Gunner Bailey Posted 11 January , 2006 Share Posted 11 January , 2006 Just had to read through this again! Brilliant, Egbert Gunner Bailey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malte Znaniecki Posted 15 January , 2006 Share Posted 15 January , 2006 Thank You Very Much Egbert ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest richpips Posted 1 February , 2006 Share Posted 1 February , 2006 Hi Egbert, Thanks for giving so much of your time to share the contents of the trunk. A fascintaing tale. Regards Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanhemmings Posted 2 February , 2006 Share Posted 2 February , 2006 Egbert, Ian has certainly done Grandad proud. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest geoff501 Posted 3 February , 2006 Share Posted 3 February , 2006 Egbert, You have given so much to this thread, here is my small gift of thanks to you. Follow the link (don't all go at once and crash the shiny new server) Sie haben Ihre Aufgabe getan. erinnert mit Ehre: http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...sualty=75196843 cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 4 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 4 February , 2006 Geoff, what a nice posting, what a nice surprise. This is truly phantastic that Granddad is now even listed in the CWGC archive (although with wrong rank). Terry told me last year, that the foreign nationals possibly will be available online in the future. Here we go! Thanx for the link!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest geoff501 Posted 4 February , 2006 Share Posted 4 February , 2006 Geoff, what a nice posting, what a nice surprise. This is truly phantastic that Granddad is now even listed in the CWGC archive (although with wrong rank). Terry told me last year, that the foreign nationals possibly will be available online in the future. Here we go! Thanx for the link!!!! Egbert, I don't believe it is an uncorrected error about the rank of soldier. Its simply a case of they do not have the correct information. Many Belgian and French nationals are listed this way. Perhaps if you contact CWGC (via Terry?) they will restore Gottfried's rank and regiment. Cheers, Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikegreene Posted 11 February , 2006 Share Posted 11 February , 2006 I found your thread while searching for my great-grandad's date of death - 1 May 1918, same as Gottfried's. I was looking for places, names, units, badges and uniforms. In short, I was looking for insight into his life and times leading up to his passing. And after an hour and a half of the most moving story I have read about the Great War I can honestly say I found what I was looking for - in the most unexpected place. Your story has nothing whatsoever to do with Pte Green; it has everything to do with him. I imagine Gottfied and Charles' experiences were the same, separated only by different uniforms and someone else's politics. We forget that these men are men first, soldiers after. What you showed me moved me to tears; my grandad grew up without his daddy too. Thank you Egbert - so very much. I am wiser and humbled. When I visit Charles' grave, I shall spare a thought for Gottfried too. BRgds Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 11 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 11 February , 2006 Mike this is a very kind and poignant reply to my thread. And you exactly hit the nail. By this thread from the "enemy" side I wanted to show that "they" suffered the same, had the same feelings, had the same family fates. I have received so many PMs and emails from Brit/Commonwelath pals that this thread opened their eyes: there was life and tragedy on the other side of No Man's Land as well. I am so grateful that his artifacts, his story and his memorabilia serve such a good cause here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Evans Posted 12 February , 2006 Share Posted 12 February , 2006 Egbert, I guess that Mike Greene's post is a fitting answer to your other thread about your distant relatives responses. Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passionplay Posted 1 May , 2006 Share Posted 1 May , 2006 Egbert, I wish I could give you the biggest hug on this sad anniversary. I have only recently joined this forum and been amazed and humbled by reading your story today, it has been a real emotional rollercoaster. This thread is a fantastic tribute to the many lives that were touched by this conflict, thank you so much for sharing so many personal mementos and bringing home the human aspect of war. My very best wishes to you and your family. Steph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Bapaume Posted 2 May , 2006 Share Posted 2 May , 2006 Stumbled upon this thread 32 pages ago and could not stop reading. Egbert, thank you very much for the amazing ride and to everyone else who contributed along the way thanks to you also. I also send my very best wishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingsman64 Posted 2 May , 2006 Share Posted 2 May , 2006 Well what can be said that has not already been expressed through these 32 pages? Nothing original form me except a heartfelt and sincere thank you for this wonderful emotional rollercoaster ride through your family memories. One thing egbert, your dear Grandfather Gottfried Sandrock has never truly left this world as long as you have precious memories to pas on and all of us here who are privileged to have shared the contents of this treasure chest. What a fantastic, wonderful, homage and act of rememberance this thread has become. I will raise a glass to Gottfried tonight and all those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Thank you once again. Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerry T Posted 3 May , 2006 Share Posted 3 May , 2006 Thank you so much Egbert I only joined the forum last night and stumbled across this thread by accident this evening. However, it sums up everything I have ever felt about war and more. No matter what stories were told to me about my Great Grandfathers and Grandfathers exploits in the 2 World Wars, even when I was very young, I always thought about the men from both sides who had families they would never forget, and would never forget them, even though the stories are often broken down into "them and us". I have to say that I have been reading your thread for the best part of 3 hours and it moved me to tears on more than one occasion. So much for an early night! My Great Granfather died in the First World War, and I don't even have so much as a photo, let alone a trunk of goodies. I read all through your post and I cried buckets! You have tons of stuff - it's really moving and shows that he adored his family. Part of me is jealous because I don't even know what my Great Grandfather, Arthur John looked like, let alone what he was like as a person. If I had a whole trunk load of personal items from AJ I don't know what it would do to me - I cried when I saw a letter from the stretcher bearer who found his body. What I wanted to say was regarding the line between between revealing historical facts and personal history - I think you should reveal as much as you are comfortable with. I have a few friends who have teenage children. Some of them have been visited by survivors of WW2 at school telling their personal stories and it has moved them to tears - far better than an English school history lesson. Basically, the point I'm making is that if you make something real, they will respond. I really hope you can do some good with your goodies - as mentioned before they are good enough to be in a museum Take care Kerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorac Posted 3 May , 2006 Share Posted 3 May , 2006 Egbert, What can I say that will do justice to anything else that has already been said by all the other avid readers like myself?? Absolutely nothing, its all been said already so I guess I’ll just say ‘ditto’ to all the accolades to you, your father and especially your grandfather. I’d also like to add that it has taken me over a course of 3 whole days to read the complete thread owing to a bad connection (HUGE GRRR @ MY SERVER) and here I sit exhausted and emotionally drained but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world! One point I’d like to make to you and everyone else – Gottfried left a wonderful gift behind for his family no matter how painful and poignant it was. Maybe we should all be doing the same, leaving something of ourselves that will be treasured in future years long after we are gone. I know that there is no way we could match Gottfried’s trunk of wonderful treasures but something is better than nothing, even if its just a ‘letter of introduction’ saying who you are, occupation, thoughts, family life, politics etc etc. That way they will have a better understanding of just who you are and not rely on conjecture. Just a thought but its something Im going to seriously think about now. Ive been doing my family history for the best part of 4 years and I’ve had to rely on conjecture for a large amount of it purely because there is very little left of them. Unidentified photos are the most frustrating giving that you know they are family members but don’t know just who is who. Long may your grandfather’s memory and memories be treasured by you and your family Egbert and I’m sure he will not be forgotten by any of us who have read your truly amazing story. THANKYOU Carol PS: wouldn’t it be wonderful if all the political leaders of the world could read your amazing story too – who knows but it could stop another war somewhere. I know I know, wishful thinking but I can dream cant I lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 17 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 17 May , 2006 Never say never! With the satellite capabilities now, I'd like to complement the earlier aerials, maps and drawings from 1918, which I had posted within this long long thread. The interested viewer may now compare these pictures with the following satellite views. First is a sat pic of the CWGC Merville, Communal Annex with arrow pointing to Grandfathers grave (which needs to be visited and is in desperate need of a poppy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxy Posted 17 May , 2006 Share Posted 17 May , 2006 Egbert, I have no doubt that there will be a few Pals in 'F and F' over the next few months. I would be more than a little surprised if Gottfried didn't get a visit or two. Roxy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 17 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 17 May , 2006 This satellite view shows the ferme on which' premises Grandfather found his provisional grave. If you compare than (post#486,488, 576, 577 and especially 585, 627) and now, you can see already at approximately 5 meters accuracy the location where death struck him 1 May 1918 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 17 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 17 May , 2006 Check post# 585 from 1918 with today's satellite view! If you look very carefully, you even see the "old" cottonwood enclosure -be aware it is NOT the dim line between the darkgreen and following small tan field, but between the tan and the light brown field - its a bit misleading because the field boundaries have been changed !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gladstone Posted 18 May , 2006 Share Posted 18 May , 2006 Thanks heaps Egbert Regards to 'Chester', he has the important role of guard dog so better retire him from messenger duties. Clarrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 18 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 18 May , 2006 First of all: thanx for all the May entries here in this thread! Roxy I hope your vision comes true! Clarence, the famous messenger dog is as watchful as ever (just check my today's entry "What a nice and peaceful world"); he will never retire from messnger duties as he knows he will see the Somme again in 2007. Can you imagine something more important than running in No=Man's=Land between Serre and Heidenkopf? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 18 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 18 May , 2006 Always amazing - here is a Than & Now collage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 18 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 18 May , 2006 This one is an overlay Now/than Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike10764 Posted 18 May , 2006 Share Posted 18 May , 2006 If you don't mind me asking Egbert-where did you get the satellite pictures from-are they on the net ?- they're amazingly detailed. They are further adding to the already marvellous thread..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Heavey Posted 18 May , 2006 Share Posted 18 May , 2006 dear Egbert, I have only today just found your thread and started to read it. I got as far as the baby shoe and my eyes were welling up. Then I saw the mask made from paper and I just broke into tears. What a truly remarkable story. It really hit home as I have a 3 year old and a 6 month old pair of cheeky monkeys, I cannot begin to contemplate the loss, I just cant. Its so emotional. The German Government should declare your trunk an item of national importance! A national treasure even? Please tell me your dad survived WW2!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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