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Remembered Today:

Centenary of the Battle of the Frontiers - UPDATED 16/9


SteveMarsdin

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The memorial to the French killed in Ethe

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The crowd had now grown to over 500 hundred as we then proceeded to the cemetery at LaClaireau, where I had started the day.

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The official ceremony at LaClaireau.

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After the ceremony we were all invited back to the mairie for a vin d'honneur, which I skipped as I wanted to attend another event in nearby Bellefontaine.

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Steve,

fascinating thread. Thanks for taking the time to share pictures and knowledge with us.

Much appreciated.

Regards,

Ant

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Thanks Ant,

At Bellefontaine I attended the book-launch of a friend who indirectly had re-kindled my interest in the First World War several years ago. Terence Zuber had widely quoted Réné Bastin's original book "Un Samedi Sanglant" in his work on the Battle of the Frontiers called the "Battle of the Ardennes". I had come across Zuber's book when searching Amazon for an up-to-date book on the events of December 1944 and recognised the villages of my wife's own part of Belgium; intrigued I researched more and have been passionate about the events of August 22 1914 ever since.

The actions at Rossignol, St. Vincent and Bellefontaine are inextricably linked and perhaps Battle of the Semois (named after the valley which they all lie astride) is a more descriptive collective name. The 20 minute presentation, illustrated by the diorama with the oversized models, was a very effective way of telling the story of the inter-linked engagements.

The new revised and enlarged version of his book tells the story of the engagements at St. Vincent and Bellefontaine and village life under occupation, up to and including "liberation" by the US Marines in December 1918. Réné's grandfather lived in St.Vincent and, along with other members of his family, was a member of La Dame Blanche. He is mentioned in the London Gazette of 29 August 1919.

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Steve

This thread continues to fascinate and educate in equal measure. I'm currently reading about these battles and your evocative photographs and posts are acting as an excellent commentary

David

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I'm currently reading about these battles and your evocative photographs and posts are acting as an excellent commentary

Here here!

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Thanks Bob, David and Joe,

Yesterday were the official commemorations at Virton and Latour. They started at the joint French-German cemetery at Virton -Bellevue. Unlike Ethe, where there was fierce fighting for the control of, and in, the village itself, at Virton most of the action was on the plateau just north of the town, centred on the farm at Bellevue. All the graves here were simply adorned with EU flags, apart from those which had been individually decorated by family.

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And

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From the rear of the cemetery you can just make out the French flag flying above one of their other nearby military cemeteries at Houdrigny. There are buried soldiers of the 117e RIF, mostly unknowns as the villagers, in an act of kindness, gathered all the personal belongings of each soldier, including identity discs, and returned them to the families in France. When the bodies were subsequently reinterred most of their identities were lost. That cemetery is just out of shot to the right of this photo, which highlights the excellent position of the hill of Montquintin, where the French artillery was located to cover the retreat after the battle.

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The wreath-laying at Bellevue

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There was brief stop at the site of the old cemetery at La Chamberlaine (see post #19) before the ceremony at the war memorial in Virton. My Belgian father-in-law is always impressed with the serenity and respectfulness of British ceremonies when compared with the slightly less formal affairs they have in Belgium. I appreciate both and find the Belgian ones equally moving. As we arrived at the mairie a wedding party was just emerging and both groups mingled for a while. The bride was Belgian and the Groom, French; the wedding photographs stopping suddenly when the Marseillaise struck up !

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The wreath-laying

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The ceremony at Latour, held in memory of the 71 villagers executed on the 24 August is always held on the same day as the commemorations at Virton. Please see this thread http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=216818&hl=

The little church at Latour was full for the ceremonial mass, from where we all walked to Latour's monument for a reading of the list of those executed and a wreath-laying ceremony:

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Returning to the car we passed the villager's display of mourning for the loss of the seventy-one men

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I'm returning home tomorrow and today attended the ceremonies in Bellefontaine

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The joint French-German cemetery at Bellefontaine (Radan) is one of my favourites; built by the Germans, situated just outside the village on the plain of Radan, on the edge of the forest. The ceremonies started with a mass

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As well as the choir, music was played on local Ardennaise hunting horns.

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After the mass, local scouts placed French and German flags on the graves

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The wreath laying

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Further photos of the cemetery:

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And

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That is the end of my participation in the ceremonies this year.

They continue on Tuesday at with a day long event in Rossignol, to commemorate the centenary of the execution of the 125 civilians at Arlon station (including 112 from Rossignol). It starts by tracing the route of the prisoners at 9.30: a walk of 6 kms to Marbehan station, a special train to Arlon, services at the site of the execution, return by scheduled train to Marbehan, bus to Rossignol and service at the Caveau de Fusiliés at 18.30.

The only ceremonies after that are over the weekend of 12 September when the Troupes de Marine arrive in force, albeit belatedly, complete with marching band, to commemorate the fallen of the Colonial Corps

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After August 1914, the area endured life under occupation until November 1918.

If you are interested in this beautiful area, it is only 3 hours from Zeebrugge and just off the E411. If you want to know more about the actual fighting Zuber's "Battle of the Ardennes" is probably the only recent English language book but is written very much from a German perspective. Most recent books are in French: I would steer clear of Jean-Marie Steg's book which is described as groundbreaking but is anything but. I would recommend Jean-Claude Delhez' work http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=171405&hl=%2Bjean+%2Bclaude+%2Bdelhez . If possible the original two volumes, available direct from the author or, if not, the abridged version available through Amazon.

Thank you for following my week in the south of Belgium

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just another "heads up",

If anyone is near Rossignol or Neufchateau (or Bazeilles) this weekend the French Troupes de Marine are commemorating their earlier heroic battles of 1914 (and 1870).

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My in-laws have sent me these photos of part of the ceremonies at Rossignol. Unlike those I attended on 22 August where there was no French military presence apart from an official representative, the marines came by the coachload !

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Bringing their regimental band too

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At the cemetery

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There were several ceremonies at Rossignol before they moved to Neufchateau (and Bazeilles).

At the monument near the cemetery at Rossignol:

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Before marching to the memorial and mausoleum of the civilians executed at Arlon on 26 August

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The final photos are at alongside that memorial

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And

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  • 2 weeks later...

On the 22nd of August I was at Nevraumont with the uniform of a French Captain killed there 100 years to the day.....

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Thanks for your photos.

I'am from Bédée, a britain (small) village and we sent an official delegation to Charleroi in august; it was a big moment to dicover the battle field, the Sambre bridges. We lost in this battle severals soldiers and others in the "killingfield" of Rossignol. I don't have photos for you but with students we made a project about 120 soldiers of Bédée killed in the ww1; a movie (7') mentionne the battles in belgium; this "production has been realised by a student (16 years old) and recognized by the official Mission du Centenaire and The most celebrate french newspaper "le Monde". My students are very proud to make this hommage. It's for you:

www.ceuxdebedee.com/#!le-film-3d/c10y2

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  • 2 months later...

Great pictures, thanks for posting. The Battle of the Frontiers is defiantly a topic worth more exploring.

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  • 2 weeks later...

More great pictures, thanks for sharing. John

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