Rossignol 1914

[SteveMarsdin]

Good evening All,

I'm just back from Belgium where I had chance to follow the new commemorative walk at Rossignol. I'd certainly recommend the signposted walk to anyone wishing to spend an informative 2-3 hours in beautiful south Ardenne countryside.

There are 22 illustrated information panels, each in 4 languages (French, Flemish, English and German). For the standard walk allow 2 hours, increasing to 3 hours if you wish to do the two extensions (to the French military cemetery at Le Plateau and the Pieta at the "Field of Misery"). The panels don't only cover the battle itself but also uniforms, equipment, civilian casualties, the local ambulance, emergency housing, the German occupation etc.

The website is currently under development but already has the map, guide and, importantly, the local hunting dates ! http://www.surlestracesde14-18.eu/

The walk is also marked by regular waymarkers (the top sign in the photo below)

[SteveMarsdin]

The old chateau was used as an ambulance, the panel (sited to the right) explained fully its use.

This one explained about the "King Albert houses", the Belgian WW1 equivalent of the Airey home (it's the three-windowed building to the right)

[SteveMarsdin]

One of the bloodiest encounters of the Battle of the Frontiers, the panel at the Memorial to the Colonial Corps also explains the personal tragedy surrounding the monument. It was commissioned at the instigation of M. Feunette, whose only son, Gabriel, was killed on 22 August 1914.

Gabriel had originally joined an "ordinary" regiment but had problems with discipline; his father thought a transfer to the more rigorous 3e Chasseurs d'Afrique would be the making of him. Gabriel was transformed by the switch but unfortunately he paid the ultimate price on that fateful day. His father blamed himself for his son's death and one year after the monument was unveiled in 1927, he returned to Rossignol and committed suicide in the forest behind the monument.

Gabriel is buried in an ossuary in the cemetery (l'Oree) at the side of the monument.

[SteveMarsdin]

This is a photo of the actual memorial that his father instigated (taken some time ago).