Marville France

Memories of 601 Telecom Squadron
Andrew DeGaust


Access to the 601 Telecom Squadron area at Marville was available from within the station itself. You had to drive through the gatehouse and onto the station. You would then make an immediate right turn, driving through the AFP s parking lot - which was situated between the AFP building and the perimeter fence - and this allowed access to the 601 compund area.

The compund consisted of a three sided, unique structure of concrete blocks against which the radio trucks were backed. Two of the trucks faced the Jametz/Montmedy higway, one faced the AFP's parking lot and the other faced toward the station dump. Also oriented on the compound were three diesel generator trucks and a POL pad - the whole area being surrounded by a low drystone fence. At the entrance there was a circular drystone flower container onto which was mounted a badly rusted but painted German machine gun of WW1 vintage. Surmounting the entire compounr was the antenna with its mass of guys, dishes and anti-sways.

My wife and I were last on-site in 2001. When approaching the old compound - a family now lives in the guardhouse, we had tea nad a pleasant chat with the lady there. The old three-sided concrete office/workshop still stood but when I approached it a great, miserable shepherd dog rose out of the rubble behind the place and scared me off. The stone fence was still there but it really wasn't very inviting in the circumstances. Frankly, it was a more nostalgic experience to visit the old Sedan site between the two ruined fire rangers houses.


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Updated: July 18, 2003