Location Details

Canada has played an integral role in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) since its inception on 4 April 1949. Canada's commitment to have four fighter wings in Europe resulted in the creation of the 1 Canadian Air Division with its Headquarters in Metz, France and the following Wings located in France and Germany:
    1 (F) Wing at Marville, France;
    2 (F) Wing at Grostenquin, France;
    3 (F) Wing at Zweibrücken, Germany; and
    4 (F) Wing at Baden-Söllingen, Germany.

Logistical support for the Division was provided by 30 AMB in Langar, England.

2 (F) Wing Grostenquin was located approximately 55 kilometers east-south-east of Metz in the province of Moselle. The closest towns of any size are Faulquemont, Morhange, St. Avold, Nancy and Metz, however, there are numerous villages throughout the countryside. The Wing offered Service Members and their families schools, a hospital, swimming pool, hockey arena and other recreational facilities as well as a grocery store. However, accommodation at the station was limited to single quarters and a trailer site of 120 caravans for families. Most service members and their families resided in Permanent Married Quarters in St. Avold or in private accommodation in St. Avold and the surrounding towns and villages.

St. Avold is located about 19 kilometers from the former 2(F) Wing Grostenquin and many Canadians lived in either the Permanent Married Quarters (443 apartments) or private accommodation.

The St. Avold Cemetery is located on the main route to the town and about 1 kilometer beyond the American War Cemetery. Unlike most of North America, in most locations in Europe plots are not acquired in perpetuity but rather for a specific period of time, normally 20 to 25 years, after which the grave marker is removed and eventually the plot is reused. As a result of this practice, the graves of all but one of the 19 known Canadians laid to rest in St. Avold are no longer marked.

The City of St. Avold and Canada have entered into a 50-year lease for the section of the Cemetery where many of the Canadian were buried. The Memorial Cairn, was installed during the summer of 2002 identifying the Cemetery as the last resting place of Canadian citizens and those who were buried here and who graves have been lost. A dedication ceremony was held in 2002.

Background Information on these sites has been extracted from: the Pinetree Line Web Site; the 2 (F) Wing RCAF Grostenquin, France Information Booklet (1957); publication 4 CMBG Canada's NATO Brigade, 1983, Moritz Schauenburg Gmbh & Co. KG.