Charlie: (Or anyone else who might have a suggestion) A fellow in England I am in contact with has asked me about English speaking people in Wintzenbach. His father and mother are planning on visiting Wintzenbach in a month to see if they can find the grave of his cousin was downed in a Lancaster during the war. I sent him pictures of the tombstones, now his father is really excited. He has asked me if I knew anyone in Wintzenbach who speaks English. None of my wife's relatives who live there speak English, at least not that they would admit it. Her English speaking relatives that we work with live all over France, but not in Wintzenbach. The only English speaking one from Wintzenbach, a son of the ones who live in the family homestead there, now is lives in Washington D.C. I'm trying to figure out who I might suggest he lookup in Wintzenbach who might speak English. I know you were close to there, if not there, and thought I would run this by you. I'm thinking the Priest at St. Gilles, or someone in the Mayor's office. Maybe someone knows if the Mayor's office has an email address. Gene

Gene, Refer to this site: http://www.mothern-tourisme.fr/resources/Pays+de+Seltz.pdf p. 19 - Heritage Monuments. It will give you some info in English about the crash of the Lancaster. Charlie

Hi Gene, The Lancaster crashed to the north-west of Wintzenbach, killing the entire crew. The eight men are buried in the Protestant cemetery near the "mairie" (town hall/Mayor's office) of Wintzenbach. The Lancaster III Serial ND 755 Code TL-J, took off from its base in Graveley, England on 19 October 1944 at 17h56. Its scouting mission was to mark out with beacons that evening's target, Stuttgart. Its crew consisted of eight men. Between 21h and 22h it was intercepted by a German night fighter plane. This encounter was fatal for the English bomber which jettisoned its cargo of bombs before he crashed. No doubt, your fellow will find English speaking people in Wintzenbach. I would recommend him to contact the city hall at mairie.wintzenbach@wanadoo.fr . They will receive him and organize his visit, in memory of the aviators buried there. I had not the possibility today to go in touch with the city hall, because the opening hours are limited. Regards from Alsace Ewald ++++++++++++++++++ > Charlie: (Or anyone else who might have a suggestion) > > A fellow in England I am in contact with has asked me about English > speaking people in Wintzenbach. His father and mother are planning on > visiting Wintzenbach in a month to see if they can find the grave of his > cousin was downed in a Lancaster during the war. I sent him pictures of > the tombstones, now his father is really excited. He has asked me if I > knew anyone in Wintzenbach who speaks English. None of my wife's > relatives who live there speak English, at least not that they would > admit it. Her English speaking relatives that we work with live all over > France, but not in Wintzenbach. The only English speaking one from > Wintzenbach, a son of the ones who live in the family homestead there, > now is lives in Washington D.C. I'm trying to figure out who I might > suggest he lookup in Wintzenbach who might speak English. I know you > were close to there, if not there, and thought I would run this by you. > I'm thinking the Priest at St. Gilles, or someone in the Mayor's office. > Maybe someone knows if the Mayor's office has an email address. > > Gene > --