Digging for remains, burying the past

[unhappycamper]

Two sets of “dog tags” belonging to a pair of German soldiers from World War II were unearthed earlier this month along the German-Belgian border. Along with the tags, four Belgian men found other personal effects as well as the soldiers’ remains. The Belgian men, known by some people as “The Diggers,” have spent more than 20 years scouring the woods and hills of southeastern Belgium looking, primarily, for the remains of U.S. soldiers. To date, they have found the remains of 12 Americans and six Germans.


Digging for remains, burying the past
By Kevin Dougherty, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Tuesday, November 11, 2008

ELSENBORN, Belgium 0151 The human remains were found in a shallow grave by some old foxholes near an unpaved logging road that cuts deep into a coniferous forest north of this border town in eastern Belgium.

The area is remote. Quiet. The sounds of humanity — a passing car, the chime of a nearby church bell, the lyrical laughter of kids at play — don’t carry this far.

No, this is a place of tranquility, a place where souls rarely tread, save for woodland critters, and, on this day, Jean-Philippe Speder and three associates. Veterans of World War II have taken to calling them "The Diggers" for their work to locate the remains of U.S. soldiers missing from the Battle of the Bulge.

"There was a lot of heavy fighting here," Speder said one recent morning as he traipsed along a rutted track that grew fainter by the step. "This is one of the highest points around, so U.S. and German soldiers fought to capture and hold it."

Moments later, Speder veers off the crude path, weaving his way between and around trees and branches. With each step, leaves crinkle and twigs snap. About 100 yards in, his Belgian colleagues come into view. So does a long light blue tarp topped with bones and soldierly artifacts.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=58738

[Historic NY]

1. Things are not quiet on the Western Front........

much work to still do.