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Armistice Day |
The "Bleuet de France" |
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Armistice Day |
The "Bleuet de France" |
Australian Corps Monument, salute of the flag and minute of silence. Mr Pierre Lecat, Algeria veteran, the village flag-bearer.
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A little reminder. The Armistice ending the First World War was signed on November 11th, 1918 at 11 am in the clearing
of Rethondes, in the forest of Compiègne. This historic event and especially
the memory of the missing persons are celebrated every November 11th.
Hamel as other villages organizes its remembrance around its War Memorial. On its territory, this municipality has not only this monument. Since 1999, the ceremony of November 11th begins at the Australian Memorial Park. Its monument stand upon the village, 200 m to the East. After paying respect to the Australian deads, then people went to Monument to the Deads, on a trafic island on the main road crossing the village. The persons around the municipal authorities are inhabitants sensitive to the duty of memory, war veterans and children of the primary school with a school teacher. A modest but completely honorable mobilization for a village of approximately 500 inhabitants. |
War Memorial of Hamel, wreath laying by a child of the village and a representative of the local veterans. |
"The call of the deaths": reading the list of the "deads for France" from the village by a pupil of the school. |
Salute of the flag and minute of silence. |
Locals in the main street of the village. |
Minute of silence and salute of the flag in front of the Monument of Fusilliers Marins |
After the War Memorial, a wreath is laid on a small monument
honouring the fusilliers marins having fought near Hamel in
June, 1940. An other halt to remember how much our region
is marked by wars. On the way back, a last stop(ruling) with place
in front of the patch Baastian which sends back(dismisses) directly to
the battle of July 4th, 1918. Even if this small monument is not really
official, except for the Australian commitment, he reminds to people that
the village was complétement destroyed(annulled) after 14-18...Après
le Monument aux Morts, l'usage est aussi de déposer une gerbe au
bas d'un petit monument rendant hommage aux fusilliers marins ayant combattu
près de Le Hamel en juin 1940. Une halte qui rappelle à quel
point notre région est marquée par les guerres. Au retour,
un dernier arrêt à lieu devant la plaque
Baastian qui renvoie directement à la bataille du 4 juillet
1918. Même si ce petit monument n'est pas vraiment officiel, à
part l'engagement australien, il rappelle aux gens que le
village était complétement détruit au lendemain
de 14-18...
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Salute of the flag and minute of the silence in front of the Bastiaan plaque. |
The ceremony ends by the traditional
drink. Children are given a brioche and are in charge
of the charitable sale of cornflowers (flower of the souvenir in France)
in the form of stickers.
"Vin d'honneur" at the townhall. |
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