Monument du Souvenir Français
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Monument du Souvenir Français
Boulevard Jacquard - 62100 CALAIS
The French Remembrance Monument stands opposite the Burghers of Calais Monument and the Town Hall. Its creation was spearheaded by the French Remembrance Association (Souvenir Français). Its mission is to preserve the memory of soldiers who fell for France. In 1899, a fundraising campaign was launched in Calais, "with the aim of erecting a monument in memory of the sons of the canton of Calais who fell on the battlefields defending the French flag." Finding a suitable location for this monument proved difficult. Calais and Saint-Pierre had merged (1885), and new buildings were planned. The lace industry was also very prominent in the former Saint-Pierre district. Several sites were considered, creating uncertainty that delayed the project. The decision was finally made in 1902: the monument would be located at the entrance to a public garden, the current Saint-Pierre Park. But at that time, the French War Memorial stood facing a vacant lot: the Town Hall had not yet been built, and the Burghers of Calais Monument was located elsewhere in the city. Inaugurated in 1904, the work of sculptor Edouard Maugendre-Villers is both imposing and expressive in its details. The stone pedestal is adorned with funerary wreaths, a reminder of its memorial purpose. Engraved on its faces are the names of soldiers who died in the colonial wars and the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. On the sides, two bronze bas-reliefs illustrate Duty and Humanity. On the main face, a female figure represents Valor, leaning on the coat of arms of the city of Calais. At the top, the sculpture of Captain Dutertre receives a laurel wreath from Glory. Who is he? Hippolyte Dutertre was born in 1807 in Coulogne, south of Calais. A graduate of Saint-Cyr, he was destined for a military career. He joined the 1st Battalion of Foot Chasseurs in Orléans and embarked for Algeria in 1841. There, he distinguished himself and became a Knight of the Legion of Honor. During the Battle of Sidi Brahim (1845), he was taken prisoner by Abd-El-Khader. He was led before his men, who were still fighting, to force their surrender. Dutertre cried out, "Comrades, defend yourselves to the death!" He was beheaded on the spot.
