Private John Montanelli

Digital gallery of Private John Montanelli

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  Memorial

  Extract of the Menin Gate Memorial Panel showing the name "Montanelli J". Close
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  Trench map (marked)

  The location of the battlefield burial site of Private John Montanelli is marked (orange star), to the rear of the front line trenches on the north side of Rue Petillon. The trench map coordinates are 36.N.3.c.4.0. The trench map was marked by the author of the article on the Battle of Bois Grenier (Richard Laughton) which shows the location of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the battle in March 1915. The map was compiled using information from the War Diary of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade, of which the 13th Infantry Battalion was a component. Close
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  Trench Map

  The location of the battlefield burial site of Private John Montanelli is marked (orange arrow), on a detailed period trench map. The remains were buried at the time of his death at location 36.N.3.c.4.0. The trench map is marked to show that the map shows Sector N (green circle) and Sub-Sector 3 (green square). That square is 1,000 yards by 1,000 yards. Within that green square (36.N.3) there are four (4) smaller squares shown as "a, b, c, and d". Each of those smaller squares are 500 yards by 500 yards. The body was buried at the time in the south east square (36.N.3.c). Each small lettered square is marked with ten (10) "hash lines", which are at 50 yard intervals. Pte. Montanelli was buried 200 yards to the east (4 x 50 yards) of the lower corner of the "c" square (36.N.3.c.4.0). Close
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  Circumstances of death registers

  Private John Montanelli #24267 was reported "Killed in Action" in the "Trenches South of Fleurbaix". He was serving in the 13th Infantry Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division. He was killed during the often forgotten battle at Bois-Grenier, France in March 1915, an action designed to provide the initial experience to the Canadian Corps in trench warfare. Close
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  Circumstances of death registers

  Private John Montanelli's "Circumstance of Death" register reports that he was buried in a battlefield grave near Le Trou (France), 2.5 miles east of Laventie, Sheet 36.N.3.c.4.0. These trench map coordinates enable us to show exactly where he was buried near the front line trenches. Close
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  Graves registration form

  The E-103 "War Graves Register" confirms the information provided in the "Circumstance of Death" that the burial location was as marked on the trench map at coordinates 36.N.3.c.4.0. This form further states that the grave was in the rear of the trenches and that a cross was erected at that location. Application of modern technology to the trench map coordinates tells us that the location of his burial was at GPS coordinates 50.6260, 2.8293 (full GPS 50°37'33.60"N 2°49'45.48"E). This form also indicates that the remains were not recovered by the Graves Registration Unit and his file was marked to note that his name was to be added to the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres, Belgium. That process was completed and his name is listed on that memorial at this time (February 2018). This was an error on the part of the Imperial War Graves Commission at that time (now Commonwealth War Graves Commission), as his name should have gone on the Vimy Memorial, as he was killed in France not Belgium. Close
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  Memorial

  Private John Montanelli's name is on the 13th Canadian Infantry Battalion panel on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres, Belgium. His name should be on the Vimy Memorial in France, as he was not killed in action in Belgium. Close
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  Memorial

  Inscription on the Menin Gate … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens Close
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  Newspaper clipping

  From the Montreal Star 1915. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me Close