Strange Occurrences on the Western Front

[healdav]

20 hours ago, trenchtrotter said:

More coincidences from me. This March listening to last post Menin Gate I was randomly stood next to a multitude of names to the missing. At or about eye level I realised I was next to T Thurlow, Middlesex Regt. Didn't know he was there and not looking. My initials are TT. Guess what my surname is????

 

On 5/11 this year again walking swiftly through the gate stopped by steps leading to upper panels. Random stop. Found myself looking at A Thurlow.

 

TT

I was in a cemetery in Plymouth photoing some Belgian graves, when I looked at the row of British war graves behind. There was an O'Mahony and next to it a Torbin.

The first is my wife's maiden name and the second her sister's married name. Neither were any relation.

[horrocks]

On 15/11/2016 at 14:38, NigelS said:

I haven't viewed this topic for quite a while, and it's probably just me, but my eyes were immediately drawn to a miniature simulacra of  a hooded, robed lady overlooking the 'bright stone' (& snail) amongst the tree roots in the background - the elusive Queen of the Woods?

 

NigelS

 

Thank you for pointing that out Nigel.

[yperman]

My father had a similar experience. He stopped for no obvious reason in a small  Flemish village, noticed a war graves sign leading to a small cemetery, idly followed it  and found the first grave was his uncle's - whose burial place had not been known to the family.

[crackingbloke]

Rifle House Cemetery. It's a decent step along a track through what was probable an original trench line, although now well wooded. It was in the early summer and as we walked the mosquitoes came from everywhere biting any exposes skin. When we entered the cemetery, they stopped, but we had to run the gauntlet on the way back. Not so much a presence but was it those lost soles reminding us that they had lived and died there. Or have I eaten to much chocolate had to much beer and seen to many cemetery's. But despite the bites a sobering experience.

Guy

[sassenach]

Lost soles? Did someone leave their shoes behind?

[Ghazala]

9 minutes ago, sassenach said:

Lost soles? Did someone leave their shoes behind?

Very fishy.

[vincentg]

A bit of a thread bump

Read the whole thread front to back, very interesting. Will have to check Mametz Wood out.

Have been to a lot of places/cemeteries in the Ypres region (live a half hour away), a few days at the Somme, a few to Verdun, been to Bastogne and Normandy (WW2) and many other places. Have made a lot of walks in the woods where I did not see other people for hours. Never really had a "supernatural"/dreading feeling, more a feeling as: if something happens with me now, they will not find me immediately.

Only once had a strange feeling at Authielle Wood, walked at the edge of the wood but had a feeling like being watched. Did not really want to look in the forest also. Needed to get away asap.

Besides that only had a few moments that stayed with me: coming across a pack of wild boars who suddenly made a lot of noise (scared the sh*t out of me).

In the Verdun area I also found a bone (apparantly from a cow), but the first moment you see it, is a strange feeling.

 

Had an eagle check me out for 15 minutes at the top of Le Mort Homme (picture upside down for a reason) and that afternoon I made a big walk through the woods near Romagne-sous-Montfacon and saw again the same type of eagle who then flew away