Monday 30 April 2018

bois de la brigade de marine

Though perhaps it might have something to do with valid fears of spreading aggressive, toxic caterpillars that are plaguing oak trees in the UK presently and I would hope that the matter would have been addressed publicly and handled with due decorum (but that’s probably too generous for these thugs), the sapling that Macron brought as a gift during his state visit and planted together on the lawn of the White House has gone missing.
Part of the lore of the US Marine Corps and its role in World War I, the oak sprouted at Belleau Wood, memorialiszed the site of a battle between the US Second and Third divisions along side French and British forces against Imperial Germany. Initially sustaining heavy casualties, Marine scouts surmised that the Germans were regrouping for a second thrust that would certainly take the field, if they failed to launch a counter-attack. Gunnery Sergeant Dan Daly led the assault on 6 June 1918 with the battle cry, “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” The protracted fight saw many fatalities but the Marines and allies eventually took the site (reflagged as the above), which became the namesake for decorations and naval vessels.