WWII relics can occur in the most surprising places ....

Out walking in the Chiltern Hills with my wife today, the woodland track we were following crossed a minor road. Set back about 20 feet from the road was a white and red object among the trees - as we walked over to it, it was revealed as a little concrete model of a mediaeval gatehouse ( two towers with a 'bridge' entrance' ) about 2'6" high and 3' across. Painted overall white with the 'windows' in red, it bore the following inscription : -

1943
343rd ENGINEERS
U.S. ARMY

Just along the road is a sawmill, but nothing else was nearby except trees and fields. A lonely spot, but someone has been keeping the little monument in good condition.

There's always something new to find..... [img]graemlins/poppy.gif[/img]

[ 13. March 2005, 01:25 PM: Message edited by: Martin Bull ]

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

( Later... )

Amazing what the internet can tell you.... [img]redface.gif[/img]

The 'Castle' is the symbol of the US Corps of Engineers ; the little monument is the survivor of two which were built by the 343rd Engineer Battalion at the entrance to a large US Army Camp for 2,000 men. The camp was demolished without trace in the late 1940s but the nearby village of Nettlebed still uses the sewage treatment facility which was constructed by the Engineers.

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Interesting ... There is no 343rd Engineer Battalion listed in Stanton's Order of Battle US Army WW II, which is generally accepted as authoritative. Nor is there a 343rd Engineer Brigade or Group.

(I am in no way disputing your visual acuity.)

I do find a 343rd Engineer Regiment (General Service), whose work would involve construction of buildings, camps, road, bridges. But their movements don't fit:
20 Jul 42: England
6 Dec 42: North Africa
4 Aug 43: Sicily
28 Sep 43: Italy
15 Aug 44: Southern France
29 Mar 45: Germany

This Regiment had the rare distinction of being credited with participation in ten campaigns: Algeria-FrenchMorocco, Tunisia, Sicily, Naple-Foggia, Anzio, Rome-Arno, SouthernFrance, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe.

Several possibilities: among them, Stanton missed listing another 343rd Engineers, a part of the Regiment was delayed in transit to North Africa, or the monument was dedicated in early 1943 for work the Regiment has done in late 1942.

Thank you for that, MHN ! It does fit...it's my doddery old visual acuity !

The date on the monument is 1942 , not 1943 ( my bad - apologies... )

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Amazing story thanks for sharing...A photo of the monument would be great...Id love to see it. I found a civil war POW burial monument like that while on a fishing trip to michigan. It was back off the road in a woded area but someone had taken the time to keep it nice.

Sadly, that was in the days before I'd acquired a digital camera - but next time I'm out that way, I'll get a photo....

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

What a small world it is Martin
My Mum lived in Nettlebed during the war & her mum worked at Ian fleming family house
We would pass monument on the way to see my Nan
I will take a photo of the monument