Langemark. White Hope Corner. 6 Bn King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. 3 September 1917.
In late August early September the 6 Bn KSLI was engaged on working parties with men attached to 83 Field Company Royal Engineers, 20 Division Engineers. The Division, which included the KSLI, had been engaged during the fighting to take Langemark; they had then had a rest period at Swindon Camp near to Balleuil. They had returned to Ypres on 28 August and were now employed as working parties preparing all the ground works for the next phase of the Third Ypres offensive. They were in camp near to White Hope Corner, about 1km south west of Boesinghe, and were going forward each day and night to repair and construct wooden plank roads or board walks to allow passage through the old German trench system and across the shell cratered mud morass ground. There are many accounts of men or animals coming off these board walks and becoming stuck in the mud, some of whom could be so trapped for days, many others drowned. They were also demolishing old enemy dug outs and building foot bridges over the Steenbeek, a small river just to the west of Langemarck, as well as preparing new fortifications in the village and repairing metalled roads. They were operating in the area forward of Langemark. During this time 16 other ranks attached to 83 Field RE Coy were wounded.
GOOGLE MAPS – centres on White Hope Corner, the cross roads about mid way between Elverdinghe and Boesinghe
References and Sources WAR DIARY 83 Coy RE, page 120 & 6 Bn KSLI page 62ff
B&O 1917. Third Ypres. Langemark, White Hope Corner. 6 Bn KSLI. 3 Sept.1917.
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