bonzillou Posted 13 June , 2012 Share Posted 13 June , 2012 Hi I'm located in Talence which is a town located in the Bordeaux suburb, South West of France. We are far away (800kms) from the WW1 battlefields but wounded from the western front were dispatched here too. The highschool was transformed in a military hospital. We still have a part of the cemetery which concerns canadian british and american troops. I think it's between 20 and 30 burial places. If you need pictures of the burial stones or of the place please let me know. I've attached a picture of Hopital Complementaire N° 25 Cheers Pascal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aheiden Posted 20 June , 2023 Share Posted 20 June , 2023 On 13/06/2012 at 02:59, bonzillou said: Hi I'm located in Talence which is a town located in the Bordeaux suburb, South West of France. We are far away (800kms) from the WW1 battlefields but wounded from the western front were dispatched here too. The highschool was transformed in a military hospital. We still have a part of the cemetery which concerns canadian british and american troops. I think it's between 20 and 30 burial places. If you need pictures of the burial stones or of the place please let me know. I've attached a picture of Hopital Complementaire N° 25 Cheers Pascal Hello Pascal, I have recently found a group photograph taken in 1919. I believe it could be from this location in Talence. My grandfather is in the photo and he was in the US Navy, regards, Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 20 June , 2023 Admin Share Posted 20 June , 2023 Welcome to the forum. @bonzillou hasn’t visited the forum for a few years, my tag may alert them to your post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aheiden Posted 21 June , 2023 Share Posted 21 June , 2023 I am getting the photo touched up. It was rolled up at one time I think. Now it is very brittle. The photo is labeled "Talence France May-30-1919" Andrew Knish Pvt Co. H 47th Inf. Died Feb 12, 1919 484-B Arthur B. Wise Pvt Co. E 313 Inf. Died Feb 18, 1919 B-485 Frederick W. Vanhorne Chief Yeoman USN Died Feb 25, 1919 486-B Frank E. Chalfant 1st CL Mech Mate USN Died Feb 28, 1919 487-B William J. Gibbs Sgt Co. B. 32 Engrs Died Mar 1, 1919 488 Gilbert Pvt... ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzillou Posted 21 June , 2023 Author Share Posted 21 June , 2023 Hi Al I'll go there tomorrow and check the names to see if they match. I'll also check the wall to see if it it is the same place. I believe that these poor guys died in a sea accident or something like that. I'd should take a look in the newspapers archives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 21 June , 2023 Share Posted 21 June , 2023 (edited) On 13/06/2012 at 10:59, bonzillou said: We still have a part of the cemetery which concerns canadian british and american troops. I think it's between 20 and 30 burial places. An interesting post and generous photo offer. CWGC only list British (1) and Canadian (10) commemorations https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/search-results/?CemeteryExact=true&Cemetery=TALENCE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION&Size=20&Page=1&Sort=dateofdeath so a list of American names is likely to be of interest 12 hours ago, aheiden said: The photo is labeled "Talence France May-30-1919" Andrew Knish Pvt Co. H 47th Inf. Died Feb 12, 1919 484-B Arthur B. Wise Pvt Co. E 313 Inf. Died Feb 18, 1919 B-485 Frederick W. Vanhorne Chief Yeoman USN Died Feb 25, 1919 486-B Frank E. Chalfant 1st CL Mech Mate USN Died Feb 28, 1919 487-B William J. Gibbs Sgt Co. B. 32 Engrs Died Mar 1, 1919 488 Gilbert Pvt... Welcome to GWF - It's amazing how an old thread can come to life again = Great photo, thanks for posting. 4 hours ago, bonzillou said: I'll go there tomorrow and check the names to see if they match. Of course these lads' bodies may have subsequently been repatriated to the US, like so many were. We await your findings with interest. M Edited 21 June , 2023 by Matlock1418 add CWGC link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tootrock Posted 21 June , 2023 Share Posted 21 June , 2023 Arthur Wise and Andrew Knish were subsequently reburied in Suresnes American Cemetery, and Frederick Van Horne was reburied in Oise-Aisne American Cemetery. Frank Chalfant is buried in Philadelphia National Cemetery, Pennsylvania, and William Gibbs is buried in Ohio.. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 21 June , 2023 Share Posted 21 June , 2023 (edited) 52 minutes ago, tootrock said: Arthur Wise and Andrew Knish were subsequently reburied in Suresnes American Cemetery, and Frederick Van Horne was reburied in Oise-Aisne American Cemetery. Frank Chalfant is buried in Philadelphia National Cemetery, Pennsylvania, and William Gibbs is buried in Ohio.. Ah, it seems I was 100% right about those five not being there, but only 40% right about repatriation to the US! Interesting to note 'concentration' in France was also an option [I don't look at Americans often] Given the latter option I might be surprised if any more Americans remain there but given "between 20 and 30 burial places" and only 11 on CWGC doesn't mathematically work I/we may yet glean an interesting further revealing insight. M Edited 21 June , 2023 by Matlock1418 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aheiden Posted 1 July , 2023 Share Posted 1 July , 2023 Hi, Here is an updated high quality Talence photo that has been re-touched. Al H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzillou Posted 10 July , 2023 Author Share Posted 10 July , 2023 Hello I can confirm that the picture was taken in the actual Talence Commonwealth cemetery (the wall in the background is the same). All these sailors have been removed from the cemetery as they are currently 12 Commonwealth headstones and 5 US (WW2 aviators). there is also a cross in the center of the cemetery with names listed. I'll check them later as this cemetery is now closed and you need an authotization and the portal key to enter. Concerning these sailors, my best guess is that their ship was hit by a mine or suffered a fire. Please note that : -the Bordeaux harbour (a few kilometers from Talence) was heavily used by the US to disembark and embark troops and logistics -Talence had several hospitals dedicated to war wounded. Pascal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travers61 Posted 11 July , 2023 Share Posted 11 July , 2023 (edited) Online trees on the ancestry website give the place of death for Frank Edgar CHALFANT as Croixd Hins, France, and burial place as "USA Base Hospital Cemetery 208 Talence". Supporting documents (including the US Navy Burial Record 1898-1932) are attached to the trees but I can't access these to double check accuracy. In addition to the USN activities at the Port of Bordeaux, there was a USN presence at Croix d'Hins, near Bordeaux because of the Lafayette High-Power Radio Station and eight pylon masts there. Construction of these involving 750 US Marines started in March 1918 and was not finished until 1920. At the time the masts were the second tallest self supporting structures in France after the Eiffel Tower. https://invisiblebordeaux.blogspot.com/2013/07/croix-dhins-22-lafayette-super-high.html This 1939 newspaper article giving Frank's cause of death as Pneumonia is also on one of the trees. I wonder if the deaths are caused by another serious outbreak of Spanish Flu which happened in France in February 1919. This would explain why they are spread between 12 Feb to 1 Mar 1919 and are a mix of Navy & Army. Edited 11 July , 2023 by travers61 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aheiden Posted 11 July , 2023 Share Posted 11 July , 2023 (edited) My grandfather was stationed at Croix d'hins and told me he helped with construction of the radio station. I found a note that states William J. Gibbs died of Pulmonary Edema. I think this was a common cause of death during the 1918-1919 flu pandemic. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/1918-flu-pandemic Edited 11 July , 2023 by aheiden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 11 July , 2023 Share Posted 11 July , 2023 4 hours ago, travers61 said: "Online trees on the ancestry website give the place of death for Frank Edgar CHALFANT... This 1939 newspaper article giving Frank's cause of death..." He looks better in one piece : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzillou Posted 25 July , 2023 Author Share Posted 25 July , 2023 Hi I went to the cemetery but I could not reach the person holding the key (summervacations). I'll try my luck in August again. In the meantime I took a look at the archives and found the declaration of death for Andrew Knisch (first cross on the lft on the above picture). Please note that I tracked 16 dead US soldiers in these records for only the period 16th January to 12th February. You can explore deeper under that link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzillou Posted 5 August , 2023 Author Share Posted 5 August , 2023 Hello more digging at the town archives and here are the declaration of death for more soldiers from the above picture : William Gibbs, Gilbert Miller, Arthur Wise RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 8 August , 2023 Share Posted 8 August , 2023 On 25/07/2023 at 11:02, bonzillou said: I went to the cemetery but I could not reach the person holding the key (summervacations). I'll try my luck in August again. In the meantime I took a look at the archives and found the declaration of death for Andrew Knisch (first cross on the lft on the above picture). Please note that I tracked 16 dead US soldiers in these records for only the period 16th January to 12th February. You can explore deeper under that link. On 05/08/2023 at 13:00, bonzillou said: more digging at the town archives and here are the declaration of death for more soldiers from the above picture : William Gibbs, Gilbert Miller, Arthur Wise Appreciating your efforts - we don't always have such a local researcher - thank you for posting. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Kearney Posted 20 February Share Posted 20 February I am trying to locate a gravesite for a relative of mine, Cyprian William McSherry. According to this military record he is buried at Cemetery #25, Talance, Grave #28. I'm not really sure how that all translates to area today but was hoping someone located in Talence might be able to help locate the grave. Thanks in advance for your help. Very much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 20 February Admin Share Posted 20 February Welcome to the forum. Tagging @bonzillou who may be able to assist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDT006 Posted 20 February Share Posted 20 February 1 hour ago, Michael Kearney said: I am trying to locate a gravesite for a relative of mine, Cyprian William McSherry. He was removed from that cemetery and returned to the US: He was originally buried in what was known as American Cemetery #25 in Talence. McSherry’s remains then were returned to Hoboken on October 18, 1920 on board the U.S. Army Transport Pocahontas, which departed Bordeaux on October 5, 1920. He was reinterred at New Cathedral Cemetery in Baltimore, the birthplace of his wife. Source: https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1119&context=ach Also: https://nl.findagrave.com/memorial/87109625/cyprian-w.-mcsherry Hope this helps, Luc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Kearney Posted 21 February Share Posted 21 February Thank you very much for the updated information. Greatly appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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