Glenn Posted 19 January , 2004 Share Posted 19 January , 2004 I was recently asked whether there is a Battle of the Marne Memorial and a main British cemetery? Can anyone help? Regards, Glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 19 January , 2004 Share Posted 19 January , 2004 The CWGC memorial to the missing by the River Marne is La Ferté-sous-Jouarre Memorial. This lists those missing in the area from Aug-Oct 1914 (3740 names). There are 71 CWGC burial sites in the department of Marne and another 43 in Seine-et-Marne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenwoodman Posted 19 January , 2004 Share Posted 19 January , 2004 Yes, Glenn The Soissons Memorial commemorates those who died on the Marne in 1918. Check it out on the CWGC site, where there is a "cemetery" history of the memorial and a photo too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted 19 January , 2004 Author Share Posted 19 January , 2004 Thank you Gentlemen, much obliged. Glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 19 January , 2004 Share Posted 19 January , 2004 The local Laird, Sir Archibald Craig Gibson-Craig was killed at the Marne with two of his men. If I can put up an extract from the Memorial book: Sir Archibald Charles Gibson-Craig Lieutenant 4th Bart. 2nd Bn., Highland Light Infantry who died on Monday, 14th September 1914. Age 31. Additional information: Son of the late Sir James Henry Gibson-Craig, 3rd Bart., and of Lady Gibson Craig, of Riccarton, Currie, Midlothian. Commemorative Information Memorial: LA FERTE-SOUS-JOUARRE MEMORIAL, Seine-et-Marne, France Location: La Ferte-sous-Jouarre is a small town 66 kilometres to the east of Paris, and the Memorial is situated in a small park on the south bank of the River Marne, just off the main road to Paris. The Memorial Register is kept at the Town Hall. The La Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial commemorates nearly 4,000 officers and men of the British Expeditionary Force who died in August, September and the early part of October 1914 and who have no known grave. The monument consists of a rectangular block of stone, 62 feet by 30 feet and 24 feet high, with the names of the dead engraved on stone panels on all sides of the monument. Local memorial: Currie Church panels Unit information: 2nd Highland Light Infantry 4/8/1914 Maida Barracks, Aldershot: 5th Bde, 2nd Division. 14/8/1914 landed Boulogne. 11/11/1918 5th Bde, 2nd Div, Villers Pol, France. The village of Ferte-sous-Jouarre was captured in a night fight on the 10th September which was a hand-to-hand fight among burning buildings. The advance was continued on the 12th – 13th but was brought to a halt when they ran into artillery and machine-gun fire north of the village. Lt Gibson-Craig volunteered to deal with a concealed machine-gun which was firing from the wooded hills to the west. He was given a small company and their attack was entirely successful but Lt Gibson-Craig and two of his men were killed, at the cost of 50 of the enemy. Their bodies were brought two miles back and buried near the village. Wooden Crosses were made to mark the spot but the positions were subsequently lost later in the war through shellfire. Officers Died gives the date as between 12th – 17th September 1914. His elder brother George was killed in the Boer War and thus there was no male heir to the Gibson-Craig estate. The last Gibson-Craig married and moved south and the estate is now - Heriot-Watt University. In the centre of which is the Gibson-Craig burial ground which is to be maintained in perpetuity. There is a Memorial Hall in the village of Currie to his brother George. In the 1918 Second Battle of the Marne four British Divisions were involved ( see http://perso.club-internet.fr/batmarn2/menuseng.htm ) and of these the 15th Scottish Division had a Memorial erected by the French to them at Buzancy near Soissons. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 19 January , 2004 Share Posted 19 January , 2004 The CWGC memorial to the missing by the River Marne is La Ferté-sous-Jouarre Memorial. This lists those missing in the area from Aug-Oct 1914 (3740 names). This memorial commemorates those who fell from Mons to Le Cateau to the Marne and the Aisne fighting... this statement seems to imply it just commemorates those who fell on he Marne. Just being pedantic, but clarity is everything... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 19 January , 2004 Share Posted 19 January , 2004 Correct Paul. Sloppy English. Slapped wrist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank_East Posted 20 January , 2004 Share Posted 20 January , 2004 We should not miss out the French Marne Memorial at Dormans.Well worth a visit. Probably not visited by the British as much we should,it has the Battle Order of the Allied Powers in both Battles of the Marne inscribed in stone within a covered walk.The inscriptions being sheltered from the weather are in excellent condition and show no erosion. History in tablets of stone! Regards Frank East Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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