Currently researching war diaries... Lots of 6 fig grid refs are recorded instead of location names. Has anybody ever tried to obtain maps they refer to? Just interested to know if there easy to obtain?
Hallo Ben, Try this: http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/56122-ww2-nord-de-guerre-maps/?hl=%2Bnord+%2Bguerre
Depends where. Some US universities have collections of digitised WW2 maps. The French 'OS' website Geoportail can be switched to the wartime coordinate system, though it's tricky to use as you have to pick the right six figures out of a dozen or more.
Maps frequently appear on eBay.......but there are a lot of them and some of them, depending on where they are, don't come cheap. You also need to know the rough geographical area (place names also get mentions in War Diaries) because the grid repeats every so often. Best scales for six figure references are 1:100000 or preferably 1:50000 or better if available. Lots of people suggest so-called coordinates translators but these can be up to 1km out. Also be mindful that the grid used was changed after the War so you need wartime maps. If you have a small number of references, post them here and I'll look them up provided they are in my area of interest. Which country are you interested in or is this a general enquiry?.
Thanks, it's France, Belguim and Holland. I'll post some grid refs tomorrow. I do have place names but it's to follow route where cross road and railway crossings are on recorded as 6 dig grid refs.
Here is a thread Stolpi did on WW2 maps of Holland. You can download free from the Us Library of Congress. Links are in post 1. http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/56350-ww2-maps-holland/?hl=maps
