Commemorative Events

Over the past few years there have been a number of events; the biggest, arguably, being the inauguration of the memorials after years of fund-raising. A summary of the major events are listed here with some photographs. The Gallery pages, contain many more photographs of the occasions.

 

The 100th Anniversary of the Executions (February 15th 2015)

On the 100th anniversary of the execution of the 11 soldiers and M Chalandre, events were held in the centre of the village, Iron, the Chateau and cemetery at Guise. The secretary to the Irish Ambassador for France spoke, Hedley Malloch chronicled events in speeches at Iron and Guise, David Arrowsmith thanked the villagers of Iron for the sacrifices their ancestors made, and Margaret Oakley, great grand-niece of George Howard, one of the eleven, read at the cemetery. The last post was played at the graves.

Centenary of the Battle of Etreux – RMFA visit to Guise, Etreux and Iron

27th August 2014 – Timetable

Time Event
10h00 Meet in la Place Lesur, Guise/Rassemblement dans le parking de la place Lesur, Guise.
10h15 Wreath laying in Guise Château and Guise Communal Cemetery and at the Monument aux Morts de Guise/Dépôt de gerbe au Guise Château, le Cimetière Communal de Guise, et sur Le Monument aux Morts, Guise.
12h30 Lunch in Guise/Déjeuner à Guise.
13h30 Depart for Etreux British Military Cemetery/Départ au Cimetière Militaire Britannique à Etreux.
14h00 Ceremony of commemoration and wreath laying in Etreux British Military Cemetery/Dépôt de gerbe et un service de commémoration au Cimetière Militaire Britannique à Etreux.
15h00 Procession and wreath laying at the Monument aux Morts, Etreux and at the CWGC plot in Etreux Communal Cemetery/ Défile et dépôt de gerbe sur le Monument aux Morts, Etreux et sur les tombes des soldats britanniques, Cimetière Communal, Etreux.
16h00 Etreux Salle des Fêtes : Exhibition on ‘The Occupiers and the Occupied in the Sambre : Both Sides of the Story’/Etreux Salle des Fêtes : Exposition. ‘Occupants et Occupés de Part et d’Autre de Sambre’.
16h30 Leave for Iron/Départ à Iron.
17h00 Procession from site of the Logez Mill to the Iron 12 Monument and the Iron Monument aux Morts for wreath laying/Défile et dépôt de gerbe sur le Monument aux Douze d’Iron et le Monument aux Morts, Iron.
17h30 Commemorative events in Iron/Les évènements commémoratifs à Iron.
20h30 Depart for Etreux British Military Cemetery/Départ au Cimetière Militaire Britannique à Etreux.
21h15 Commemoration of the surrender of The Royal Munster Fusiliers/La commémoration de la reddition du « Royal Munster Fusiliers’
Special guests included His Excellency The Irish Ambassador to France, Mr. Rory Montgomery, 36 members of Royal Munster Fusiliers Association, the 10th Essex Living History Group and the Mayor of Etreux.

The Inauguration of the Memorials

September 17th 2011 – This was the original programme of events on the day

Time Event
10h00 ASSEMBLE AT THE MAIN GATE OF GUISE CASTLE, RUE DE LA CITADELLE, GUISE AND PROCESS TO THE EXECUTION SITE.
11h15 ST MÉDARD CEMETERY, GUISE : WREATH-LAYING ON THE GRAVES OF THE ELEVEN BRITISH SOLDIERS AND OF M. VINCENT CHALANDRE.
12h30 RECEPTION AT GUISE TOWN HALL ON THE OCCASION OF THE INAUGURATION OF A NEW HEADSTONE FOR M. CHALANDRE.
14h30 ASSEMBLE AT THE SITE OF THE LOGEZ MILL, IRON, NOW THE CERENA AGRICULTURAL SUPPLIES DEPOT, 28 RUE DE HANNAPPES, 02510, IRON.
14h45 PROCESS TO THE SITE OF THE IRON 12 MEMORIAL BESIDE THE IRON VILLAGE WAR MEMORIAL.
15h00 INAUGURATION CEREMONY.
15h45 REFRESHMENTS IN THE TOWN HALL.

Videos

An Overview of the Story

Courtesy Ronan McGreevy – Irish Independent

Inauguration of Memorials Day, Part 1

Inauguration of Memorials Day, Part 2

Inauguration of Memorials Day, Part 3