Today we head out from Les Islettes and our first stop is in Clermont en Argonne looking for gasoline. None to be found ... strike. We ascend the stairs at the Eglise and enter to sanctuary to the strains of an organ. The view from this high is quite spectacular. The associated picture is that of red rooftops.
We head out towards the north and the village of Vauquois, the lost city. If you visit the associated website you will learn the magnitude of explosives that the Germans used to obliterate this village ... http://www.worldwar1.com/france/vacquois.htm . The Germans were all prepared to stay the course. The fighting was a standoff. The Germans had a lot of comforts of home. Some bunkers even had pianos. Until the US got involved, the Germans and French had been entrenched for three years. Small raids but stay the course. When Pershing arrived, his strategy was to keep moving. Move the troops and don't stop long.
The next stop today was in Romagne and the largest military cemetery in Europe. John met Mr Rivers, the superintendant, and even received a medal of the Sgt York memorial that had only recently been constructed. I only wish I had taken a picture of John and Mr Rivers. I believe that Mr Rivers was quite impressed with the knowledge that John had amassed. He later found us visiting another part of the cemetary and presented John with a dog tag that had been part of the cemetery collection. I believe John may be trying to put that information together to see that it gets to a rightful decendant.
Onward and forward. Keep the trrops moving. We land in Dun sur Meuse for lunch. We tour the churchyard and cemetary. Then we head out for the Heights of Barricourt. On the way we visit a church from the 11th century. Beautiful. Soon we arrive at the spot where Martin was when the Armistice was signed. The three travellers can be seen raising a glass in celebration of the signing of the peace.
Later in the evening we return to the Cheval Blanc for a lovely dinner. It's a good place to go. But not before our B&B hostess has us in her parlor for hors d'ouevres with champagne. Olives, cheese, biscuits that "drink" the champagne and other assorted wonderful things to prepare us for dinner. She is most charming and we enjoy talking with her. At the Cheval Blanc Marlene and I have the same dinners as two nights ago ... except I have what she had and she has what I had. One was pasta primavera and pasta Bolognese. A demi pichet of red wine and a good salad.
"Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid."
— Frederick Buechner
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