I am led to believe there is a website which can transfer the map references in war records into up to date positions or references. If anyone can help I would be most grateful as I intend to make the pilgrimage from Normandy to the Reichswald Forest following in my fathers footsteps and using the battalion records. My biggest problem is the lack of maps, apparently the Ordnance Survey did not keep copies so although I have the records and the references I have no way of relating the information to the ground. Is there anyone who can help.
Yes, the community here pitched in and helped me enormously in this way very recently. This post from Tony56 has the skinny:
Robert Just to emphasise the previous post, ALWAYS rely on period maps printed during the War because the grids were changed a few years after the War anyway. Also the co-ordinates translator only provides very approximate locations and can be up to about 1km out. Maps also appear frequently on eBay and can often be bought quite cheaply.
I agree with SDP. Look at the map of the period if available. Another advantage is that the terrain can be seen as it was at the time without subsequent buildings and roads. Plenty of wartime maps from libraries and universities are on line. List of some of them here: New Resource - Topographic Maps
Just one more comment if I may. I've personally found the 1:100000 scale maps to be the most useful overall in that they cover a fairly large area but also show good detail. If you want really close up detail, then various areas are available at 1:25000 albeit using - in the case of Germany at least - a later grid system (if anyone knows a source of WW2 period maps of France, Belgium and Germany at 1:25000 with the correct WW2 grid system then I'm all ears).
I have located many, but not all, of the Normandy, France and Belgium maps at the British Library, if this helps anyone.
Robert, I noticed the coordinates translator is 100 to 150 metres off the mark. I think it also says so on that website. This will matter when looking for specific houses or particular points in villages or built up areas. I can say that because I checked specific points in a part of Germany which I know very well. Best, Alex
If you want accuracy there is only one option - period maps. Ignore the coordinates translators or whatever they call themselves this week unless you only need to identify a general area - the 'Coordinates Translator' can be up to 1km out!
