I was watching a documentary last night talking about the military tactics of assaulting ridges, and they were talking about a scale model that was made of Vimy Ridge before the Canadian assault. I am aware that Messines had a scale model constructed prior to the battle.

Who was responsible for constructing such models and does anyone know where they were constructed?

(If I didn't know better I would have suggested The Artists Rifles!)

several references are at www.awm.gov.au

ID Number: E00631
Messines Date made: 6 June 1917
Captain Albert Jacka VC (front holding map), 14th Battalion, comparing his maps with the prepared model of the Messines area, over which his company was to advance on the following day, 7 June 1917, in the battle of Messines. This contour map of the battlefield was constructed near Petit Pont, and stands were erected from which it could be studied to advantage, in order that troops taking part would fully understand their course of action in the great undertaking. Copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Thanks for that, great photo!

Passchendaele The Sacrificial Ground, by Steel and Hart, Cassel Military Classics 2001 pp70-2; states that the models were built by the Royal Engineers. They were made on location at both corps and divisional headquarters.
Geraint

ID Number: E00629 Maker: Unknown Place made: Western Front: Western Front (Belgium), Messines Area, Messines Date made: 6 June 1917 Physical description: Black & white Summary: Included in the thorough preparations for the battle of Messines in Belgium, which took place on 7 June 1917, was a large contour ground map, a battlefield model, made for the purpose of giving the troops a good knowledge of the country over which they had to attack. This photograph, taken on 6 June, shows members of the 14th Battalion studying their course of action in the forthcoming operations. Identified, left to right, are: 5756 Private (Pte) T W Avery (sitting); 6479 Pte D B McHale (standing); 442 Pte R Eddy (sitting, cigarette in mouth); 6767 Pte J W Linder (died of wounds 20 August 1918) (standing behind Eddy); 3346 Corporal E A Henderson (standing, to the right of Linder, in centre of photograph). Copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Sorry if it gets abit repetitive, but when the say a picture's worth a thousand words.
I cannot imagine myself being on 24 hours notice for one of the Great War's big stunts...but think I might just pay a little more attention than Pte Eddy & his mates to something that might help me survive.

Geraint,,,
Are the Vimy models discussed in your article, if so does it say exactly where they were?

Brian

Brian
This relates to Gough's Fifth Army. I don't know where the Corp and Divisional HQs were, but I'm sure a Pal will come up with them PDQ!