Last weekend's commemorations, Ethe, Belgium - 18th/19th August

[SteveMarsdin]

Good evening All,

Details of this year's walk to commemorate the events of 22nd August 1914 have been announced. The walk will take place on the nearest Sunday, the 19th August

http://www.lavenir.n...120611_00168872

The cost of 8 euros also includes transport from the meeting (and finishing) point at Laclaireau French military cemetery to the start plus refreshments. I have further details in pdf format which I can e-mail to anyone interested (if you PM me)

[SteveMarsdin]

Here's the leaflet giving further details:

[SteveMarsdin]

Another plug,

As many of you will be looking forward to August holidays, if any of you are around the south of Belgium, i can recommend this Sunday on 19th August.

The more solemn remembrance services are in the morning followed by the commemorative walk in the afternoon. Last year, several hundred took part in the walk including forum member, Dave Heal (healdav) - as well as me !

[Christina Holstein]

I might make it this year, Steve. Could you send me the pdf version? Thanks,

Christina

[SteveMarsdin]

Just bumping this up, just under seven weeks away now.

Anyone visting the area for the first time there's a basic map guide available to download here:

http://www.luxembour...rochenligne.php

[SteveMarsdin]

Just bumping this up !

The weather is hot in the south of Belgium; in fact with 30°C and an electrical storm forecast tomorrow, before returning to sun, it is similar to August 1914.

If your passing by next weekend, why not stop off in Ethe ?

[SteveMarsdin]

Here are further details of this weekend's commemorations:

http://www.lavenir.net/article/detail.aspx?articleid=DMF20120817_00193260

[kenneth505]

Those of us who would have loved to attend but could not are looking forward to a complete report.

[SteveMarsdin]

Good evening Ken,

The weekend's commemorations passed off successfully culminating with several hundred taking part in the walk.

The ceremonies and services at the various cemeteries in the immediate region tend to be staggered to allow the official representatives time to attend them all. Those at nearby Maissin and Anloy are on the Sunday following the actual date (this Wednesday).

In Ethe there has always been a tradition of local people adopting a French soldier's grave; often starting when at school and/or passing through the family. For example my stepfather's family adopted the grave of Ernest Jouvin in the 50's, he can remember when he was young French veterans visiting the cemetery each August. He continues to lay flowers at Ernest Jouvin's grave each August but recently Jean Brees has extended the commemorations and restarted the "parrainage" scheme, I have adopted the grave of Jean Bude who rests near Ernest Jouvin. During the weekend the nearest to the 22nd August, fresh flowers are laid at all the graves in the cemetery, paid for by the "parrainage" fee (6 euros) and proceeds from the walk. We always add our own bouquet. This is me at Laclaireau on Saturday:

[SteveMarsdin]

On Sunday there was an extra ceremony at 10.00am when a new memorial commemorating the killing of several French prisoners was unveiled.

It was good to see so many of all ages taking part.

[Roger H]

Good stuff Steve

Roger

[SteveMarsdin]

Thanks Roger,

Here's the actual inscription on the memorial:

It was also interesting to see the wearing of the poppy alongside the traditional cornflower by the French standard bearer:

[SteveMarsdin]

After the unveiling, attention moved to the memorial remembering the civilians of Ethe and Latour, killed and executed over the period 22-24 August. A mass was held:

At each of these ceremonies both the Marseillaise and the Brabancon were sung, I must learn more than just the chorus of the former !

From the civilian memorial we moved to that commemorating the French soldiers killed:

[SteveMarsdin]

After that ceremony the official party moved to the French military cemetery at Laclaireau:

After the laying of wreaths they inspected the cemetery, each grave with its own posie of different flowers:

[SteveMarsdin]

Before lunch and the walk of the afternoon, there was one further ceremony to commemorate the futile/incomprehensible/glorious/brave (choose your definition) charge of the 14e Hussards. A charge led by Lt Col Hautecloque, two abreast, uphill, through a tunnel, against German infantry in firing line, with the protection of a natural embankment, at the other side:

[Marco]

Thanks Steve, excellent pictures.

Regards,

Marco

[SteveMarsdin]

Thanks Marco,

The walk wasn't as well attended as last year, probably due to the temperatures which were in the high thirties but still several hundred took part, refreshed by a regular supply of water from the civil authorities !

It is, I think, the sixth time the walk has held and each year so far has traced a slightly different route with a varied content, including re-enactments, period music, the reading of extracts from journals and letters, an overview of the fighting and the effect on the local population both then and throughout the war. This year the walk started at Virton Chenois and there was an explanation of the activities of the German pilots who flew from the aistrip there in 1916 onwards.

As well as the improvised information boards there were some that will have permanent sites when the route for the 2014 walk is estabilshed:

[SteveMarsdin]

Another stop explained more about the cemetery burial concentrations that took place after the war, following the repatriation of many German and French bodies (a topic covered several times on this forum). It highlighted the lovely Franco-German cemetery in Bellefontaine (Radan), where the French re-interments came from many surrounding civil and military cemetries, as detailed in this list:

Another stop was a moving interpretation of a letter from a father to his son at the front, and the reply from a colleague advising the father that his son had been killed.

The wagon is an original French ambulance wagon.

[SteveMarsdin]

After various other recitals, talks and reconstructions we arrived back at Laclaireau for refreshments but not before each participant placed a candle on a grave. Another weekend ensuring the events of 22 August 1914 aren't forgotten.

These are the graves of Jean Bude (left) and Ernest Jouvin (right):

[kenneth505]

Well done. What a great report, thank you so much you put a lot of time and effort into this. It is very much appreciated. This post for me is yet another instance of this site opening up an entire new area of the cataclism that I did not know enough about.

Your photos are terrific.