Marion, I just got this e-mail this am from Sgt. Kyle Thomas, stationed in Germany. His uncle was in the 34th so he wrote me, got my e-mail address from someone at the last reunion, so we have been keeping in touch. Thought you might like to read this. Very interesting. The pics are of a ghost town. If you want to share it it's OK. Rocky ...
How are things going? I have sure been busy so far this summer. My parents came for a visit a couple weeks ago and we were all over Germany. I took them to Bavaria and we visited the Eagles Nest. I also took them to Bastogne. We stayed pretty busy. I sent you the book on the 34th to take to the reunion in September. I really appreciate you doing this for me. And maybe someone will remember my uncle. I put some pictures of him inside the front cover. A couple of friends and I made a combat trip a week ago to southern France to a village called Oradour Sur Glane. The village was surrounded by two SS divisions on 10 June 1944 and all its residents rounded up into the town square. All the woman and children were locked up in the church and the men were locked up in different barns. At 4pm the SS were ordered to destroy the village and its people. They were all gunned down and then the town set on fire. The entire town was destroyed and 642 men, women, and children were killed. The village was never rebuilt and sits as it was in 1944. It was an ire feeling walking down the streets. It is a walking memorial to all who were murdered. Attached are a few pictures. Hope all is well! Take care Roque.
Kyle
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"
Oradour Sur Glane was shown in the very first episode of the famous series The World At War, which opens with the narrative "One day...the soldiers came". The SS did this supposedly in retaliation for several German soldiers being killed by Partizans. In any case it has stood for over 60 years now as a "Ghost town" and a sad reminder of Nazi brutality in WWII.
You are a veritable fountain of information. Next time I watch the first in the series, I will play close attention.
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"
Just a footnote..... only the men were shot. The women and children were herded into the church... after that, grenades were tossed through the windows and the church was then set on fire. Don't know that I could ever muster up any forgiveness for that...even after 60 or 100 years.
Dogdaddy is partially right. They did throw in grenades but as they tried to escape they were shot. The Germans had machine guns outside all windows and doors and shot them as they tried to escape. Two children were found after the fire in the church covered in bullet holes. Hope that clears it all up.
Thanks for jumping in Kyle with clariifications for all our readers, but no matter the method of death or the circumstances, it was gruesome and sickening nonetheless.
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"
Dogdaddy gets ALL his information second hand, from books and documentary films, and does not claim to be an authority on anything, no do I view the sharing of information here as being competitive, so if somebody has first-hand knowledge of an historical event I am always happy to learn more.
I love your attitude. You are tops in my book my friend!
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"
Next time I watch the first in the series, I will play close attention.
