The mass grave in Villeneuve-Loubet, full details

[Chris_Werner]

Jean Loup:
This is hands down one of the most interesting threads I have read. Congratulations on documenting this important history, and answering some important questions for the families of these soldiers.
Chris

[Bill Gaynor]

Hi Jean-Loup,
I have been following your thread back to the begining and it is a great service you do and no one should ever be able to say different. Bless You My Man
I was curious, on the dog tags you had found have you looked into some of the different methods of cleaning that specifically raise letters in heavily rusted metals?
Bill

[Jason G]

Without a doubt, one of the most impressive 'start to finish' threads I've ever seen on here. Well done, sir, Well done!!

[Jean-Loup]

Thanks for the extra comments.
Bill, I am not responsible for the dog tags. They have been sent to Berlin to be analysed; but they were legible without any kind of treatment anyways.
Reidmuller, to clarify things: two skulls were found massively fractured, and two damaged helmets were found buried in the grave on their own. One helmet was hit by two schrapnel fragments, and the other was apparently hit by a .30 cal bullet.
The skull I showed reconstructed corresponds to the schrapnel damaged helmet. You can tell it is schrapnel damage by the irregular shape of the entry hole, and by the presence of a second very small entry hole.
Here is a picture of skull number 4 and his helmet again, with the 2 schrapnel holes highlighted.

[Jean-Loup]

This is the helmet that was apparently hit by a .30 cal bullet, and its corresponding skull: skull number 14, as it was found, and when I tried rebuilding it.
I was unsuccessfull in rebuilding it because several pieces were missing, or accidently mixed with other skulls (and also because I hadn't slept the previous night, and because I got food poisoning by eating oisters); but by elimination, I know this skull and this helmet go together anyways.

[stevezz1]

J.L.
Outstanding work. I can only echo the previous comments, a highly absorbing thread from start to finnish. You are obviously dedicated to your task, very commendable.
As Ade said, it is very easy to go ooh and ahh over a minty visor cap, but to see what is left of those young men and their personal effects make me look at my collection in a different light.
Keep up the good work and best of luck with your book....
Steve.

[Felix]

Most interesting and well done thread! Great research of history!

Keep up the good work!

"Felix" - N. Hansson

[Token]

Your presentation

Absolutely amazing presentation. Keep up the good work and the follow through. Will be watching for your updates. Thank you.

[reidmuller]

Thanks for the extra comments.
Bill, I am not responsible for the dog tags. They have been sent to Berlin to be analysed; but they were legible without any kind of treatment anyways.
Reidmuller, to clarify things: two skulls were found massively fractured, and two helmets were found buried in the grave on their own. One helmet was hit by two schrapnel fragments, and the other was apparently hit by a .30 cal bullet.
The skull I showed reconstructed corresponds to the schrapnel damaged helmet. You can tell it is schrapnel damage by the irregular shape of the entry hole, and by the presence of a second very small entry hole.
Here is a picture of skull number 4 and his helmet again, with the 2 schrapnel holes highlighted.

sorry it was the drawing of the funnel shape on the skull that threw me off allthough i can see it being schrapnel now dident realise it was that strong! looks really clean though the hole not what i expected from schrapnel
Once again nice work and keep us updated

[DANNIE1063]

You're welcome JL,
Like others have said, outstanding work, Very interesting and great attention to detail, well worth my first post.
Thank you.

[Lynton Battrick]

Hi Jean-Loup,
This is a truely exellent thread, one of the best I have seen!!
You dedication, as many have said, is amazing and these Soldiers will be finally laid to rest because of your hard work.
Best regards.Lynton.

[Bcarver]

btt

Do you know how long it may take the war graves people to find and notify next of kin? This thread is so moving that I applaud you for taking the time to find the lost. You may have eased the pain that has lasted for 60 some years for some German family. Gentlemen, a toast for these fallen warriors. May they find their way home to the Fatherland.

[Soldat de Fer]

Hello
Superbe travail d'historien Jean-Loup !!!
I want to see more thread like this one.
Best Regards
Pierre-Yves

[Simon O.]

The latest magazine of the German War Graves Commission arrived yesterday and it includes a small section on the discovery/recovery of these soldiers.

It can be downloaded as a pdf here http://www.volksbund.de/schon_gelesen/stimme_und_weg/

it's on page 28.

[regiment739]

A truly outstanding read and an amazing thread, well done keep up the good work