❚ Explore an abandoned Chinese village now engulfed by nature,
Chateau Thierry and Belleau Wood are names unfamiliar to most Americans. Fewer have heard of La Croix Rouge Farm. A century ago brave young men fought and died in those locations. I’ve always been fascinated by history, and last spring I decided to learn more about the First World War.
I started at London’s Imperial War Museum, browsing the Great War section and especially the
American exhibit. From London I took the Chunnel train to Paris and visited the quiet church of St.-Gervais-et-St.Protais. On Good Friday 1918, German long-range artillery collapsed the roof, killing 91 parishioners. Photographs along the walls show the destruction and lengthy renovation.
I rented a car and drove to the Musee de la Grande Guerre in Meaux. The new museum has an extensive collection, with a special exhibit devoted to the American Expeditionary Forces. I then drove to Fere-en-Tardenois, my base for the next week.
My first day trip was to Belleau Wood, the famous U.S. Marines battlefield. The monuments are well-marked, and the Marines’ advance can be replicated by automobile. Near the battlefield is the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, a sobering reminder of the bravery of these young Americans.
The second day, I met a local guide who traced with me the route of the Rainbow Division from La Croix Rouge Farm northeast to the Battle of the Ourcq. Prior to our trip, we stopped at the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery, where poet Joyce Kilmer is buried. I spent an informative hour with Bert Caloud, the superintendent. His knowledge of the war is encyclopedic, and he’s happy to speak to American visitors.
On my final day, I visited the American monument at Chateau-Thierry. In 1918, the Third Division, only recently having arrived in France, was asked to stop the German spring offensive, then less than 60 miles from Paris. The men fought bravely, the division earning the nickname “Rock of the Marne.”
I highly recommend this tour for anyone wishing to learn more about America’s contributions in WWI. A visit to any of the sites makes a rewarding day trip from Paris. Fere-en-Tardenois is a gateway to the Champagne region, and most Americans come to tour the wineries. Even a wine tourist should make a short drive to one of the American cemeteries or battlefields, if only to thank those who gave all a century ago.