I have been to Kew today and read through the War Diary for 99 AA Section, which contains many references to reports of enemy aircraft movements being received from all over the area. Most are place-names but a few are not proving very easy to put onto a map because they're Army names for bases. Summerhill must have been a very large site as it held a French aerodrome and the Artillery Training School, for example. Other places mentioned are the RA and ASC-MT Base Depots and the French HQ. Where did the Commander of Aerial Defences do his work, the commander of 99 AAS taking up the position in early 1918?

What would be a good way to discover where these places were sited so I can get a better feel for the military geography of the area?

Keith

Keith,
Have you consulted the map room upstairs at TNA? I had them make copies of 5 for my research as they are the ones used at the time. Some have the markings on them from the time. If you have grid coordinates (I am researching an artillery unit which always used grid coordinates for locations) I will try to find what you seek. The maps are:

Butkova 2nd edition 1:50,000
Kukus dated 31-7-18
Vardar Valley, 2nd edition 1:100,000
Gjevgjeli Valandovo (YOU can pronounce that one!)Edition 3A 1:50,000
Dova Tepe edition 4A, 1:50,000.

I hope this helps.

Mike Morrison

I didn't get to the map room yesterday. I was looking at the War Diaries of 35 Bde RFA and 99th AA Section to get a better feel of what my Grandfather went through. Until I'd done that I had no place-names to have a go at. Unfortunately the 99th AAS Diary only gives names of towns and OPs and there are no map references. In my other thread , Adrian Wright has been helping me with some of them.

Do your maps go down as far as Salonika? More or less due south of Kukus is Daut-Bali and if there's any indication of a tumulus on or near the ridge NW of Daut-Bali I'd be delighted.

Regards,
Keith

Keith, The Kukus Map I have from July 1918 stops south of Sarigol. It is apparently of French manufacture and is 1:50000. I got my trusty magnifying glass out but could not find the places you mentioned. Sorry.

Mike Morrison

Thanks, Mike.

Keith