All, Not about genealogy but a serious question Yesterday, as is our custom 2 friends and I went to the Somme and hindenburg Line battlefields in France. My father,(An "Aussie" as I am), was fighting in France from 12 July 1916 to 30 September 1918 when he was wounded for the 2nd time. In this last battle ,for the Canal Tunnel at Le Catelet, the American 30th Division and others had been fighting non-stop for 4 days and the 53rd Australian Battalion who 18 months before had special training in fighting in such situations was ordered up in support at 3.30am on the fourth day. The plan was that they would relieve the Americans who had suffered severely trying to weed out the German troops from the Canal Tunnel which because of its depth was impervious to shell fire. As the fresh Australians made their way thru the severely diminished lines but as there were few officers about ,they told them they were relieved. The Americans refused to go and went on with the Aussies and finally cleared the tunnel. In fact it was an American who went back for a stretcher bearer when my Dad was wounded. They were pinned down by sniper fire and my father was bleeding heavily. He was picked up about 40 minutes later and when he inquired was told his Yankee "Cobber" was last seen heading back towards the Tunnel. On the spot near where this action was fought, (at the North end of the Tunnel), there stands a simple yet highly impressive memorial to the Americans who lost their lives there. The inscription reads to the effect that the memorial was to the American forces who fought there with the British. It is beautifully kept,(as they all are), and overlooks the fields the Americans had to cross and also Mont St.Quentin from whence the Germans poured an unremitting cross fire. No List of the "lost" soldiers or casualties. just a list of the Actions and a very fitting design. I took pictures and when I get them developed if any one want on I will send. HOWEVER I realised there was something strange about this memorial and it was my friend who spotted it. There was not a single wreath, cross or poppy there. At this time of year these memorials would normally have quite a few such. My friend had a simple 6" cross with a poppy on it which he placed there It then occured to me that maybe 11th November at 11.00am is not remembered in the USA. Is this so? If you ever go to France a trip to these batlefields should be a must. Many still have the trenches and bunkers there and only 2 weeks ago a captured British Tank was unearthed which the germans had captured and buried to use as an underground bunker. Keith Keith Hume, email khume@netcomuk.co.uk CHASE-L Website at:- http://www.surnameweb.org/centers/c/chase/index.html http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~khume/home.html Kent,England Researching:- HULME,DAWSON,(In Lancs.) HUME,McKAY, (In New Brunswick & Nova Scotia SHERMAN,SIMMONS,HATHAWAY AND CHASE,(In USA & Canada) SHERRING & BLUNDEN (Hampshire,England) FALL,(Ireland & Australia) BUTCHER,PAYNE/PAINE,BURCKITT(Bedfordshire,England)