Old Front Line
WW1 Podcast with Paul Reed
Walking Ypres: Wieltje to the Steenbeek River
In this episode, we look at how the Northumbrian Territorials were thrown into battle at Ypres in April 1915, look at Wieltje as a front line village, and walk the ground where the opening phase of the Third Battle of Ypres took place following the men from the medical services as they struggled to save the wounded, including Captain Noel Chavasse VC & Bar.
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7 Comments on “Walking Ypres: Wieltje to the Steenbeek River”
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Old Front Line 
My grandfather was wounded april 26 1915 and sent to no 3 casualty clearing station .he was with 2nd battalion royal dublin fusiliers
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Great episode…nice to hear the Medics get a mention…IAF
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Thanks, Niall.
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Another great episode. My great grandfather was the medical officer 9th Dunbartonshire Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, another Battalion almost wiped out during the Second Ypres
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A great podcast and as ever, thanks for the kudos you give to the gunners and in this episode the RAMC as well.
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Hi Paul, great podcast, thank you. You mention Noel G. Chavasse, would the farm you mention at which he received his wounds be Setques Farm, this particular farm has now disappeared (think it last appeared on a trench map corrected to May 1918), however, it was very close, if not on the Wieltje to Gravenstafel road, the farm set back from the road you say is still there (behind what was Setques Farm), would that be Bossaert Farm? Ann Clayton in her book suggests the bunker in which Noel received his mortal wounds was north of the road, I agree with this, although some suggest the bunkers still visible today, south of the road are the location of him receiving his wounds, I disagree with this. I have read a letter to Noel’s father (The Bishop of Liverpool) from a Rev: Harry Edward Maddox M.C who clearly states he witnessed Noel on the 2nd August 1917 in a pill-box at Setques farm, working away with wounded soldiers, although not an official regimental aid post, it was No 5 equipment dump (C.23.b.5.15), problem is, I can’t find any evidence of a pill-box at Setques Farm. I’m just wondering if you have any other evidence I have missed reference Setques Farm being the location at which Noel received his mortal wounds on the 2/08/1917, and have you any information on a pill-box at Setques Farm? Thanks Paul, great to listen to you. Regards, Gary.
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Hi Gary – thanks for that, very interesting. Yes the area I was talking about was near Bossaert Farm. Somewhere I have a July 1917 map showing concreted buildings in that area (on the maps solid blocks with a red ‘C’ next to them) which seemed to match from the contemporary accounts and Ann Clayton’s work. Many of these pillboxes were adapted existing structures which would also make sense with former farm buildings with cellars.
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