Bruce Malone cares for the Fallen

Bruce Malone, superintendent at the American military cemetery in Romagne, admires the passionate work of Jean-Paul de Vries.
‘His unique museum displays in depth what many First World War museums only show superficially: the human cost of war.’
Unfortunately the corona crisis threatens the future of Museum Romagne 14-18

Bruce Malone, superintendent of the Meuse-Argonne Americain Cemetery of Romagne-sous-Montfaucon photo©Marco Magielse

by Cor Speksnijder

He lives and works on the very grounds where American soldiers once faced German troops. From his office on the former front line Bruce Malone overlooks the largest American cemetery in Europe. Snow covers the neatly cut grass between the white crosses. ‘Some of the soldiers buried here were killed on the hill where I now live’.
Bruce Malone is superintendent at the Meuse-Argonne Ameri-can Cemetery in Romagne-sous-Montfaucon. He administers the slightly sloping field of honor with its endless rows of immaculate headstones. Between the trimmed linden trees no less than 14.246 American found their final resting place. Most of them died during the American Meuse-Argonne Offensive, in the last months of the First World War.

The Superintendent’s office at the Cemetery photo©Marco Magielse

A stone’s throw away from the cemetery lies the museum of the Dutch Frenchman Jean-Paul de Vries. In a rather inconspicuous house with blue painted shutters De Vries has collected thousands of objects that he found on the fields and in the woods where armies once fought their bloody battles. His modest museum, maintained throughout the years with very limited resources , has been badly affected by the corona crisis. Museum Romagne 14-18 might well be forced to close its doors forever.

Closing the museum would be a great loss, Malone says on the telephone. ‘It is one of a kind. Most war museums show big equipment and tell the big stories. They don’t show the more personal aspects of war. In De Vries’ museum the soldiers hold a central place, whether they are French, British, American, Canadian or German. More than many other museums this museum emphasizes the human side of the First World War. It shows the true cost of war.’

The collection of the museum mainly consists of the soldiers personal belongings in the trenches: weapons, helmets, boots, uniforms, shovels, cutlery, medical supplies, name tags, letters, photographs.  Objects that De Vries found in more than forty years during his wanderings around Romagne. He exhibits them without frills. No pompous words, no flashy videos. His collection is an unpolished, rough reminder of immense and tragic bloodshed.

When Malone first visited the museum he was not yet working in Romagne. He was there for a meeting with superintendents from other cemeteries. ‘We went to the museum for lunch. Sitting in that little restaurant for the first time, you think: what can this be? But when you walk through the door, into the museum, you go: WOW. I’m a military historian, I was deeply impressed when I saw that collection for the first time.’

Inside the Museum.. relics of the Great War photo©Marco Magielse

Two years ago Malone welcomed an American Congressional delegation in Romagne. Among the delegation members was General Mark Milley, then Chief of Staff of the US Army, now Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. ‘When they visited the cemetery we had lunch in the museum again. After lunch we were supposed to do a bus tour past the battle fields. That tour should take a few hours, but it was reduced to one hour because everybody wanted to stay in the museum. They were fascinated. It was the highlight of their trip.’
The museum had to close its doors last summer. No more groups of French schoolchildren, no more passers-by with interest in the Great War, no more tourists who would join  De Vries for a walk along the former battle fields. 

A schoolboy assists with the lowering of the American flag at the end of the day photo© Diederik van Vleuten

When will they come back? When will De Vries be allowed to receive them again? Nobody knows. De Vries has to fight for survival of his life’s work.

Malone speaks respecfully about De Vries’ dedication in main-taining the museum, receiving visitors and guiding hikes on the battle fields. ‘He loves what he is doing. When he adresses a group of young people you see the passion for his work, his love for that little museum.’ Usually Malone directs his visitors to the museum, De Vries always forwards his guests to the cemetery. ‘We help each other.’

As a historian Malone is well aware of the historic value of his workplace. ‘My house and my office are on the former front line. In the autumn of 1918 this was the front line for the US 5th Division and then the 90th Division. For me that’s a profound thing. So many young fellow Americans died here. From one side of this cemetery you cannot see the other side, because it’s so big. I’ve been working as a superintendent for ten years now, but walking between these headstones remains impressive.’

They will not grow old as we that are left grow old… photo©Marco Magielse

Malone asked his superiors to be appointed in Romagne.
‘Why? Because it is the Meuse-Argonne! In terms of numbers of soldiers involved (1,2 million) and the numbers of casualties, killed, wounded, missing and captured (almost 122.000) the Meuse-Argonne Offensive is the biggest military operation in the history of the United States.’ Malone feels connected to this part of Europe. A grandfather, who was killed in Germany in 1944, is buried in Belgium.

For historians the area around Romagne has a lot to offer. Malone sums up: Vikings were defeated in 888 at Montfau-con, king Louis XVI was arrested in 1791 in nearby Varennes, Napoleon III surrendered to Bismarck at Sedan in 1870, bloody battles have been fought at Verdun in 1916. ‘There is a lot of history here. The museum of De Vries belongs here. It’s an important place that reminds us of the trials and tribulations of millions of young men that were sent into a catastrophic war.’

Gardeners tending the sacred grounds of the Meuse-Argonne Americain Cemetry photo© Diederik van Vleuten