Old Soldiers

Union meusienne des Anciens Combattants.
Lieu : DAMVILLERS
Date de début : 20/09/2014
Date de fin : 20/09/2014
La manifestation organisée à Damvillers rassemblera les responsables des 25 sections d'anciens combattants de la Meuse ainsi que les membres du conseil d'administration de l'Union meusienne des anciens combattants.
Cette réunion se déroulera de la façon suivante:
9h30: Accueil des participants à la salle Ambroise Paré.
10h15: Réunion de travail, salle de la Mairie, place Liégeois.
10h15: Animation pour les conjoints à la salle des fêtes.
11h30: Cérémonie au Monument aux Morts et dépôt de gerbes.
12h00: Vin d'honneur à la salle des fêtes.
13h00: Repas à la salle des fêtes.


Saturday morning.  Sunshine and blue sky as the old soldiers, their families, local dignitaries, les pompiers and various citizens gather outside the Mairie. We join them at the back of the crowd to march with them and pay our respects.

A black cloud of rooks flies overhead and one completely white one stands out from the crowd…gone too quickly for my camera, yet, although not a dove, stands out as a portent of peace.

Flags are unfurled and the flag-bearers lead the procession up Grand Rue and left into Rue d’Eglise. A person on duty stops the traffic on Rue Carnot for the crowd to cross the road to the Monument to the war dead in front of the ancient church.

Surrounded by the raised flags, our mayor and other dignitaries from the region each step forward to place a wreath.  The flags are then lowered and names are read out, each responded to by the crowd “mort de France”; a prayer is said. 

The flags are then raised once more as recorded music is played - the Marseilles and all raise their voices in the anthem.  I get goose-bumps at the moving sound.

The crowd starts to disperse and the Maire invites us to join them for a drink at the salle before their repas starts.  A drink in honour, he said.  We are the ones who feel honoured.