Maps of Western Front

[jado]

Can anyone suggest the best place to obtain detailed maps of the western front. *I have an Atlas of WW1 Maps from West Point Military Academy. *However, these fail to show many of towns that one would be concerned with in regard to both Allied or German airfield locations as their main emphasis is on army and trench positions.

Thanks in advance,

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Joe

[Rick]

I would suggest modern day Michlin maps. They come pretty detailed. Although some town names have changed and some have just disappeared. R.

[totoroman]

that wouldn't be the following, would it?

A Military Atlas of the First World War
first published in 1975 by Heinemann Educational Books Ltd. republished in 1989 via LEO COOPER (an imprint of Pen and Sword Books) and the reprinted yet another time in 1997?

ISBN 0 85052 791 0

this book seems to have a nice general overview (heh, I'm just a layperson) but it is lacking in some of the very specific details that I might like to learn about later on.

might you consider posting a link where we could learn more about these Michlin maps, Rick? I've been meaning to collect some more maps of World War I related Europe.

[Rick]

No, I mean the Michelin Tire Co. who publishes road maps of France. Kind of like the old road maps you'd get at your local gas station, now at AAA. France is divided into something like 36 different sections but you only need about 8-10 maps to encompass the Western front. I bought mine, many years ago, at a book store in San Francisco, $0.75 each!! I am sure they are a tad more expensive now!! They are drawn at 1:200,000 scale or 1 cm. = 2 km. I suppose you might try seaching the web for Michelin?? Sorry, can't be of any more help. If you live in England these maps must be readily available, how else you going to navigate around when you drive across (under) the channel!! R.

[Immo_Frese]

Another possibility is to purchase the extremely detailed maps of the "Institut Geographique National. Sèrie bleue." The scale is 1:25000. Great details but somewhat expensive. The last time I bought one two years ago (No 2508 O Péronne) the price was 46,00F

Regards, Immo

Hold the phone, Joe!
There is one more possibility that wasn't yet mentioned-- and it also concerns Michelin...
Right after the Great War, Michelin published an extensive series of travel guides, the common theme being the various battlefields and how to tour them by automobile. While they are in French, they are also well detailed and illustrated. The place names should also be the same.
At one time, in the mid- to late 1980's, you could purchase these guides at FF20; the price was not that high because they were quite common and easy to find. I can't say what the price would be today.
Take it from there... and always remember, the car is an accessory to the tire...

[Immo_Frese]

Captain Lewis,
the price for the "Illustrated Michelin Guides to the Battle-Fields 1914-1918" increased terribly. Paid 60,00 F two years ago for a little book with 140 pages (Ypres and the Battles of Ypres). The text is ok but the maps are not worth the money...

Immo

[Frank_Olynyk]

If the Michelin maps are of interest, I would suggest trying to locate a copy of "Michelin Road Atlas of France" published by Crown (ISBN 0-517-56537-4), published 1987. The usual book search services list it, at reasonable prices. It has the advantage of being a hard bound book, roughly A4 size, with 269 pages of maps, and another 100 pages or so of an index register to the maps (something you do not get with the paper maps). This book has the same maps (as of 1987), to the same scale, as the paper maps -- but with the advantage of the index, so you can find something. Using it to drive in France in 2002 might cause some problems, but finding cities shouldn't be a problem.

Another source is the Trench Map CD produced by the Imperial War Museum (with Military & Naval Press, I think). 180 or so of the original British trench maps, on CD. They are limited of course to NW France, the area where the British operated. I do not know of a similar project for French or German trench maps (and there are British trench maps for Italy, but they are not on this CD).

Frank.

Joe

If you are want affordable WW1 trench maps I would strongly recommend the reproduction colour trench maps which are printed by a company in England called G.H.Smith and Son, The printers. Their address is, Advertiser Office, Market place, Easingwold, York YO61 3AB phone +44(0) 1347 821329. e. mail ghsmith@mail.globalnet.co.uk or Web site www.ghsmith.com/worldwar1

The maps are well printed and turn out 7/10th the scale of the original. The cost is £3.00 each which i think is about $5 or $6 US. They do reprints of the Michilin guides that Captain Lewis talksabout in his reply They cost about £6.00.

I have about 10 of their reproduction maps and several other WW1 publications and I can thoroughly recommend them.

With best wishes

Old Bill

[jado]

To all:

As usual you are all "Top Shelf", and have given me enough information that I'm sure with a little persistence on my part I'll have little trouble finding what I'm looking for.

Again, thanks and VBR

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Joe

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