The Rooster Posted February 12, 2019 Share #1 Posted February 12, 2019 This is a photo of the front gate to American cemetary # 86 somewhere in France shortly ofter the Armistice. There were many like it ( well at least 86 of them ) But I am guessing many more......... before they were all consolidated in the 1920's. I think the photographer took it because it was # 86. The small type on sign at top Reads American Expeditionary Forces the small signs to left and right of gate read.. Keep of the grass. Photo by Paul.A.Ruhe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
268th C.A. Posted February 13, 2019 Share #2 Posted February 13, 2019 Googled around I guess they were numbered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinO Posted February 13, 2019 Share #3 Posted February 13, 2019 Coincidentally, I was just (a moment ago) researching a KIA fellow and was looking for his temporary cemetery (his plot isn't indexed unfortunately, he's currently in the M-A Cemetery though). Per NARA, Cemetery #86 was located at Mesves, Nievre, France (which is SSE of Paris right on the Loire River). There are 1,637 numbered temporary AEF Cemeteries (many are letter sequenced after the numbers, and some only had one AEF burial). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rooster Posted February 13, 2019 Author Share #4 Posted February 13, 2019 Thank you for that info!!! I always wondered where it was in France. I think I found it on google earth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rooster Posted February 13, 2019 Author Share #5 Posted February 13, 2019 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rooster Posted February 13, 2019 Author Share #6 Posted February 13, 2019 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rooster Posted February 13, 2019 Author Share #7 Posted February 13, 2019 3 Same stone work. I believe this is the same spot. Dont know if it was built for and by the AEF and repurposed after the war or what? Thats as close as you can get to the front gate on google earth. but it looks like the same place. Thank you for finding its location. This forum and its members like you are fantastic!!! Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinO Posted February 13, 2019 Share #8 Posted February 13, 2019 Possible, but it could also just be the commune's regular cemetery - they would have had one too. I think the only way to be sure would be to pull the cemetery plans from College Park: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/642000 Mesves had 9 different Base and Unit Hospitals called "Mesves Hospital Center" located between Mesves and Bulcy (right off the rail line, with about 20 thousand beds combined), so only makes sense that they would have a fairly large cemetery nearby (by March of 1919 there were 650 total burials in #86). I honestly think that this may be the remains of #86's walls: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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