Bajolie Line

[UncleOllie]

Please forgive a newbie if I mess this up. I'm going through the War Diaries for the 38th CEF Infantry Battalion, of which my great-grandfather, James Oliver Lowe, was a member. There is an entry on January 5, 1917, Vimy Ridge, which states "Batt, changes C & D Co's., M.G. Section. H.2, & Signallers moved out in pm to Villers-au-Bois. A & B Cos in support at Bajolie Line". I cannot find any reference to the Bajolie Line anywhere other than this diary. I will try to attach a link to the original handwritten diary. I would appreciate any help finding this. It is virtually the only place missing from my great-grandfather's service. Thank you so much!

[Allan1892]

Could it be Bajolle Line??

(image courtesy of the Western Front Association)

Edited 18 August by Allan1892

[brianmorris547]

I know that 47 Div were in the Sector in May 1916. This Defence Scheme is from the March 1916 WD of 141 Infantry Brigade and mentions the three lines of Defence i.e. Front Line, Bajolle Line and Maistre Line.

TNA WO 95/2734 via Ancestry

And this map (which I have cropped) is from the June 1916 WD of 140 Infantry Brigade and shows the Bajolle Line in X 12 between Ablain and Souchex running north. It is obviously not the entire Bajolle Line.

TNA WO 95/2727 via Ancestry

UncleOllie

Does the Canadian WD show any map references.

Brian

[brianmorris547]

A better map from the June 1916 WD of 142 Infantry Brigade. 

TNA WO 95/2740 via Ancestry.

I think that the map @Allan1892 posted was the northern end of the Bajolle Line and this section is the one of interest to UncleOllie.

Brian

Edited 19 August by brianmorris547

[UncleOllie]

It clearly must have been the Bajolle Line, and I thank everyone for all the incredible detail.

brianmorris547, there is an appendix of maps, as well as a glossary, at the end of the War Diary. I will post the map I think is closest to the ones that have been posted above. I wouldn't have known what to look for without everyone else's help.

I am the self-proclaimed family historian, and I'm actually researching Granpa Ollie's war bride, who sailed back to Canada with him (and a lot of other troops!) on the Tunisian in February of 1919. But there isn't a family historian alive who won't jump down the nearest rabbit hole they come across, and I have spent the last month immersed in the history of the 38th Canadian Infantry Battalion overseas. I'm so proud that my great-grandfather was at Ypres, the Somme and Vimy. (He was wounded and shipped to England at the beginning of February, 1917).

And I'm so horrified by what all those young men had to go through. I've seen footage all my life, but it's completely different when you make the personal connection and and can see your family in the eyes of the soldiers. Mad respect to all.

Last thing in this ridiculously long post, I'd like to say thank you to Capt Richard Benjamin O'Sullivan, who kept the War Diary during the time Granpa Ollie was in France. His diary entries, usually pretty to the point and undramatic, sometimes reveal a depth of emotion that is quite expressive, because of its sparseness. If any of his surviving family sees this, salutes to you. (He died in 1926, another rabbit hole was his personnel records!)

Thanks again, everyone!

Edited 19 August by UncleOllie