The series of four postcards in this blog post provide a glimpse of Avocourt immediately after the war and the American Camp that was established there. During the Battle of Verdun Avocourt was more or less the Western boundary of the fighting. It was just behind the lines when the A.E.F. commenced the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in September 1918. Apologies for the clarity of the postcards. The photos were taken with a cell phone. Source: Owner of La Terrasse Restaurant, Avocourt.

Only two weeks remain (30 April) to sign up for the 1918-19 Reconstruction / Occupation of Germany Tour!  Readers who are interested in participating should reserve a space today by contacting Webmaster Randal Gaulke.

Tour guides Randal Gaulke and Markus Klauer hope to give participants a glimpse of France (or at least the Meuse-Argonne and St. Mihiel Regions) immediately post-war using maps, photos and documents such as the postcards of Avocourt shown in this blog post.  The second half of the tour will focus on the American Third Army and its occupation of the Coblenz Bridgehead in Germany until 1923.  Topics that will be discussed / explored include:

Final Phase of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive

Nov. 1918 Meuse River Crossings

Race for Sedan

Establishment of the Zone Rouge

Start of Battlefield Tourism

Start of Reconstruction

Explosives Removal

Establishment of AEF Cemeteries

A.E.F. Christmas in Germany

From the Armistice to Versailles–Life in Germany

Full details of the tour can be found in the flyer below.  Please contact Randal Gaulke at [email protected] with any questions or concerns you might have.

Reconstruction and Occupation Tour Flyer Final with Hotels Added