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Italy pix from 332nd Infantry vet


GIl Sanow
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I heard recently from the family of SGT August Paulau, Co. G, 332nd Infantry. You may recall that I posted photos of his WW1 wound certificate some time back.

 

Anyhow, they are seeking to identify the locations where several pictures he brought home were taken. I assume all of them were in Italy, or perhaps the Trieste area where the 332nd served on occupation duty.

 

Please post your answer if you are able to help.

 

Many thanx.

 

G

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The graveyard pix above may be where the handful of 332nd KIAs were buried. I do know that Company G and its sister 2nd Bn troops were the only 332nd vets to see serious action. I suspect this is the cemetery where they would have been interred, but there are probably more Italian graves than American.

 

In the 3rd photo -- what is the object on the cart? Is is some sort of mobile mess apparatus? Is it Italian or US?

 

Photo 4 appears to be some sort of Roman colesseum -- perhaps uncovered in an archeological dig. Are the piles near the front perhaps showingits use as an ammo or supply dump? Remember, the Turks used the Parthenon in Athens to store ammo -- much of the damage done to it was from an explosion.)

 

The 5th photo seems to be a Roman style mausoleum with graves in the front. Any ideas where?

 

I would appreciate any help you can give to the Paulau family.

 

G

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Gil, I'll link this on a couple of Italian forums, hopefully someone will be able to answer your questions. If Italy it is, it will be 99% Northern Italy, in the "Triveneto" (North-East) area.

 

Cheers

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I've walked all around Trieste (one of my favorite cities) but don't recognize any of the landmarks. Of course, those were taken 90 years ago and I'm sure it looks a good bit different, particularly in the surrounding areas. I do look forward to seeing if anyone can pin down the positions though!

 

Dave

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It has been ascertained the two "monuments" photos were taken in VERONA. The first depicts its famous "arena"; the second its monumental cemetry.

 

here is the link to a topic on an Italian forum where you can find the evidence posted by user "miramarco" (just scroll up a couple of posts)

Italian "worldwar" forum

 

Not enough info to place the "in the field" photos, but they could be from nearby or the the Treviso area, also in the Veneto region in Italy.

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GREAT -- I can't thank you enough for putting this where the right people can respond. I agree that the other photos will be tough to locate -- the first shot of a cemetery looks like it was temporary -- perhaps it is not even there now.

 

Do we have any idea what the wagon is? I suspect it is some sort of mess boiler -- perhaps even involved in dishwashing/sterilizing.

 

I will pass the reply on to the lady who asked. MANY THANX.

 

G

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Gil, another Italian forum member think the cemetery is in GENOA instead of VERONA

 

Other opinion

 

(scroll up a couple of posts).

 

He points out to some architectural differences. I had noticed the differences, but these may be more recent additions. GENOA is a big port city on the Tyhrrenian coast (WEST), rather far from VERONA, which was in the area the 332nd operated, and were the Arena is definitely located. So I am not sure what to think. I still go for Verona, but that is open to question. You may want to pass this info to the family.

 

Will let you know if anything new comes out.

 

Best wishes and extend our (Italian) greetings to the veteran's family.

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  • 2 weeks later...
RALPH DOERRES

Hello Gil and others,

 

What great photos! It is very nice of SGT August Paulau's family to share them and for you to post them.

 

My father, Ralph Doerres, was 1st SGT of Co. "L" of the 332nd Infantry Regiment. We have a few of his things from that time, and remember some of his stories about WW1 and "Wallace's Circus".

 

 

 

However, we have very few photographs and I am always glad to see any of the 332nd. Since my father died when I was only 11 years old, I have tried to thoroughly research the 332nd to supplement my personal knowledge and to try to understand what things were really like at that time in his life. Now, we are fortunate to live in Europe, as a civilian employee of the US Army, and have become fairly familiar with the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions of northeastern Italy; especially the areas where the 332nd trained and then marched against the Austrians on the Italian Front.

 

Here is my input on the Paulau photos:

 

Cemetery: By the look of the terrain this photo most likely shows a temporary military cemetery near Cormons, where the 332nd camped after the Armistace. Another possibility is that it is near Udine [not far from Cormons] where members of the 332nd who had influenza were treated and several of them died. Both of those locations are in NE Italy.

 

Stacked rifles: This photo appears to have been taken either: during the Regiment’s training near Velaggio sul Mincio; or on one of the long training hikes [“propaganda marches”] in which units of the 332nd marched out of, and around Treviso in various directions with different uniform combinations during October 1918 prior to the offensive drive against the Austrians. The trees look similar to those in other photos that I have seen that were taken of those events and/or at those locations.

 

3 Soldiers with apparatus on wheels: This looks like a hot-water boiler/heater with an attached tank (looks very much like a modern hot-water heater) that could be used for KP. The terrain resembles that around Cormons [NE Italy].

 

Roman Arena: This shows the Arena di Verona (1st century AD Roman arena) in downtown Verona. I have been there many times. The view is looking SE (top of the Palazzo Municipale [City Hall] is in the background). Verona was often visited by the members of the 332nd: it is very near Villafranca, Custoza, Sommacampagna and Velaggio sul Mincio where the Regiment was billeted and trained in August and September, 1918.

 

Mausoleum: This photo shows the Monumental Cemetery at Staglieno (Cimitero di Staglieno) in Genova [Genoa]. One of my father’s souvenirs is a tourist guide book of this cemetery. This cemetery has many striking and remarkable funerary sculptures; it is a much admired and visited tourist stop in Genova. The 332nd was billeted in Genova during the last half February and most of March, 1919 before sailing back to the States.

 

I hope that this is helpful and not too long.

 

Please continue to post anything about the 332nd: I am always eager to learn more about the 332nd and see photos of the Regiment. Please give SGT Paulau's family my best and my contact address.

 

Happy Holidays, Ralph Doerres [Jr]

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  • 2 weeks later...

I think the interchange on Glory's photos has proven why this Forum is as successful as it when people share what they know for the benefit of all.

 

Thanx to all who pitched in.

 

G

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Charlie Flick

Hi Gil:

 

Can't help at all on the geography. I did notice, however, the stacked rifles. They are US Model of 1917 .30 caliber rifles. Of particular interest are the canvas action covers that appear on a couple of the rifles in the center of the photo. Pics showing the action cover in place are not often seen.

 

Regards,

Charlie Flick

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Well, '17's would be correct for the 332nd -- I have a yardlong company photo with all the doughboy's carrying '17's.

 

G

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