Walking Cambrai: Gouzeaucourt 1917

Posted on February 22, 2025 by

8 Comments

We visit the Hindenburg Line battlefields of 1917 where the Battle of Cambrai was fought. We see the battlefield around Metz-en-Couture, visit the cemetery here and grave of Patrick Shaw-Stewart, and then walk down in Gouzeaucourt seeing a rare British bunker from WW1 and a memorial to the 11th Engineers of the US Army, ending on the high ground where the Welsh Guards counter-attacked in December 1917.

The book mentioned was Children of the Souls by Jeanne MacKenzie.

Got a question about this episode or any others? Drop your question into the Old Front Line Discord Server or email the podcast.

Battlefield Vlog from the Old Front Line Channel:

BATTLEFIELD MAP:

11th Engineers US Army:

Podcast Extras:

Category: Cambrai, Hindenburg Line

8 Comments on “Walking Cambrai: Gouzeaucourt 1917”

  1. Paul

    Really fascinating as ever, thank you. I am slowly working my way through the back catalogue having just finished Series 1 !

    Are there any parts of the original Hindenburg line that have been preserved and can be visited today please ?

    Kind regards,

    Tim

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Hi Tim – thanks and great to hear you found this of interest. Sadly no parts of the Hindenburg Line survive in any great size on the British sector as so much of it was in open fields and returned to the plough. A few odd bits in (private) woods but that is it.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  3. Thanks for an excellent episode Paul. The ordeal of the Welsh Guards made for grim yet fascinating listening. Watching the vlog shortly afterwards greatly helped in seeing the actual ground where the battle was fought.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  4. Very interested in this area. I didn’t know Halifax was twinned with Metz-en-C, being from the town I will have to do some local research.

    Thanks for another excellent episode.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. I have just found and ordered a copy online of The Children Of The Souls. I live near Mells in Somerset so the story of the Horners and the Asquiths, both of which families are included in Mackenzie’s book, is of great interest to me. Thanks for the recommendation yet again Paul.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment

Enter your email address to follow the Old Front Line and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 4,371 other subscribers
Paul Reed on Twitter