Marion, my Dad's name was the same, Robert Adam Mehm. I have a different middle name.

I do have a book from his unit, but I will have to look since I have moved since the last time I knew where it was. I will keep you informed. I am a communications engineer for the AF, kind of keeping the tradition going.

Bob

Well that will be easy to remember!

I hope you can find that. Would love to see part or all of it in the near future.

Thanks for your service to our country, and for keeping the engineering spirit alive and kicking.

All the best,

M1

Hello all,

 

Looking for information on 249th Engineer Combat Battalion, Company C. My Grandfather inlaw, George Memmer, was in this battalion. George passed away a few years back and his wife just passed away two weeks ago. We just found information on his battalion by finding his discharge papers. His Granddaughter and Great Grandsons are interested what and where the 294th served in WWII. George said very little about his time in WWII. Any information would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

Hello,

My Uncle Jay Wingate was a Lieutenant in the 294th Engineer Combat Battalion, Company C. He was in charge of Company C on the day of the anti-tank mine accident in Sherborne and served with Company C from Normandy to Berlin. I interviewed Uncle Jay this past July and recorded the interview with my HD camcorder and made a DVD of it. In the interview Uncle Jay explained the actual cause of the explosion. He also discussed in detail the activities of the 294th from Normandy to Berlin. Jay even has a map of western Europe that shows where they went. I made a digital copy of the map and will gladly send it to you if you would like to see it. I will be happy to provide other information about the 294th if you would like. Please contact me if you are interested in obtaining more information.

Sincerely,

Chris

Greetings,

Just a quick note. My dad was in the company that lost all the men from Jersey City. His Guardian Angel was looking over him and he had the duty to drive an officer around that day. They had just returned and were in the mess tent when the explosion occured. He always talked about having to recover the remains of the guys who were killed. He had other stories and I wish we had recorded them all. My brother has some of the maps and books that he brought back with him from the war. By any chance do you remember my dad, Ken McKeever?

Cordially,

Ken McKeever

Hello Chris and Ken:

Welcome to the forum. I hope you are finding information you can use. It's great to have so many participating in this topic.

Oh Ken, I am removing your email addresses from the post. I urge people not to post them because it only leads to you to personally experience problems from hackers and no-gooders! Forum members can reach each other by clicking on the usernames while logged in. Just trying to save you major problems in the future.

M1,

 

Thank you for forwarding Chris's email. I have sent him the two photos I have from my Sherborne visit in 2005 in the original format. The plaque is easily readable so I'm sure they will do.

 

Colin.

I, too, am interested in copies of the memorial photos at Sherborne. My 1st cousin once removed was killed in that tragedy. I'd especially like the photo with his name on the plaque: Andrew Ter Waarbeek.

I sent you a PM about a week ago, but maybe it got misdirected.

Thanks for the info that you and others have provided about this tragic event. No one in my family's recent history knew what had happened to Andrew other than he "died in the War."

Marilyn

Colin will be pleased to see your post. Welcome to the forum, Marilyn. Sorry to hear about your cousin. So very sad.

Colin will be pleased to see your post. Welcome to the forum, Marilyn. Sorry to hear about your cousin. So very sad.

No answer yet from Colin. Do you think he is still on this board?

I just sent him a note. We correspond all the time, but I haven't heard from him in a couple of weeks.

My father, Ed Schulhafer, age 90, was a member of the 294th Engineer Combat Battalion Company C. He was with another group of men that had laid mines on a plot of ground right next to the one where the men were killed.

He was responsible for sketching the location of the mines so that they could later be located. He was busy with his sketch as his fellow soldiers were telling him to hurry up. Had he listened, their truck would have been right behind the

one that was blown up.

Jim

Oh my God and thank God he was "slacking" that day, or he wouldn't be here to tell you that story and others. How frightening to know he was THAT CLOSE.

Jim, thanks for joining and we look forward to hearing more from you and your dad. So glad he is still here among us.

Posting this event for the Vicar who contacted me today. Many thanks to you kind sir!

=====================

Dear Ms Chard

I am the Vicar of Sherborne Abbey in Dorset, UK, and I have discovered your website whilst researching the training accident which occurred on 20^th March 1944 on the Sherborne Castle Estate in which 29 members of C Company of the 294^th Engineer Battalion were killed. I am particularly grateful for the account of the incident given there by Joe Izzillo.

The 70^th anniversary of that tragic accident occurs this year, on Thursday 20^th March. As it happens, at 11.00 am the next day, Friday 21^st March, we have in Sherborne Abbey at 11.00 am our monthly Commemoration called ‘Remembering the Fallen’. At that Commemoration one page from each of three Books of Remembrance are read: the Dorset Regiment Book of Remembrance from the First World War; ditto from the Second World War, and from the Sherborne Town Second World War Book of Remembrance.

I intend that on 21^st March the 29 names of the US soldiers killed in 1944 shall also be read. They are, of course, recorded on a special plaque at the War Memorial in the Abbey Close. Every year on our Remembrance Sunday (the Sunday nearest to 11^th November) a member of the US Military places a wreath by the plaque.

If you think this piece of information is worthy of being posted on your website, I and the people of Sherborne would be honoured.

With warmest best wishes

Your sincerely

The Reverend Canon Eric Woods DL

Vicar of Sherborne

Additional email!

================

Dear Marion (if I may – I’m English!)

Thank you so much for your speedy reply to my email. I am fascinated to see how many responses there have already been to the posting.

In response to those who would like to see a clearer image of the memorial tablet in the Close at Sherborne Abbey, I will ask my PA on Monday to send you what we have here. I hope we can help.

The ‘old folks’ in Sherborne still remember with tears that tragic incident on 20^th March 1944. Please reassure your followers that we will honour all those who died with both love and dignity. We are not too sure, here in the UK, that the US still considers that it has a ‘special relationship’ with us. But I and my parishioners still believe we have a special relationship with the US!

One other thing: if any of your fellowship are planning to come to the UK at any time, please put them in touch with me. My wife and I would be delighted to offer them hospitality here, and to show them the Memorial in the Close. We can also walk them up to the site of the accident. It is – how shall I put it? – evocative, moving, full of resonances. Non-Christians might describe it as ‘spooky’. But it is not. Your brave soldiers are hallowed there.

Blessings

Eric +

I must admit, I just love hearing this and it warms my heart, as I'm sure it warms the hearts of all the remaining members of the unit, their families, and the entire engineer brotherhood! Thank you Eric and everyone else involved. Three cheers for remembering our "boys"!

Here's a note sent to Joe Izzillo, along with two photos. Thought everyone here would like to see this.

Dear Joe

 

I thought you might like to see a couple of photographs of the Combat Engineers’ plaques on the Sherborne War Memorial, complete with their 20^th March wreath. They are attached. I hope they will be visual evidence of the fact that that tragic accident, and the presence of the Combat Engineers in Sherborne, are still remembered and commemorated here.

 

I am copying this to Marion but, as I said in an earlier email, my latest messages to her have bounced back. So if you could forward this to her, I would be grateful. I’m hoping she might like to put one of the photographs on the website. The photographer was my PA, Linda Woods – same surname, no relation, endless confusion!

 

A small package is now on its way to you ‘across the pond’, including a birthday card for the 29^th. Whether it will make it in time I don’t know – but here’s hoping!

 

Every blessing

 

As ever

 

Eric