Map, France. Sheet 57c S.E.

This 1/20,000 scale military map of 'France / Sheet 57c S.E.' was produced by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, United Kingdom. It is labelled 'Ordnance Survey March 1918' 'Field Survey G.S.' However, the text along the top notes: 'German trenches in blue. / Trenches revised from information received to 20-8-18.' The map's final production date was corrected by Field Survey Battalion to 24 August 1918.

The hand written inscription top right, 'G M Turner / Lieut', indicates it was probably used by Captain George M. Turner in France during the First World War.

Trench maps

British Army Trench Maps grew out of the shift from warfare on the move to static trench warfare on the Western Front. This shift required the production of larger scale maps so that units in the trenches could use them to locate enemy defensive positions and to accurately build a picture of the type of ground held by the enemy. New maps were produced from a new survey of the ground on the British fighting front from January 1915. These maps were produced by a large operation of field survey companies. By the time this map was produced, the Geographical Section of the General Staff at the War Office were joined by trained surveyors from the Ordnance Survey in Southampton and Royal Engineer observers and topographers.

British Army trench maps are an excellent resource for researchers studying First World War battlefields. They show the location of front lines, communication trenches, enemy positions, strongpoints and defences. They also show the names of farms, woods and villages.