96th Anniversary of Verdun (1 Viewer)

[Rob]

Scott, as Mitch says not normally something you'd see on our war graves. Poppys by the thousands but not much else. Some relatives also plant small flowers at foot of gravestone. The cemeteries of our soldiers in France and Belgiun were designed to have an element of an English garden, or a romantic view of such, and so although they are still sombre of course they don't have quite the dark forboding nature of the German versions. They are kept in immaculate condition by an army of hundreds of Commonwealth War grave gardeners, which gives lie to the English garden link, because my English garden is nowhere as neat :wink2:

Rob

 

[Scott]

Glad to hear this. Flowers bring everyone together. My question was in reference to the recent Christmas/holiday wreath decorating of military graves in the US. I have reservations on how appropriate this is for graves of soldiers from 150 years past who's idea of Christmas may have been different than the 20th/21st century celebrations.

So not to hi-jack the thread..... Verdun was not a battle the US was involved in so my own knowledge is only basic. I was not aware of how much the site still shows the signs of the battle and how large the memorials are. I must get there someday. My grandfather served in the 26th Yankee Division toward the end of WW I and a trip to the sites would be worth while all around.

 

[waynepoo]

Scott, as Mitch says not normally something you'd see on our war graves. Poppys by the thousands but not much else. Some relatives also plant small flowers at foot of gravestone. The cemeteries of our soldiers in France and Belgiun were designed to have an element of an English garden, or a romantic view of such, and so although they are still sombre of course they don't have quite the dark forboding nature of the German versions. They are kept in immaculate condition by an army of hundreds of Commonwealth War grave gardeners, which gives lie to the English garden link, because my English garden is nowhere as neat :wink2:

Rob

Just to illustrate Rob comment, attached are some pics of the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux in France and the Menin Gate in Belgium.
Wayne.

 

[Jack]

Just to illustrate Rob comment, attached are some pics of the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux in France and the Menin Gate in Belgium.
Wayne.

Villers Bretonneux put on a great Armistice Day Celebration - they sing Advance Australia Fair!

 

[waynepoo]

Villers Bretonneux put on a great Armistice Day Celebration - they sing Advance Australia Fair!

You mean the French?
Wayne.

 

[Jack]

You mean the French?
Wayne.

Yes!

The school house was rebuilt using money raised in Victoria. Across one of their bulildings they have painted, in huge gold letters, "Never Forget Australia".

 

[waynepoo]

Yes!

The school house was rebuilt using money raised in Victoria. Across one of their bulildings they have painted, in huge gold letters, "Never Forget Australia".

Have you been to the school, walked down this street and dined in this restaurant? Also is this the book you mentioned last night?
Wayne.

 

[Jack]

Have you been to the school, walked down this street and dined in this restaurant? Also is this the book you mentioned last night?
Wayne.

Yes to everything!

 

[waynepoo]

Yes to everything!

Why am I not surprised, I bet they had meat pies on the menu too.^&grin
Wayne.

 

[Jack]

Why am I not surprised, I bet they had meat pies on the menu too.^&grin
Wayne.

The curator at the school museum was a very, very pretty young French woman. I tried my best broken French with her with the result that I can now claim to have been been rejected by women on two continents in three languages.

 

[waynepoo]

The curator at the school museum was a very, very pretty young French woman. I tried my best broken French with her with the result that I can now claim to have been been rejected by women on two continents in three languages.

Only two continents??:rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2:
Wayne.

 

[Jack]

Only two continents??:rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2:
Wayne.

OK - its actually three, but I don't count the US because it was Las Vegas, and that's a wierd place!

 

[waynepoo]

OK - its actually three, but I don't count the US because it was Las Vegas, and that's a wierd place!

Isn't what happens in Vegas suppose to stay in Vegas??{sm3}:wink2:
Wayne.

 

[Rob]

Scott,the battlefield area is still covered with shell holes, memorials, trench/pillbox remains and as Dave said earlier piles of not only shells but bones as well. So many thousands of men missing that they are rising to the surface all the time. If you search 'Verdun Ossuary images' the pics are quite chilling. Verdun is not a pleasant town really it is also dark and grim, its a bit like the place never has and never will shake off the terrible events that took place there.

Rob

Glad to hear this. Flowers bring everyone together. My question was in reference to the recent Christmas/holiday wreath decorating of military graves in the US. I have reservations on how appropriate this is for graves of soldiers from 150 years past who's idea of Christmas may have been different than the 20th/21st century celebrations.

So not to hi-jack the thread..... Verdun was not a battle the US was involved in so my own knowledge is only basic. I was not aware of how much the site still shows the signs of the battle and how large the memorials are. I must get there someday. My grandfather served in the 26th Yankee Division toward the end of WW I and a trip to the sites would be worth while all around.

 

[h.hammer]

Verdun had added sorows to its 700,000 casualties.Fort Douaumont and Fort Veux became the basis for the concept of the Maginot line. Maginot was named after the famous sergeant who made public the senseless massacre of Verdun. Just as tragic is the defeatist attitude of the French as they entered the Second World War, and there is Marshal Petain who never recovered from the slaughter at Verdun and came to believe that a victorious Germany would treat the French with some degree of courtesy. The story goes on and on, all too tragic for the French and British in 1940.
Someday I hope to visit this sorrowful place, perhaps as one author said:"when the eery forests on the Morte Homme mature and are hewn down, and farms and happy villages again populate its dead slopes"
harvey

 

[Grognard]

Verdun had added sorows to its 700,000 casualties.Fort Douaumont and Fort Veux became the basis for the concept of the Maginot line. Maginot was named after the famous sergeant who made public the senseless massacre of Verdun. Just as tragic is the defeatist attitude of the French as they entered the Second World War, and there is Marshal Petain who never recovered from the slaughter at Verdun and came to believe that a victorious Germany would treat the French with some degree of courtesy. The story goes on and on, all too tragic for the French and British in 1940.
Someday I hope to visit this sorrowful place, perhaps as one author said:"when the eery forests on the Morte Homme mature and are hewn down, and farms and happy villages again populate its dead slopes"
harvey

Actually André Maginot was the French minister of War between 1922 and 1932. As you indicate the idea of the ill-conceived Maginot line came from the experience with WW1 forts that creating a wall of fortresses between Germany and France would deter the German to invade France again. As we know the weakest link was the North with Belgium (almost nothing built there since Belgium was an ally of France) where the German went around the Maginot line.

 

[MikeNick]

Word to the wise: if you go to Verdun, plan on renting a car. The battlefield is vast and involves many, many hills. Also, set aside a few days to see it all.
MikeNick

Actually André Maginot was the French minister of War between 1922 and 1932. As you indicate the idea of the ill-conceived Maginot line came from the experience with WW1 forts that creating a wall of fortresses between Germany and France would deter the German to invade France again. As we know the weakest link was the North with Belgium (almost nothing built there since Belgium was an ally of France) where the German went around the Maginot line.

 

[Jack]

Word to the wise: if you go to Verdun, plan on renting a car. The battlefield is vast and involves many, many hills. Also, set aside a few days to see it all.
MikeNick

If you plan on going longer, look at the lease options with Renault and Citroen. I think there is a minimum which might be two weeks but I have used this option four times for battlefield visits and it has been tremendous. Brand new car and a pick up at Charles de Gaulle!

 

[breslau]

A truly remarkable day (and photo) for Germany and France - then Chancellor Kohl and President Mitterrand in tribute to their fallen countrymen - Douamont near Verdun - September 1984.

 

[Jack]

A truly remarkable day (and photo) for Germany and France - then Chancellor Kohl and President Mitterrand in tribute to their fallen countrymen - Douamont near Verdun - September 1984.

View attachment 86744

No first date should have that many witnesses!