Well, actually...... I learned a couple of things, although some should have already been clear :-)
- Don't forget your waterbottle and snacks when you go cemetery walking
- Don't dress for a blizzard in a heatwave
- Don't assume you're in the same shape you were at this time last year
Those were the Gimme's, and not why you're here, so let me get to the point.
I went to Henri Chapelle American Cemetery to take pictures of the markers for the Unknown. While there, there was a group of veterans so I tried to stay away from their quiet sermons, while trying to see where/if they left flowers by markers, and after they left, I took pictures of the markers, with the flowers. There's something about seeing flowers on a gravesite that brings home that even though they are long gone, these men are not forgotten, and if I can be a small part in the remembering and honoring their sacrefice, I'm happy to help, so unless there are already pictures with flowers of the markers, I'll be adding them. I haven't figured out how to drag my "office" with me on these trips, so I usually just take my camera and the paper with the information for markers to take pictures of, so there's no checking while there, and I end up erring on the side of caution and just taking the pictures. LOL!
There are 98 markers without a name but "Known only to God" at Henri Chapelle. The things I learned about them are as follows:
The families (as far as their where about were known) were notified when the Soldiers were going to be transferred from the temporary graveyards they had been buried during the war, to their final resting place at the Military Cemeteries. This was the only time, they had the option of bringing their loved one home, or leave them. Sometimes it wasn't much of a choice, as the cost of bringing their loved one home was for the family, but why so many fallen stayed, is not something anybody can say for certain. None of the Unknown, obviously, were brought home, and are cared for by the Military Cemeteries. I believe this is true for all cemeteries, as I received the same information from the office at Margraten.
Even though repatriation of fallen soldiers is no longer an option for those still here, not all markers for the Unknown are marking a gravesite anymore. Thru DPAA, remains are still exhumed for identification. I was told by another cemtery that the soldiers in "unprotected" areas have priority to be brought home, over the fallen interred in National Cemeteries, but as I found out yesterday, that does not hold true and is part of attempts to give everybody that made the ultimate sacrafice a name on their marker. The website has various ways of searching, and there are identifications listed as recent as March of this year.
What was obvious, was also that for everybody that gets that Rosette on a wall of the Missing, chances are an unknown soldier gets brought home....... Or so I optimistically thought. In checking for the x-numbers of those with a rosette, a lot of the recently identified have been found where they fell 80 years ago. (I'll be adding a list under "The Fallen". My understanding is whether the markers will be removed as remains get identified, or they will receive a Rosette like the men on the Wall of the Missing is still being debated. Personally, I hope they just add the Rosette, and leave the markers. It's only fitting to show the progress in bringing the soldiers home.
Since there was no service number to attach to the files, every Unknown Soldier received an X-number. The information attached to this number is being kept by the Army. When they established the permanent Cemetery, they documented everything about the men interred but when they left the cemetery in hands of Battle Monuments, they took all the records with them, (Army property and possible classified information) so all personnel after has been trying to put the records back together. This results in varying degrees of information, because some records are available, some not, and than there's the infamous fire of 1973, wiping out the majority of records.
I asked about the latest entry on the wall of the missing, and how come nobody missed him until recently, and was told that the remains attributed to the soldier were always questioned as to actually belonging to him but the determination was deemed over 90% accurate, so he was buried under the name attributed to him. DNA tests finally answered that question in the negative. So as of about 2 weeks ago, there is a new name on the Wall of the missing.... Robert James Marsh. The missing members of his crew are on the wall in Henri Chapelle, the members that were retrieved are interred in Margraten. The lady in the office could not say why this was.
I can't help but feel for the family of Robert. They had closure for so long, only to be left lost as to the fate of their loved one. My heart hurts for them as their pain comes as a cost to another family finally getting closure. (I will see if I can get the whole story and if it is OK to post it here)
When I asked about the Rosettes on the wall of the Missing, because there seemed to be more than the last time I was there, and had taken pictures, she said that there were still remains found and identified. She also stated that the last burial in Henri Chapelle was of a soldier found in the woods about 20 miles away.... in 2002. Currently the Wall of the Missing sports 75 Rosettes, that means 75 Service Members are now accounted for. (I will ask who the soldier was that was identified)
Since I didn't get "done" I'll be heading back in a couple of days to see about the markers left on the list, and with a(nother) list of questions for the poor sap stuck in the office :-)
I don't know about you, but everytime I think I am finding answers, my brain comes up with an (almost) equal amount of questions. Haven't figured that one out yet, don't think I'm going to try, come to think of it..... Sleeping dogs, and all that. ROFL!!
Talk soon? Don't forget to hugs your loved ones!
March 20, 2025
