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Following on from our last post, the plaque on M. Chaldre’s gravestone has been regilded and reinstated at a slight angle to aid rainwater runoff. His grave in Guise cemetery is just yards from the graves of the soldiers he so gallantly helped in Iron in 1915. His bravery cost him his life. This major restoration work will be one of our last tasks before custody of the monuments is transferred to local organisations. More on this shortly. If you don’t know, arguably the most intriguing story of WW1, I highly recommend reading it here https://iron12.org/the-story-part-1/

Following on from our last post, the plaque on M. Chaldre’s gravestone has been regilded and reinstated at a slight angle to aid rainwater runoff. His grave in Guise cemetery is just yards from the graves of the soldiers he so gallantly helped in Iron in 1915. His bravery cost him his life. This major restoration work will be one of our last tasks before custody of the monuments is transferred to local organisations. More on this shortly. If you don’t know, arguably the most intriguing story of WW1, I highly recommend reading it here https://iron12.org/the-story-part-1/

M Chalandre, if you know the Iron 12 story, was the mill owner who helped shelter the eleven Allied soldiers trapped behind enemy lines and kept them safe from the occupying Germans. In February 1915, their luck ran out. They were betrayed, tried and the eleven soldiers and M. Chalndre were executed. The soldiers were eventually buried in a Commonwealth War Grave in Guise cemetery. We eventually discovered the unmarked mill owner’s grave, coincidentally nearby to that of the soldiers’ graves. His was a pauper’s grave. This was such an ignominious end for someone who had bravely, and selflessly, given up their life to help others. Some of the Iron Memorial funds we raised paid for a headstone with an inscription which belatedly recognised M. Chalandre for what he did.

The original gravestone plaques are shown below. Twelve years later, the elements have taken their toll and the gold lettering is faded, and in some places, missing. We have decided to spend a further sum to bring back M. Chalandre’s headstone to its former glory. This will be one of the final acts of the Iron Memorial Fund, but more about that in future posts.