcamuseum.com/our-collection/iko-240cm-schwerer-flugelminenwerfer

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Apologies... I should maybe have posted the whole section , but thought it was obvious that I was referring to Flügel minenwerfer as it was linked to my previous post!  Just for interest, it is listed as heavier than a 'Schwerer' minenwerfer that has its own symbol (as does the 'mittel' and 'leichte')

 

Dave

 

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Thanks Dave, for solving the mystery!

I assumed it was a machine gun, because the German war diaries mention a concrete machine gun-post which caused many casualties here on 14 may 1918.

 

Roel

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