Hello from Belgium

[honkabe]

1. My name in patrick and I used the member-name of "honkabe" because it means nothing and is not known on any forum.
2. I am 61 years old and I spent a great time of my childhood in the Belgian Ardennes where I was told by my parents and the family around about the Battle of the Bulge. Since that time, I have allways been interested in those great events which changed our lifes. I red a lot of books about the Ardennes conflict and the Normandy Battlefields.I have visited several times thoses places because they are not far from my city.
3. You now know that I am belgian.
4. Belgium knew great battles in WWI and WWII. And also before ! Many american cemeteris are located in my country and I have visited all of them many times. I feel so grateful for those young boys who suffered and/or died to liberate Europe and I feel so sad when I read their names on the graves. We have to know and remember the sufferings which they knew.
5. As I am retired, I have plenty of time now to deepen their history and to try to know more and better who they were. So, I visit a lot of historic sites and I read well documented books about WWII.
6. Pacific war is interesting me also but only through books or movies.
7. I am frenchspeaking and I do my best to explain my goals in english. It is easier to read than to write or talk. But, during my journeys in the US, I managed not too badly.I hope you will be comprehensive.

Thank you for this and also for the quality of this forum.

Patrick (honkabe)

[jemimas_special2]

Patrick,

Great introduction!, and welclome to our home. You will love it here, so get involved and have fun

Mark

[PzJgr]

Howdy Patrick and welcome to the forum. Glad to have you with us. Happy posting.

[Skipper]

Welcome to this fine forum and enjoy your stay with us

[honkabe]

Originally Posted by PzJgr

Howdy Patrick and welcome to the forum. Glad to have you with us. Happy posting.

Thanks for welcoming
Patrick

[playeru]

Welcome. You are from Belgium, do you also speak Flemish?

[honkabe]

Originally Posted by playeru

Welcome. You are from Belgium, do you also speak Flemish?

I learned it at school but do not practice enough. Anyway, I can ask for my way in the case..................

[dgmitchell]

Patrick -- Welcome to this fine place! I am sure you will enjoy your time here, as there are many fine folk wandering about. As for your English, you write it better than many who speak English as a first language so have no worries about our ability to understand. Indeed, being on this forum makes me wonder why it seems that only my fellow Americans are limited to one language!

Cheers!

[Slipdigit]

Patrick, it good to see you join our little gang. Thank you for your kind comments regarding the soldiers buried in your country and for thinking enough of them to visit them where they now lie.

Without giving too much information, what town or city do you live in or near.

Don't worry about your knowledge of the English language. If you can't figure out the English word, type it out in French. We have someone who can translate.

[JagdtigerI]

Patrick, welcome and good intro!

[macrusk]

Welcome to the Forum, Patrick. My father's path in WWII took him through Normandy, the Channel Ports, Belgium, the Netherlands, and into Germany. In the 50s, he was also in Brussels with the Canadian forces with NATO. I grew up hearing about the Netherlands and Belgium, so hope to see your country one day and visit the WWII cemetaries and memorials. Anyhow, I digress.... I hope that you will enjoy your interaction here as there are a great group of Rogues here, many who have extensive WWII knowledge.

[sniper1946]

welcome,a good place to be patrick..ray..

[macker33]

Howdy.