I’m about to head to France/Belgium to research a tour for this spring with the Great War Group, and it reminded me that when I was trawling the endless rabbit holes on digital offer from the French national library, I had saved a gem that I want to write about today.
Very Interesting read! Made me think of my own experience with Civil War Battlefields, you need o take your time to get the full experience and not rush through it in a few hours.
Really enjoyed the article, it would be interesting to see who the guides on site were, at a guess ex-commissioned Officers would have been these preferred choice, maybe even some IWGC Gardeners making a few Franc's on the side?
I was surprised Teddy didn't repatriate Quentin along with the other 45000+ American casualties at the end of the War, then I checked his date of Death 6th January 1919, so didn't get the chance, I'd have thought his Widow would have done it having lost her Husband so recently, i wonder if she recorded her reason for leaving him in France?
I wondered that when I was writing it, where the lecturers came from. Wondered if they’d have made a point of bragging about the fact they had ex servicemen in the literature if that was the case.
I wondered if it was expressly so they could have Ted and Quentin together…
It would've made sense for Quentin to be repatriated and buried with his Father, (spitballing here for our transatlantic friends) unless prior to his own death, as an ex-President and a bereaved Father, Teddy had been involved in talks about repatriation and made it clear he wanted Quentin to remain with his comrades, his Widow then honoured his wishes?
What an interesting article - Thomas Cooke was from Leicester! He has a statue outside the railway station! & his first HQ building is preserved it has a facade covered in terracotta tiles! I’ll drop you an email for fyi porpoises 🐬 😂… travelling to visit the Western front less than 10 years from the end of hostilities! Seems a bit inappropriate, but when is an appropriate length of time!? … really thought provoking! …. I recall an article you had written AC about how remembrance had changed over time Good reads 🙏✅
We visited Ypres and the Somme in 2015 with several of the original Michelin guides in hand, it really brought home the devastation.
Thanks for this so interesting article...👏👏👏👏👏
Very Interesting read! Made me think of my own experience with Civil War Battlefields, you need o take your time to get the full experience and not rush through it in a few hours.
Fantastic article
Very much enjoyed this!
1st of all have a productive trip.
Really enjoyed the article, it would be interesting to see who the guides on site were, at a guess ex-commissioned Officers would have been these preferred choice, maybe even some IWGC Gardeners making a few Franc's on the side?
I was surprised Teddy didn't repatriate Quentin along with the other 45000+ American casualties at the end of the War, then I checked his date of Death 6th January 1919, so didn't get the chance, I'd have thought his Widow would have done it having lost her Husband so recently, i wonder if she recorded her reason for leaving him in France?
xx
I wondered that when I was writing it, where the lecturers came from. Wondered if they’d have made a point of bragging about the fact they had ex servicemen in the literature if that was the case.
I wondered if it was expressly so they could have Ted and Quentin together…
But Brother Ted didn't die until 1944 Alex!
It would've made sense for Quentin to be repatriated and buried with his Father, (spitballing here for our transatlantic friends) unless prior to his own death, as an ex-President and a bereaved Father, Teddy had been involved in talks about repatriation and made it clear he wanted Quentin to remain with his comrades, his Widow then honoured his wishes?
Maybe someone knows the answer?
What an interesting article - Thomas Cooke was from Leicester! He has a statue outside the railway station! & his first HQ building is preserved it has a facade covered in terracotta tiles! I’ll drop you an email for fyi porpoises 🐬 😂… travelling to visit the Western front less than 10 years from the end of hostilities! Seems a bit inappropriate, but when is an appropriate length of time!? … really thought provoking! …. I recall an article you had written AC about how remembrance had changed over time Good reads 🙏✅