Sly Posted 19 June , 2021 Share Posted 19 June , 2021 Hi, Here is a photo of an American soldier who brought back some photos from the western front (Vosges and other places). I am trying to identify the monument where he is standing. I don't have a clue but it seems to be quite a big column with a soldier or sailor watching ? Thanks for your help ! Sly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBau Posted 19 June , 2021 Share Posted 19 June , 2021 I have just spent 20 minutes searching various tyres of memorials along the british, french and belgium coast lines to no avail. Hopefully some body will know where it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sly Posted 19 June , 2021 Author Share Posted 19 June , 2021 Thank you for your time, I did the same and didn't find anything... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exXIX Posted 19 June , 2021 Share Posted 19 June , 2021 Do you have a name or unit for him, the picture could have been taken prior to embarkation for France. A unit identity could give an embarkation place, from what I've read most Americans disembarked in St Nazaire and his attire suggests he was off duty as he has no accoutrements. I have been looking into New York landmarks but it could be that he embarked elsewhere on the US Eastern seaboard, again his unit identity could give a clue. There are some words on the stonework behind him too but even manipulating the image, they are annoyingly indistinct...I find these things really fun to investigate but time consuming and very frustrating... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBau Posted 20 June , 2021 Share Posted 20 June , 2021 Ive been looking on google again this morning. I been focusing on searching sea ports only, due to the binoculars, which to me signifies someone looking out to sea keeping watch. Still no luck finding the monument in the o.p, but gee, there are some monuments out there. Also, the monument in the o.p may no longer exist if damaged during the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sly Posted 20 June , 2021 Author Share Posted 20 June , 2021 Some other information that could help. He served in the 146th U.S Regiment (37th Division) he landed in France at Brest on June 22, 1918 then trained in eastern France at Rambervillers (Vosges) late June, Baccarat and Vacqueville (meurthe-et-Moselle), Revigny Sept. 20, embarked in French trucks to Recicourt (Meuse) in preparation of the Meuse-Argonne offensive Slightly wounded on Sept.30 I have some other photos from him, including some in a mountain region that I clearly identify as the Vosges... the problem is that there is snow on the photos and he was there in June-July 1918: there is no snow in the Vosges in summer ! So I suspect that they were taken some time after the armistice, where he could have been late 1918 - early 1919 ? in Germany ? Sly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancpal Posted 20 June , 2021 Share Posted 20 June , 2021 I agree with JBau about the sailor looking out to sea. I don't know enough about uniforms to say whether he is a soldier or sailor from the photo though it looks to me as if he stands next to a capstan with coiled rope. Surely more likely to be a seafaring memorial. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 20 June , 2021 Share Posted 20 June , 2021 There is an inscription in the stone behind him. Looks like it would be legible through a loupe on the original. TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sly Posted 20 June , 2021 Author Share Posted 20 June , 2021 I only have a copy, I have tried to zoom the inscription but had no success... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBau Posted 21 June , 2021 Share Posted 21 June , 2021 HOORAY to me. I found it. The pic is part of the Confederate monument in Alabama, U.S See link below http://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-3086 Perhaps the solider in your pic called Alabama home, and the pic taken upon arrival home from war service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBau Posted 21 June , 2021 Share Posted 21 June , 2021 Here is a clearer pic i found on the web. (Not my image.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sly Posted 21 June , 2021 Author Share Posted 21 June , 2021 Fantastic ! Well done ! Thank you very much for your help and time, really appreciated ! Bravo et merci Sly I have some others that I struggle to identify - no indication at all - should I post them here ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 21 June , 2021 Admin Share Posted 21 June , 2021 I certainly would Sly, Great work by RBau. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBau Posted 21 June , 2021 Share Posted 21 June , 2021 10 minutes ago, Sly said: Fantastic ! Well done ! Thank you very much for your help and time, really appreciated ! Bravo et merci Sly I have some others that I struggle to identify - no indication at all - should I post them here ? For sure. Post away. Its keeping my wife sane while you're keeping me busy. Lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sly Posted 21 June , 2021 Author Share Posted 21 June , 2021 OK, some more . the three photos are marked "scenes from WW1" and "Mountains in France WW1". I first thought of the Vosges because he went there in June-July (but there was no snow), but that could be the Alps too as the mountains seem quite high for the Vosges. Maybe he went there later in the winter 1918-19 ? I have seen photos of American soldiers in Aix-les-Bains in WW1 so why not... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntaylor Posted 21 June , 2021 Share Posted 21 June , 2021 Amazing identification - well done! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sly Posted 21 June , 2021 Author Share Posted 21 June , 2021 Another one: somewhere in "France" In a castle ? Guys, I really think that if you are able to identify these photos you are super-heroes ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 21 June , 2021 Admin Share Posted 21 June , 2021 Suggest Hall of Mirrors Versailles where 1919 Peace Treaty signed https://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/estate/palace/hall-mirrors#the-war-room Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 21 June , 2021 Admin Share Posted 21 June , 2021 Are you thinking the mountains are the Vosges? The top one could be taken from Bois de Stosswihr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sly Posted 21 June , 2021 Author Share Posted 21 June , 2021 (edited) Quote Suggest Hall of Mirrors Versailles where 1919 Peace Treaty signed Good idea, however the 1919 photos of the Hall of Mirrors don't seem to match and there were no chandeliers at the time. I have just noticed that most the soldiers on the photo have a walking stick - so that could be in or near a hospital base ? Our soldier was slightly wounded in Sept. 1918, unfortunately I don't know in which hospital he was sent. Quote Are you thinking the mountains are the Vosges? The top one could be taken from Bois de Stosswihr What would be the mountain in the distance ? Ballon de Guebviller ? Don't you think on the two other photos that the valley appears deep and narrow to be in the Vosges ? And the mountain steep too ? Edited 21 June , 2021 by Sly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sly Posted 21 June , 2021 Author Share Posted 21 June , 2021 A guess... but not sure: Base Hospital n°1 at Vichy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBau Posted 21 June , 2021 Share Posted 21 June , 2021 1 hour ago, Sly said: OK, some more . the three photos are marked "scenes from WW1" and "Mountains in France WW1". I first thought of the Vosges because he went there in June-July (but there was no snow), but that could be the Alps too as the mountains seem quite high for the Vosges. Maybe he went there later in the winter 1918-19 ? I have seen photos of American soldiers in Aix-les-Bains in WW1 so why not... After some brief research( googling), I am confident these 3 pics are somewhere near Vosges. The peak in the background in the first two pics matches a lot of images on google images searching Vosges. Its hard to tell if the people in the 3rd pic are in military dress, but I don't think they are. There is also a house, or possibly a church on the left of the pic. When I search next, that will be the focus of my search in trying to narrow it down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 21 June , 2021 Admin Share Posted 21 June , 2021 Third one might be in the general area of Hohrod looking down towards Munster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 21 June , 2021 Admin Share Posted 21 June , 2021 @Dragon knows the area a great deal better than I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sly Posted 21 June , 2021 Author Share Posted 21 June , 2021 Thank you Michelle, Sly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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