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 Guise World War 1 Memorial
Inscriptions on the Guise World War 1 Memorial
The Site in Guise (now the Town Hall) Where the Soldiers Were Imprisoned Before Their Execution
The House in Guise Close to the Chateau, Where the German Commander, Waechter, Lived
The Spot Marked Where the Twelve were Executed at the Chateau in Guise
The Commonwealth War Graves of the Eleven Soldiers in Guise Cemetery
Enactors Marching Towards Etreux Military Cemetery
Piper at the Etreux Military Cemetery, ‘The Orchard’ Where the Royal Munster Fusiliers Surrendered
M. Chalandre’s Great Grandsons (pictured centre) at the Monument in Iron
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. |
Speeches at the Chateau Execution Spot
Laying of Wreaths at the Chateau Execution Spot
Monument in Centre of Iron Under Construction
Monument in Iron Ready for Unveiling
Monument in Iron with Wreaths
The Bronze Plaque With the Story
Start of the Parade from the Mill to the Centre of Iron
Relatives of the Soldiers and M. Chalandre, The Mayor of Iron and Chairman of the Iron Memorial Fund, Hedley Malloch
Headstone of M. Chalandre’s Previously Unmarked Grave
The War Graves of the Eleven Soldiers in Guise Cemetery
Videos
An Overview of the Story
Courtesy Ronan McGreevy – Irish Independent