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Map of the Passchendaele battlefield, numbered to indicate the main features of the battlefield on 12th October 1917.
1: The arrow indicates the direction of view of this photograph, looking from the higher ground near Gravenstafel, across the valley formed by the Stroombeek and Ravebeek streams, to the Bellevue spur in the distance.
2: Casualty Clearing Stations (CCS) were at Waterloo Farm and Kronprinz. Arthur probably made his way from the battlefield to Waterloo farm, the nearer of the two, before being transported to the ambulance train.
3: Marsh Bottom. The Otago battalions had great difficulty getting across this area between the Ravebeek Stream and the slopes of the Bellevue spur due to the thick mud and machine gun fire being directed at them.
4: The flooded Ravebeek stream indicates the valley between the Bellevue spur and another spur that rose up in front of Passchedaele village. The 3rd Australian Division attacked in the sector to the right of the Ravebeek, with the objective of capturing Passchendaele. They advanced about 1000 yards before becoming bogged in the mud and coming under fire from German positions on Bellevue spur.
5: Wolf Farm was the limit of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade's attack
6: This was the starting line for the New Zealand Rifle Brigade. Frank's 2nd Rifles led the attack.
7: This was the start line for the 2nd Otagos. Arthur and the 1st Otagos followed behind.
8: The red line indicates the first objective of the 2nd Rifle and 1st Otago battalions.
9: The blue line - the second objective.
10: The yellow line - the final objective.
11: The New Zealand memorial at Gravenstafel is situated on the crossroads here.
References:
- The map is from Gray, John H. The New Zealand Division in France and Flanders, May 1916 to November 1918. A contemporary dairy of pilgrimages in their footsteps, April 2002 and July 2005. Revised Edition 2005.
Available online here