The below pictures and texts gives a brief description of the Battle of Bois de Belleau, shows how the place looks today, and follows in the footsteps of Axel Christoffersens Regiment the last two weeks of his life.
In February 2001 I went to the area with my parents to see it, and visit Gilles Lagin, who had previously given me an amazing amount of information. He's working on building a museum about the battle based on his collection of battle related things. Everything is paid by his own money and donations from visitors.
Gilles Lagin guided us through the area in his car, and had prepared a very thorough route, starting in Montreuil-aux-Lions, which was where the 5th and 6th US Marine Corps arrived by the end of May/June 1st. Even if we had to do a few detours, we followed the exact route Axels Regiment (5th Marines Regiment, 3rd Battalion, 45th company) had followed from when they arrived in the area, to his death two weeks later.
I find it really hard to describe the feelings that runs through you, and there are a lot !, during a trip like this. Believe me, walking in trenches and woods, and finding bullets and grenades which may either have been aimed at or fired by a member of our family more than 80 years ago, is, to say the least, strange ........
There are now some new pictures under Summer 2001.
