Blog

Stay current with our latest trips, projects and presentations by following our blog.

23 August, 2020:

New Project Cooking & New Additions to the Website

Have a new project in the works that will hopefully take me back to France for another amazing International event. Possibly events here in California as well. The ball is rolling. Stay tuned…

Happy to be able to be adding more content lately. Please look around and see what we’ve added recently.

The Project Helps Make Another Long Lost Connection

Recently the Project helped reunite a friend from France with long lost relatives in the United States. They share a common great grandfather from France and did not know of each other. It was quite exciting to follow the exchange. They are now getting acquainted and sharing their histories.

These are the things that make this project even more special.

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17 December, 2019:

New Zealand

Finally have a chance to go through the great research provided to us by Paley Downs. We are very grateful to him for allowing us to share his valuable research.

Stay tuned for updates to our New Zealand pages soon.

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14 September, 2019:

Helping Answer A Decades Old Question

While I was in Saint-Nazaire, I met a woman whose grandmother had run away to the United States with an American Soldier in 1919.  She wanted very much to get in contact with any relatives she may have in America “before she died”, so needless to say I wanted to help as soon as possible.  Her family did not know what had become of them for generations.  She had an old address from decades ago and names, which were forwarded to me.

I recruited the help of a friend and past Grand Master who does genealogical research on the side.  I forwarded him the information and within a day he had found both of them in the 1930 and 1940 censuses, as well as their death certificates and a photo of the American she ran off with.  They did not appear to have had any kids.  Therefore, no relatives to find in the U.S.

I was thrilled to hear this news, and although not the ending we had hoped for, it would be closure for her and her family none the less.  I quickly sent the information and photo to Saint-Nazaire, which were presented to her about a week later.  She was very happy to have the information even though it was not the ending she had been wishing for.  But she was very thankful for the answer to this decades old question from her family. 

I hear there may be another in Saint-Nazaire who would like to enlist our help in finding possible family in the U.S.  Hope the Project gets to do more research like this.

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7 September, 2019:

Camp Dodge!

I had the pleasure of visiting the old location of Camp Dodge in Saint-Nazaire on 24 August. Saw remnants of some of the old structures. It was quite an experience. I have uploaded some of the pictures to the American Base Section No. 1 tab in the Photos & Scans folder.

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2 September, 2019:

What an amazing event!

The presentation in Saint-Nazaire on 25 August was received very well and I was one of the guests of honor. Marched to my seat with the most honored guests; the representative from their district from the GODF and a 33rd degree Mason, the highest degree Mason at the event. The Masters of the lodges and honored guests marched to our seats to “Amazing Grace” played by a single bagpipe. It’s glorious sound filled the auditorium; it was very moving. A beautiful video was played to “La Route de St. Nazaire” by Maurice Fanon, composed of photos from the era and postcards posted on this website. Then a recorded narrative by a man who remembered the Americans first landing in Saint-Nazaire in 1917. Then a beautiful rendition of The Star Spangled Banner” performed in French, gorgeous. Finally an old military song from the era. It was very well done. Then the French National Anthem.

I presented “So Mote It Be” and then The Masonic Ambulance Corps. After we listened to a paper on Universalism given by one of the Masons in attendance.

We adjourned and had a very fine meal of catered food and desserts as well as sparking wine. I was given a bottle of sparkling wine to take with me from the luncheon. I brought it home to the U.S. and it will be for the most special of occasions, a true treasure.

I gave out Anchor Bell lodge mugs, Hollywood Lodge pins and history books, and they were the hit of the event. I was given a beautiful book bag commemorating the 100th anniversary of the first American soldiers landing in Saint-Nazaire, another souvenir I will always treasure.

I had many of the Masons in attendance sign my journal, most of them in French. It will be a delight to translate the messages in the near future. I also took photos with as many in attendance as I could, even the local chapter of the Widows’ Sons, but will not post them for privacy reasons.

I left the event floating on clouds and feeling like the most blessed person in the world be able to be part of such an amazing and historic event. I do hope to be able to go back soon.

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16 August, 2019:

There are 108 Masons registered for the Luncheon and presentations in Saint-Nazaire.

Got a tentative list of places we are going to go see while I am in Saint-Nazaire. Looks like it is going to be an amazing day!

A visit to the Masonic temple, then to the Sammy, the old turning bridge, the location where the American Cafe once stood, the old bridge near the Brivet River and the Camp Dodge location, lunch in Savernay, a walk around the lake to settle our lunch, then out to the American Dam built during The Great War, Herbignac and the Ranrouet Castle (circa 1300), then to Guerande (circa 1200) and then a surprise for dinner!

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10 August, 2019: Added biography for Walter Thomas Kitts as well as many links to the Links page.

85 Masons have registered for the Luncheon and presentations in Saint-Nazaire. Going to be a great event!

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7 August, 2019: Very happy that Adam Kendall and Dr. Susan Sommers have agreed to assist with the Project. Very honored and excited to have them as part of the Project!

There are 82 Masons registered for the Luncheon in Saint-Nazaire.

Added some new photos to the “Photos & Scans” pages.

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4 August, 2019: Went live with the website today. Also added the biography of George F. Tanguy.

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3 August, 2019: There are 72 Masons registered for the meeting to date. I just found out that there will be Masons from Belgium there. Wow, this truly is an international event. Blessed to be a part of it.

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1 August, 2019: Eric and Patrick finished translating “So Mote It Be” yesterday. He found the end moving and related it to that in 1919, two different worlds met with two very different forms of Masonry, to celebrate brotherhood. “100 years later, Trait d’Union Lodge still exists, and we gather again, with all of our differences, but we meet again.’

Indeed, it is truly a momentous occasion in the history of Masonry. Perhaps in another 100 years American and French Masons will gather again at Trait d’Union and celebrate this occasion.

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28 July, 2019: We leave for France in three weeks! I am so excited! I have been communicating with a brother in Saint-Nazaire and who is helping plan the luncheon and he says that they are all also very excited and that there are surprises waiting for me at the event. This is going to be the trip of a lifetime.

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23 July, 2019: Very excited as I seem to have found the footprints of some of the buildings from the old Camp Dodge near the Pont de Mean Bridge. Eric went out and surveyed the site and found a concrete foundation (though not sure if this was part of the camp) and some other possible remnants of the American camp. Going to go look at it in person next month.

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9 July, 2019: Messaging with Eric and he sent me a picture of the sites we plan on going to my first day in Saint-Nazaire. Going to see the Sammy statue as well as the Pont de Mean bridge. Can’t wait!!