I ordered my passport today and will be buying airfare to Amsterdam later this week when I get our itinerary set. I will meet Old Hickory (Marion Sanford) there and then we will travel to Limburg for the liberation celebrations in South Holland. Our planned arrival is around 11/12 September, where Mr. Marion will participate in the celebration in Maastricht, Heerlen and other cities in the province. I should be there until around 20/21 September. Mr. Marion will be staying until probably the 24th. We are also going to visit Malmedy, Tournai and Normandy. I should know more later.
If you're on Facebook, the following link will put you in touch with a circle of Belgians intensely interested in the battle of the Ardennes. Good people to know in that area. https://www.facebook.com/groups/393409870805887/
Nice to see that there are also people all the way from America coming to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the liberation of the Southern part of the Netherlands. If you want to know more on the various celebrations and other events just send me a pm. A part of my (2nd AD and 30th ID) collection will be on display in Maastricht on the 13th and 14th of September.
Jeff, That sounds like a wonderful tour. Maastricht is a lovely city and glad you are starting in the Netherlands. I agree with all the emphasis on D-Day, well deserved, but the Netherlands and Belgium are, to me , equally interesting. My recollection of Malmedy is that of a normal and nice little town, Bastogne is not far . What an honor to travel with Mr. Sanford. Gaines
That's great, Jeff. I'm especially happy for Mr. Sanford. It should be an incredible trip for both of you.
Sounds great Jeff, you are both very welcome to our country ! I am sure we will meet somewhere in Heerlen or Maastricht.
Let me know if you want some recommendations on interesting places to visit whilst you are in Normandy. There is a lot more to see than just the beaches!
I hope you're renting a car. It shouldn't be difficult to retrace some of Old Hickory's path through Belgium and southern Holland to the Siegfried line, with a detour through La Glieze, Stoumont, Stavelot, St. Vith. If I was going, I'd be in the back seat sucking down Belgian ales and whining "Are we at the Ambleve river yet?" Then in Normandy through St. Lo and on to Mortain and St. Barthelemy. The main street in Mortain has been renamed Rue de la 30eme Division.
Interesting that you should mention this. We will be the guests of at least two locals who have a vehicle. We (including me) will be doing a lot of driving. We have a tentative schedule that includes a LOT of the 30th's path. We will be visiting locations that are dear to Mr. Marion, such as the crossroads near Torunai where a good friend was killed. I have found what I think is the location where they bought the Belgian restaurant that night or two after they captured the German money. From the unit AARs, I have also found some other locations around Normandy and Mortain where I know the 30th Recon was. We will be visiting Margarten, Henri-Chapelle and Colleville-sur-Mer Cemeteries. He also will be participating in the ceremonies in some of Dutch cities. He is going to be one tired old soldier when we are done.
I am working on them. I go tonight to get Mrs. Peggy's and combine them with mine. She has photos I do not. Things settle down around here after this weekend and I will have more time.
Jeff, what a wonderful thing you are doing, to help a veteran relive the places he lived and fought, to be able to share moments with him and for you to see the things that you have studied for so long. Also to share time, photos , meals, trips with locals brings insights gained in no other way. We look forward to your safe return and many post that will follow. This needs to be archived in some manner. Ruud , Skipper are many others live in the middle of many discussions but for most of us a true area visit is a treasured event. To be able to do so with Mr. Samford is beyond that. We thank Mr. Samford for his service and you for making this happen. Gaines
Gaines, Jeff has recently returned safe from his trip. He"ll come back here soon with some pictures and some juicy stories too.
Skipper, sorry, he lives 50K from me ! I just had a knee replacement and been a bit out of touch, haven't keep up here as well as I would have liked. I ask for cognac or Armagnac but they insisted on prescription pain killers ! What do doctors know !!! LOL Gaines
Here is a photo I took during the memorial ceremony in Maastricht on 14 September 2014. At the last moment also a few airborne veterans joined the memorial ceremony, which was really nice to see. At this point the Americans crossed the Meuse river on 14 September 1944 and liberating Maastricht.
We did not always stay with the "official" group. That day, we went to Margraten, Henri-Chapelle and Aachen.
