PASSCHENDALE WORLD WAR I MUSEUM AND TYNE COT CEMETERY

PASSCHENDAELE WAS A BATTLE IN WORLD WAR 1 THAT WAS FOUGHT IN THE FLANDERS AREA OF BELGIUM.  IT INVOLVED THE BRITISH TROOPS AND THEIR ALLIES AGAINST THE GERMANS.    THE BATTLE WAS FOUGHT FROM JULY 1917 - NOVEMBER 1917.  THE RAIN BEGAN SHORTLY AFTER THE BATTLE BEGAN.  IT WAS THE WORST RAIN IN 30 YEARS.  IT GOT SO BAD THAT EVENTUALLY MEN AND HORSES DROWN IN THE MUD.  THE GERMANS HELD TIGHT ONLY GIVING A FEW METERS IN WEEKS OF FIGHTING.  FINALLY THE BRITS AND THE CANADIANS TOOK PART OF THE VILLAGE OF PASSCHENDAELE.  

BELOW ARE PHOTOS OF THE MUSEUM DEDICATED TO THE BATTLE.

BRRR!   MUST HAVE BEEN COLD BEING IN THE SCOTTISH ARMY

A SAMPLE TRENCH SYSTEM AT THE MUSEUM

VIEW FROM THE TRENCH

NEARBY THE MUSEUM IS THE TYNE COT CEMETERY.    NEARLY 12,000 SOLDIERS ARE BURIED HERE.   MOST ARE UNIDENTIFIED.   BELIEVE IT OR NOT THERE ARE 4 GERMANS BURIED HERE.  

(credit to Thompson Photography/Flickr)

VISITOR'S CENTER

KOEHLER FAMILY REUNION - HEIMERSHEIM, GERMANY

MARK AND I ATTENDED A FAMILY REUNION IN GERMANY THIS PAST WEEKEND.   MY GREAT GRANDFATHER WAS BORN IN HEIMERSHEIM, GERMANY.   HE HAD TWO OLDER BROTHERS, PETER AND JAKOB.   PETER'S DESCENDANTS ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WE MET THIS WEEKEND.  IT WAS A REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE.     THE FIRST FEW PHOTOS ARE OF THE SMALL TOWN OF HEIMERSHEIM.  

I KNOW I'M MISSING SOME NAMES IN THE PHOTOS, IF YOU WERE THERE AND YOU KNOW SOME NAMES, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!  THANKS

THE AMERICAN CONTINGENT

KOEHLER FAMILY REUNION - 2013

THE FOLLOWING THREE PHOTOS ARE THE KOEHLER FAMILY HOMESTEAD IN HEIMERSHEIM, GERMANY.   STILL OWNED BY DESCENDANTS OF PETER KOEHLER.

LINDA KIMMONS BROWN and MARISSA KOEHLER (Hans Peter's wife)

on right - HANS PETER KOEHLER

BOB KOEHLER SR., HIS WIFE PATSY (2nd from right) and HELGA (right)

HANS PETER KOEHLER (from HEIMERSHEIM) AND DERICK BORN (my brother)

IN THE MIDDLE IS HANS PETER KOEHLER FROM HEIMERSHEIM;  ON THE RIGHT IS ULI ALSO FROM GERMANY;   

AN EXCELLENT BOTTLE OF RIESLING - FROM THE MUTH WINERY

SECOND FROM THE RIGHT IS JEFF KIMMONS.  THE OTHERS ARE GERMAN RELATIVES AND I'VE ALREADY FORGOTTEN NAMES!

MARK ROTERMUND and KIRSTEN RHODES (Dori & Pat's Daughter)

BOBBY KOEHLER, KEN (Dori & Pat's son) & JENNY RHODES, AND PAT RHODES (champion family tree chart maker).

GRAPE PRESS FROM 1826;   MUTH WINERY - A WINERY FROM A BRANCH OF PETER KOEHLER'S DESCENDANTS

OUR REUNION HOSTS BOOKED A NIGHT WALK OF ALZEY, GERMANY;   A LARGER TOWN NEARBY.   VERY INTERESTING WALK AND THE GUY WAS QUITE FUNNY.   SPOKE ENGLISH WELL.

ANOTHER OUTING DURING THE REUNION VISIT WAS A BOAT TOUR ALONG THE RHINE.   WE ALSO STOPPED AT A SMALL TOWN CALLED ST. GOAR.  UNFORTUNATELY WE ONLY HAD 45 MINUTES SO NOT ENOUGH TIME TO DO MORE THAN JUST POPPING IN AND OUT OF SHOPS OR MAYBE I SHOULD SAY - JUST ENOUGH TIME FOR A PINT!!

HIGH WATER LINES!!!  HARD TO IMAGINE

OUR NEW FRIEND ON THE BOAT, SNOOKIE

SEE YOU IN THREE YEARS.....IN THE STATES??