We have just come back from our village commemorations to those who died in wars. Our new mayor sported an incredible array of medals from his 23 years service in the air force and for the first time we saw two or three French people wearing Le Bleuet. This year we were missing the actual soldiers as it transpired that the French army charges for their attendance and on a bank holiday the charge is doubled. But to replace them there were more ancienne combattants with their flags than usual.
This year there were subtle changes. As one child read out the name of the person who had died for France, another said where the battle was. For the first time the four people who died in a rather dubious incident at the foot of the steep hill to Puycelsi were also remembered. It was interesting that the official letters from the appropriate government ministers and the president of the local association of anciens combatants all focused on commemorating the 96th anniversary of 1918.
Before the routine vin d'honor we all went to see an exhibition of the village's involvement. Someone had lent his great grandfather's medals and citations. He had been the village baker and was quite a mature recruit. Wounded twice he had been offered a move from front line service to being an army baker. He declined and continued in the foot regiment de chasse until he was killed in 1917.
For the last three years Ross has laid a poppy wreath and the French have welcomed it. Another minor change this year was he, like the mayor, was accompanied by two children as he laid the wreath. Next year we have been asked to find someone to join the ancien combatants and carry the Union Flag.
We know of several communes where Brits involvement has been as welcomed as ours. If you don't lay a poppy wreath or carry a flag in yours, why not ask at the local mairie if you can be included next year
Ginny
