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August 7 1930 After having lunch at the cemetery our group departed at 2:00 PM enroute
back to Paris.
It was hard
not to cry as we drove away from the cemetery, knowing this would be
the last time I would ever be near Leo. It was nearly as bad as
when they told us he had been killed back in 1918.
After leaving Romagne-sous-Montfaucon the next
village they entered was Eclisfontaine. At this village was the
Eastern juncture of the Chaudron Farm Road, which would have placed
Mrs. Kelly approximately 2.5 miles East of where Leo was killed
and first buried. Continuing down this highway the next village is Charpentry. Most likely Leo passed through this village either on
26 or 27 September 1918 as the
35th Division was slowly making its way North toward Exermont.
As the crow flies, the village is approximately 1.5 miles South
of Chaudron Farm. It is unknown if Mrs. Kelly was aware of this
information as her group passed through on August 7, 1930, almost
twelve years later.
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We arrived at Suippes at 4:00 PM and had a rest stop at the Hotel
Champagne.
Again as we are driving along we are
seeing
many pretty little villages.
Something that just seems to jump out at you are the pretty lace
curtains we keep seeing in the windows.
We have noticed that the
nicest houses and the most run down all seem to have pretty lace
curtains.
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Arrived in Reims at 6:00PM, had dinner
and slept at the
Hotel Bristol Crystal.
We all
went to bed early tonight.
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August 8, 1930, we visited the city of Reims and the cathedral which
was badly damaged by fire during the war. After touring
the city during the morning we returned to the Hotel Bristol Crystal
for lunch.
We departed Reims at 1:30 PM
and continued our trip back to Paris.
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After leaving Reims on our way to Chateau Thierry, we went through
the towns of Champfleury and Epernay. Between these towns was a
large and beautifully dense woods. Just before we reached the
woods, and a few miles to the East of the highway we were on, is the
village of Chamrey. This is where Quentin Roosevelt, son of our
late President Teddy Roosevelt is buried.
1LT Quentin Roosevelt, USAAC WWI: His body was later moved to the
Normandy American Cemetery and buried next to his brother BGEN
Theodore J. Roosevelt, Jr. USA. BGEN Roosevelt was a Medal of Honor
recipient. After the death of 1LT Roosevelt the sentiment to leave
the WWI casualties buried overseas was begun when former President
Theodore Roosevelt asked the War Department to “Let the young oak
lie where it fell.”
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It is
strange the French have made it illegal to run over a goose – but it
is ok to run over a chicken. While we were driving from Paris to
the cemetery and now again on the way back to Paris we have noticed
the beautiful shade trees along the roadway and in the towns and
villages. Seems they have replanted a number of them, probably
because of the war, the young ones seem to be growing real well.
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We arrived in Chateau Thierry at 3:30PM for a rest stop at
Hotel de la Terrassee and ate at Hostellerie du Bonhomme*. There were many terrible battles near
here during the war.
The much smaller Aisne-Marne American
War Cemetery is located about 6.5 miles West of town. We are told
this is where many of the American Marines who died at
Belleau Woods during the war are buried. The guide said the
Germans came up with a new name for our fighting Marines - Teufel
Hundin, which means Devil Dogs, for the ferocious, no quarters given
way they fought. One of the ladies who spoke German said it could
have another meaning, but she didn't explain.
*Note:
Restaurant within the hotel.
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| Historical Note:
Chateau Thierry, located just 56 miles East of Paris,
was the farthest point the German offensive reached in
1918. Under heavy bombardment, the 2nd and 3rd
Divisions of the U.S. Expeditionary Force aided the
French troops in stopping the Germans. |
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After leaving
Chateau Thierry we again went through the town of Montreuil aux Lions.
We arrived in
Paris at 6:45 PM, had dinner at the hotel and retired for the
evening.
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Continue
the Journey |