Guest Simon Bull Posted 10 March , 2004 Share Posted 10 March , 2004 I am thinking about visiting the American Cemetery at Bony. Does anyone know where I can get relatively precise location information of the kind one gets on the CWGC website? Simon Bull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 10 March , 2004 Share Posted 10 March , 2004 Simon-Follow this link. The American equivalent of the CWGC is the American Battle Monuments Commission, so putting 'war cemeteries' or 'war graves' into a search engine doesn't always find their site: http://www.abmc.gov/so.htm They also call the cemetery 'Somme' rather than 'Bony' which threw me at first. The Cemetery is not that far from the famous Riqueval Bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 10 March , 2004 Share Posted 10 March , 2004 Simon I think I still have email for the superintendent there if you need it. While there take a look at the grave of Kentuckian Samuell Douthitt Hill whose only service was NZ Rifle Brigade, an interesting story which I told in Stand To in 2000 or 2001. I can get the # if you want or if you do not have them can email to you. This cemetery was on the jump off line of US 27 or 30, cannot remember which in the September 29? attack on Hindenburg Line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Simon Bull Posted 12 March , 2004 Share Posted 12 March , 2004 Thanks Paul and Mark. Paul, I don't think I will need the number of the superintend thanks - the directions on the website look pretty good. Thanks for the information re Hill and re the fighting in the area of Bony. We are hoping to visit the cemetery at Bony whilst in the area to visit (1) The Briastre area where when my wife's G. Grandfather won a Bar to his MC in October 1918. (2) Bellengliese. This is where a man (George Howell) from the village where I live was wounded. His son (a Bomber Command veteran) now lives in New Zealand and has been very helpful to me in my writing to me re my researches re the village War Memorial. I am hoping to get some photos of the Bellengliese area to send to him. Knowing that the Bony area was affected by fighting at the same time makes the visit still more interesting. I used to live quite close to Madingley, so I have visit the US cemetery there on a number of occasions, but I have never visited a US Great War Cemetery before, and i thought that it was time I did so. Regards Simon Bull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Cross Posted 12 March , 2004 Share Posted 12 March , 2004 It is worth e-mailing the super with the date and approx time of your visit. If Bobby Bell is still there he is an excellent host and keen representative of the ABMC and has always been eager to receive me and my groups whenever we call there. MC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 12 March , 2004 Share Posted 12 March , 2004 Bony shown as the blue "blob". The orange ones are CWGC cemeteries. (From "Am Rande der Strassen", issued by the DKGF). Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham-McAdam Posted 13 March , 2004 Share Posted 13 March , 2004 What a great area on that map Simon - should occupy you for a few long days, and I bet you don't see another UK registration. Look into the Beatus and say hello if you're around the week of April 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Somme1916 Posted 29 March , 2004 Share Posted 29 March , 2004 Bony is a nice quite little country town. The cemetery little by US standards, unlike the Brits we consolidated our burials but has either three or four medial of honor winners (that's our version of the VC). While I lived in Belgium I attend the 2002 U.S. Memorial Day services there. Our Memorial Day is in mid May. The people were very nice and paid a lot of attention to the American soldiers who came to participate in the ceremony. Very few Americans had to buy a drink that day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Simon Bull Posted 22 April , 2004 Share Posted 22 April , 2004 I did indeed meet Bobby O'Bell (the superintendent) at Bony. He gave us an excellent welcome and a very informative tour. Altogether most interesting. He is a real enthusiast for his job. He also thinks Paul Guthrie is "such a nice man". Very interesting visiting an American Cemetery, a very different approach to remembrance to the CWGC, (no plants just white crosses and green grass) but in its own way just as effective. Cannot avoid saying that i found the picture of Shrub Bush gazing down on us in the reception room distinctly off putting, but such was the warmth of Bobby's welcome and the quality of the facilities that one soon forgot it. A recommended visit if anyone is in the area. Simon Bull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 22 April , 2004 Share Posted 22 April , 2004 A really great thing about ABMC cemeteries is the great loos, I always sez Americans are the winner of The Battle of Loos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 26 April , 2004 Share Posted 26 April , 2004 I was there at lunchtime today with the Pals Tour to Verdun (on the way home). I can confirm that it is a very well maintained site - and so are the loos! Also has one Commonwealth War Grave (an American in the NZ army). It is officially called the Somme American Cemetery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 26 April , 2004 Share Posted 26 April , 2004 Terry the New Zealand man is Samuell Douthitt Hill, a Kentucky man, I did a Stand To! article on him, January 2002 issue I think but not sure. I can email the article if you or any of the pals who visited the grave want it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 26 April , 2004 Share Posted 26 April , 2004 Paul Thanks but I have the article. The only thing is wasn't too keen on at the cemetery was the music (hand bells) played over loudspeakers. Not come across that before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 26 April , 2004 Share Posted 26 April , 2004 The only thing is wasn't too keen on at the cemetery was the music (hand bells) played over loudspeakers. Not come across that before. Terry. If you found that odd, try to get to the American Memorial in Bastogne in the early evening (about 6pm, I think). The "Star Spangled Banner" that belts out from the loudspeakers there sounds very reminicent of the Jimi Hendrix version!!! (Excellent! ) Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 26 April , 2004 Share Posted 26 April , 2004 The only thing is wasn't too keen on at the cemetery was the music (hand bells) played over loudspeakers. Not come across that before. Have to agree with Terry on this one (especially as I was standing next to him when the 'music' was playing). There is something 'not quite right' about listening to the jaunty tune as it blares out across the graves of those American soldiers............Very 'Disney' was a comment made this morning.....and that does sum it up...............I would add the the cemetery itself is superb & having the opportunity to visit the graves of three very brave Medal of Honour winners was a privilege Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWills Posted 27 April , 2004 Share Posted 27 April , 2004 Bony was looking immaculate in the sun yesterday, A privilege to visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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