andrew pugh Posted 10 October , 2008 Share Posted 10 October , 2008 Good Evening All. Could anybody tell me if there are any memorials in the form of a statue of a Doughboy for the American soldiers who served and did their bit? as I dont think I have ever come across one on my visits to the Western Front or have I missed one.Look forward to some replies. Regards Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutchbarge Posted 11 October , 2008 Share Posted 11 October , 2008 Good Evening All. Could anybody tell me if there are any memorials in the form of a statue of a Doughboy for the American soldiers who served and did their bit? as I dont think I have ever come across one on my visits to the Western Front or have I missed one.Look forward to some replies. Regards Andy If memory serves there's a stone sculpture of an American officer in field uniform at the St. Mihiel American Cemetary. Can't think of any others on the WF. Most of our monuments are very stylized (eagle, angles etc.) or instructional (mosaic or carved campaign maps). I recall a bronze bas relief of a stripped to the waist Marine at Bellau Woods which appeared very post war, possibly post WW2. Also have mental images of doughboys carved in bas relief at a few American cemetaries. State side we have quite a few of what you might describe as the 'Flers' style bronze statues in front of courthouses, etc. and Pershings hidden in the foliage of a few public parks. Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew pugh Posted 11 October , 2008 Author Share Posted 11 October , 2008 Hi Bill Thanks for that information,Its a shame that there arent any statues similar to the ones scattered over the Western Front of British and Commonwealth soldiers.I really think your Goverment,or the department that deals with with historical memorial affairs let them boys down by not doing what we did after the war to remember our soldiers, because they fought just as hard as the British and her allies in the last year of the Gt War. Best Regards Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mick Klauer Posted 11 October , 2008 Share Posted 11 October , 2008 is the French/American memorial (depicting a Doughboy shaking hands with a Poilu) at Thiaucourt still there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutchbarge Posted 13 October , 2008 Share Posted 13 October , 2008 Hi Bill Thanks for that information,Its a shame that there arent any statues similar to the ones scattered over the Western Front of British and Commonwealth soldiers.I really think your Goverment,or the department that deals with with historical memorial affairs let them boys down by not doing what we did after the war to remember our soldiers, because they fought just as hard as the British and her allies in the last year of the Gt War. Best Regards Andy The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) WW1 commemorative program consisted of eight permanent American military burial grounds on foreign soil (Brookwood (UK), Flanders Field, Somme, Aisne Marne, Oise Aisne, Meuse Argonne, St. Mihiel and Sursnes), eleven seperate monuments (Audenarde (Belgium), Cantigny, Kemmel, Bellicourt,Chateau Thierry, Sommepy, Tours, Montfaucon, Montsec, Naval monuments at Gibraltar and Brest) and two tablets (Chaumont HDQ AEF and Souilly HDQ First Army). In addition several states erected monuments to their men, as well as a few lesser memorials to individuals (Quentin Roosevelt's watering trough comes to mind). The monuments are there and are very substaintial. Each cemetary has its own non sectarian chapel and visitor's center (usually staffed). Most of them are outside the areas generally visited by those from the UK so it may seem the Yanks have been forgotten, but it is not really the case. I've been to all of them and they are still kept in wonderful shape. Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 13 October , 2008 Share Posted 13 October , 2008 There are quite a lot of statues in this general form in the US, as might be expected. (I assume you were asking about Europe but....) Probably the best known example is at "Soldier Field" in Chicago: "The Spirit of The American Doughboy" which protrays a doughboy, rifle in hand, in the act of hurling a grenade. The sculptor was "E.M. VIQUESNEY" and this was a commercially produced design. After the war there was quite an industry producing these - large scale for towns, slightly smaller for individual graves (a relatively high proportion of US casualties were repatriated @ 60% I believe and you can sometimes find fairly impressive statues of doughboys (usually cast in concrete or some such) on individual graves.) They also made lampshades in the same pose (with the grenade replaced by the light fitting) - I passed one up a couple of years ago and have been looking for one since.... THIS SITE has a list of the known locations and there is a sister site about the lamps.... Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Hederer Posted 13 October , 2008 Share Posted 13 October , 2008 The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) WW1 commemorative program consisted of eight permanent American military burial grounds on foreign soil (Brookwood (UK), Flanders Field, Somme, Aisne Marne, Oise Aisne, Meuse Argonne, St. Mihiel and Sursnes), eleven seperate monuments (Audenarde (Belgium), Cantigny, Kemmel, Bellicourt,Chateau Thierry, Sommepy, Tours, Montfaucon, Montsec, Naval monuments at Gibraltar and Brest) and two tablets (Chaumont HDQ AEF and Souilly HDQ First Army). In addition several states erected monuments to their men, as well as a few lesser memorials to individuals (Quentin Roosevelt's watering trough comes to mind). The monuments are there and are very substaintial. Each cemetary has its own non sectarian chapel and visitor's center (usually staffed). Most of them are outside the areas generally visited by those from the UK so it may seem the Yanks have been forgotten, but it is not really the case. I've been to all of them and they are still kept in wonderful shape. Cheers, Bill Bill, I was at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetary yesterday. With the fall trees gold, yellow and red, the glorious sunshine, and the immaculate grounds, it was a evocative and emotional experience. I was glad to see there were many people there. Three bus loads unloaded just while we were visiting. The cemetary is one of the most beautifully kept bits of ground I have ever seen in my life. Really brought a lump to my throat to see how well everything is tended and that our guys are not forgotten. When I get some time I'll post the pictures to my website. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutchbarge Posted 14 October , 2008 Share Posted 14 October , 2008 Bill, I was at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetary yesterday. With the fall trees gold, yellow and red, the glorious sunshine, and the immaculate grounds, it was a evocative and emotional experience. I was glad to see there were many people there. Three bus loads unloaded just while we were visiting. The cemetary is one of the most beautifully kept bits of ground I have ever seen in my life. Really brought a lump to my throat to see how well everything is tended and that our guys are not forgotten. When I get some time I'll post the pictures to my website. Paul Good to hear from you Paul. I truly wish I could have been there with you. The US staff and French employees really do an outstanding job. I'd love to see your photos. It never fails to stir me when I visit our fallen brothers. It transcends all politics and cynicism and is good for the soul. I imagine you also visited the Montfaucon Monument? The view from the top on such a fine day must have been incredible! Cheers, BIll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Hederer Posted 14 October , 2008 Share Posted 14 October , 2008 Good to hear from you Paul. I truly wish I could have been there with you. The US staff and French employees really do an outstanding job. I'd love to see your photos. It never fails to stir me when I visit our fallen brothers. It transcends all politics and cynicism and is good for the soul. I imagine you also visited the Montfaucon Monument? The view from the top on such a fine day must have been incredible! Cheers, BIll Bill, Yes, we were at Montfaucon as well. I'd never been there before, and it was quite an impressive location and memorial. We also passed by St. Avold on the way home. The view from above when you can see all the crosses is sombre and really brings home the cost of war in a very visual way. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fuller Posted 14 October , 2008 Share Posted 14 October , 2008 The American cemetery & memorial outside Cambridge has statues of every arm of the service represented. All WW2 graves as far as I know so cannot say for sure whetehr the statues are from WW1 or 2? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Hederer Posted 14 October , 2008 Share Posted 14 October , 2008 The American cemetery & memorial outside Cambridge has statues of every arm of the service represented. All WW2 graves as far as I know so cannot say for sure whetehr the statues are from WW1 or 2? Steve, The statues at Madingley depict WWII combatants. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutchbarge Posted 15 October , 2008 Share Posted 15 October , 2008 The American cemetery & memorial outside Cambridge has statues of every arm of the service represented. All WW2 graves as far as I know so cannot say for sure whetehr the statues are from WW1 or 2? Hello Steve, Is the alumimum bench (made from B 17 remnants) still there? Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish-American Posted 7 February , 2009 Share Posted 7 February , 2009 Not a statue--as you can see--but, still, a vivid depiction of an American Marine at Belleau Wood: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish-American Posted 7 February , 2009 Share Posted 7 February , 2009 And, of course, there is the Franco-American Friendship Memorial, dedicated June 1923, in Chaumont, France: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
healdav Posted 31 July , 2009 Share Posted 31 July , 2009 I've just come across this thread by accident. The statue outside Thiaucourt church is definitely still there. If anyone wants a photo I shall be there tomorrow. The plaques at the base show scenes that were from photos taken just down the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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