Knee Deep Into History Battlefield Tours

09/23/2024

The story of 1st (Polish) Independent Parachute Brigade in and around Driel is one of the tragedies of Operation Market-Garden. Luckily, the story of this unit is told at Informatiecentrum De Polen Van Driel at the Maria Geboorte Kerk (Church) in Driel, Holland.

https://www.driel-polen.nl/en/informatiecentrum/

Again, atmosphere was provided by uniformed reenactors.

To be clear, the photo of the Polish graves was taken at Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, not at the church in Driel.

09/23/2024

We made a short stop at the Airborne Museum Hartenstein in Oosterbeek, Holland, which became Maj. Gen. Roy Urquhart's headquarters during Market-Garden. Again, atmosphere was provided by aircraft flying overhead and, at this location, pensioners from the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, London.

This hotel, like almost all of the "Oosterbeek Perimeter" was obliterated during the harsh fighting in Market-Garden.

09/23/2024

The Waal River crossing made by the 82nd Airborne Division on 20 September 1944 to capture the Nijmegen Bridge is just one of the many Market-Garden sites our private tour visited during its first two days.

We didn't attend any of the official ceremonies--because of time constraints. Nevertheless, military aircraft flying overhead, reenactors and military vehicles added to the atmosphere.

09/17/2024

Monday morning--the day after the official ceremony--we returned to the new grave for a quiet moment of reflection with Hamilton Coolidge.

Tour participants included representatives from the World War One Historical Association, the League of WW1 Aviation Historians and the Fight in the Skies Society.

We laid a small spray of flowers as a group and then each individual had the opportunity to lay a flower or two. No fanfare, like the day before; just a chance to pay our respects in a more private setting.

09/17/2024

New experiences and discoveries make this job great! Often, they come when one has to pivot from the same old plan for some reason. This happened to us last week on the Hamilton Coolidge Reburial Tour.

I didn't book a table at our hotel, the Best Western in Chateau-Thierry, because I didn't expect there to be a problem mid-week in September. However, they had a tour group that night. So... what to do for dinner?

I and my clients looked at options and we agreed to try "La Cave 204." It was situated at 19 rue Quentin Roosevelt and at the base of Hill 204, where the American Memorial is situated. With these two facts and good ratings, how could we not try it?!

It was a bit difficult to find, because it is situated in a residential area with narrow streets and tight parking. Nevertheless, it was a wonderful experience: The French cuisine and Swiss raclette was great. The ambiance was cozy, as it was situated in a potato cellar. The father, Richard, serenaded us with his saxophone. Our guy, Carl, played a little base too.

All in all, it was a memorable location that we would not have tried, if our "go to" restaurant had been open. Sometimes it's good to break out of the mold and try something new!

09/17/2024

The climax of the Hamilton Coolidge Aviation Reburial Tour was the reburial ceremony of Captain Hamilton Coolidge, 94th Aero Squadron on 15 September 2024. It was beautifully organized by the Mayor of the Village of Chevieres, the Family, the US Air Force and more volunteers and participants than I can name here.

The reason for the reburial was simple: Aire River erosion. In the early 1920s his parents purchased a portion of the field in which he fell on Oct. 27, 1918. Hamilton was buried in that field, but over the next 100+ years, the river edged closer and closer to the burial site, requiring action.

It was his mother's wish that he should be buried where he fell, in the tradition of early aviators. It was also her wish that the family and the town be forever intertwined. The new burial site is situated just outside the town cemetery. Back in the 1920s a fund was established to look after the grave and to maintain that relationship. For example, generations of village children received annual Christmas presents from the Coolidge Family.

Thus, more than 20 family members, most of the community, and representatives from today's 94th Fighter Squadron and Air Force officials in Europe attended the reburial ceremony, as well as scores of interested locals and history buffs.

The day began with his remains resting in state in the town church. After a short service outside the church, his body was moved via a WW1 wagon to the new burial site, with family members, military, dignitaries and everyone else joining in the procession during which a replica Nieuport 28 flew overhead. Following a second short service graveside, he was reburied with pieces of his aircraft and a flyover of American and French aircraft performed the missing man foundation. The day's events ended with a traditional French vin d'honneur. A beautiful ceremony and a chance to again remember and reflect on French-American amity--even in today's uncertain world. (The French weather cooperated too!)

The photos below show some of the beauty of the day.

Beginning in 2017 I have taken many clients to see his burial spot and I became acquainted with one of the family members when I lived in New Jersey. But this ceremony and all the related activities brought Hamilton to life for me.

09/17/2024

At the conclusion of the Hamilton Coolidge Reburial Tour three of us wandered into Paris to enjoy French 75s and other drinks at Harry's New York Bar; a famous hangout for American expats of all stripes before, during and after the war. After I few more French 75s, who knows what ghosts one might see there?!

By the way, Knee Deep Into History has put together a guide to WW1 American Expeditionary Forces sites in Paris. Contact me to receive a free copy.

09/09/2024

Enjoying a beautiful September day along the Meuse River in Verdun and trying a local beer. Amara is brewed in Vigneulles-les-Hattonchâtel.

For those really interested, here's a link to their website: https://brasserie-amara.fr/

I'm not a beer expert, so I will leave it to others to judge the quality. However, I do enjoy sampling and learning about local products while on tours.

09/06/2024

Off to Europe for the Fall 2024 tour season!

08/30/2024

Here is a blog about touring Normandy written by one of the other Slow Travel Tours operators. I hope you enjoy the read!

Normandy is a special place of remembrance, commemoration, and celebration… but offers much more beyond the D-Day sites.

07/27/2024

Come on out to the WW2 American Experience Museum's Military Weekend. See armor, vehicles, veterans, reenactors and, of course, Knee Deep Into History!

07/26/2024

KDIH needs a new vehicle. Which one should it be? My wife will love this post.

07/26/2024

Set up at the WW2 American Experience Museum in Gettysburg this weekend. Come on out. Stop in and say hello, and let's talk battlefield tours.

07/04/2024

06/21/2024

Any Italian FB friends able to help out? A friend wants to visit the Bari War Cemetery in Italy. Please respond to me, and I can give you contact information.

I have what might be an odd request for you, but you are the only person I know who might be able to find someone to help with this. And you know me with my odd requests. So, there is a CWGC cemetery here in Bari, called the Bari War Cemetery, that I would like to visit. Bari War Cemetery | Cemetery Details | CWGC.

It's a bit out of town, so no public transit to get there. I've asked my very good apartment agent if he knows of anyone here that might be able to drive me there and give a little history. It is a combination of WWI and WW2 graves, with some being Italian soldiers buried there amongst the British soldiers. His best idea as of now is just to use a taxi service to take me there for an hour or so and come back to town. I'm in Barivecchia (old Bari), so a little bit longer drive than if I were in new Bari (the Mussolini era part of the city).

Do you have any contacts that might know of someone in this area that I could pay for a half day, or even less, to visit this cemetery? I am leaving Bari on Tuesday, June 25, so it is a small window of time to get this visit done.

You are the only person I could think of that might have some way of making contact with someone who knows a local here.

06/17/2024

At FRA getting ready to fly home. Always bittersweet. Had a great five weeks in Europe: Three tours--including the first tour with my son, Graham, and one in German, a documentary filming, a week in Normandy for the 80th commemoration and visits with long-time friends. Crazy crowds, but a great experience with lots of great people!!!

I always think of Neil Diamond's Song "I am... I said" when departing. Not because I feel lonely inside. Rather, his comments about living in two worlds--for me the U.S. and Europe. Also, I really do feel like the frog who became a king, when I get a chance to bring history to life for tour participants! Here's a link to the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxDyXK93o6g

06/17/2024

This is a record for me! Almost 10,000km/6000mi driven--NOT including the Third Reich Underground Tour in mid-May). That's an average of 320km/190mi per day.

I'm now convinced that I have driven more than 160,000km/100,000mi in Europe over the years.

06/16/2024

Leave them speechless! I just finished a two day Normandy tour (in German language) sponsored by the German Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (Foundation.) It involved nine French and German university students and staff.

Our second to last stop was the German Widerstandsnest 62 atop Omaha Beach. We discussed the myth/exaggeration of machine gunner Hein Severloh. I then read German translations of the Medal of Honor citations for the three 1st Division soldiers who were recipients for their actions on 6 June. There was an eerie silence as each participant paused to picture what it must have been like that day.

06/08/2024

Our stay at the gite (vacation cottage) la Ferme de Camprond in Normandy comes to an end today. This is the first time that I rented a large gite during a major commemoration and offered rooms to early supporters of KDIH and their friends. I have been so pleased with the outcome. Everyone got along well, pitched in with regard to dinners and kept the place clean. Thank you all!

06/07/2024

WOW! Laurie and I finally visited the Standing with Giants display at the British Normandy Memorial on Gold Beach. The display features 1,475 silhouettes of Commonwealth soldiers, sailors and airmen and another 50 resistance fighters who lost their lives on 6 June. It is a very visual and moving reminder of the human side of war!

If you're in the area, go see it.

06/07/2024

Arromanches, France, site of Mulberry Harbor B, one of two artificially-created harbors manufactured in the UK, transported in pieces across the Channel, and put into place shortly after the landings. As no operational French harbors had yet been liberated, it was intended that they would help with the landing of additional troops and the tons of supplies needed to maintain the offensive.
In mid-June a storm destroyed the American Mulberry and badly damaged this one. Amazing that 80 years later so much remains of the breakwater and the landing bridges.

Of course, there were plenty of period vehicles on the beach when we visited a few days ago too!

06/06/2024

Pegasus Bridge Commemoration (5 June)--Take 2. A handful of photos taken at yesterday's commemoration.

06/06/2024

Pegasus Bridge Commemoration (5 June) in Normandy, France--Take 1. What an opportunity to be close to the WW2 veterans and to see the smiles on their faces as participants thanked them for and asked them about their service. A grateful world truly does remember.