Holt Tonie - The Western Front: South: Battlefield Guide (Major and Mrs Holts Battlefield Guides)

During the long recce and research phase of this book we renewed many old friendships and made even more new ones: so many people who were generous with their knowledge and their time. We have many heartfelt thank-yous to say.

As always we express our admiration for the dedicated work of the CWGC and for the assistance we have had from staff at both Maidenhead, notably Mike Johnson, David Parker and Peter Francis, and at Beaurains, in particular, Tim Reeves, Roy Hemington and Colette Vandeville. From the ABMC we wish to thank our old friend, Phil Rivers, then at the Meuse-Argonne Cemetery and his assistant Dominique Didiot for some exceptional support, the helpful Bobby O. Bell, then at the Somme Cemetery at Bony and the secretaries at the St Mihiel and the Oise-Aisne Cemeteries who furnished us with a list of memorials in their areas. At the Aisne-Marne Cemetery then Superintendent David Atkinson was generous with his time. In Belleau Gilles Lagin historian and guide extraordinaire to the American battlefields gave us valuable time and information.

On the Somme the indefatigable historian and researcher, Jean-Pierre Thierry, has continued as he has for more years than we would care to mention to do above and beyond in his capacity of Sherlock Holmes on our behalf. In Cambrai tank expert Philippe Gorczynski made great personal sacrifices to help us. On the Aisne and along the Chemin des Dames we received an exceptional welcome and outstanding assistance first from Stephen Kreppel and Marie-Stella Ray of The Hat Factory in the UK then from Stphane Rouziou, director of the Aisne Tourist Board; Jean Francois Hry, Director of the Caverne du Dragon and his team, Bettina Plichard, the outstanding guide and author Yves Fohlen (who has solved many mysteries for us) the dedicated Monsieur Pamart, owner of the Ferme de Confrcourt. Thanks, too, to Mike Weston, photographer, Ferme de Confrcourt. Isabelle Geffrin of the Blrancourt Franco-American Museum . Our dear friend Tony Spagnoly provided us with the story of the Pilgrimage of Lt Col Christopher Buckles mother. In the St Mihiel Salient Monsieur Norbert Kugel, President of the Association Nationale le Saillant de St Mihiel , ably supported by Mme Kugel and other volunteer friends like M Daniel et Mme Grandperret, guided us around the battlefields they are discovering and refurbishing and provided us with some fascinating information. The indefatigable Monsieur Michel Labriet guided us around the more inacessible sites of Les Eparges . Madame Martin-Blanchet of the Association Connaissance de la Meuse showed us around the Argonne Battles and the Kaiser Tunnel . At the Butte de Vauquois the President of the Amis de Vauquois , Monsieur Jeannesson, gave us a fascinating and informative tour of the tunnels and opened up his interesting museum for us. In Seringes the Mayor Monsieur Alvoet and his wife kindly opened up the American Memorial Church for us and helped us find Oliver Amess Memorial. Col Mery and M Baur gave us helpful information. In Chteau Thierry , Edmond Andrianavony gave us helpful information about the American Church.

Finally, our thanks to our publisher, Pen & Sword Books, for their tolerance and especially to Sylvia Menzies for achieving the impossible in the design of this book.