HAINAUT TOURISMR e M e M b e R I N g T H e 1 9 1 4 - 1 9 1 8 w A R

I N H A I N A U T p R O v I N c e

FR NL eN

gUIde TO ATTRAcTIONS ANd HeRITAge SITeS cONNecTed TO THe gReAT wAR

edITOMeMORIAL TOURISM IN HAINAUT pROvINce

When we think of the European backdrop to the Great War the regions of the Marne the Somme Verdun and the Yser Front are the sites most commonly associated with the 14-18 conflict and their commemorations These major offensives are indeed the most striking as they were the scene of trenches of soldiers in their thousands leaving in their wake a swathe of devastated land and dead bodies

There are other regions however such as Hainaut that are well worth exploring for their historical links to the First World War the visible traces of past events and mankindrsquos de-sire to respect our duty to remember The fighting that took place in the Sambre Valley Mons and the Comines-Warneton front put Hainaut on the historic and memorial map of the Great War

The purpose of this publication is not to retell the story of the conflict in Hainaut but rather to provide a guide for visitors to explore the main tourist attractions and heritage sites connected to 14-18 They are presented chronologically (from August to October 1914 with a few references to 1918) from East to West geographically From one hun-dred year-old military graves to brand new interpretation centres let us be your guide to Hainaut Province

Fabienne CapotDeacuteputeacutee provinciale

Responsible for culture and tourism

Nathalie BrassartDeacuteputeacutee provinciale Responsible for culture and tourism

Comines-Warneton Meacutemorial Missing amp Hyde Park Corner

3

HOw wAS HAINAUT AFFecTed by THe eveNTS OF THe 14-18 wAR

When Germany crossed the border into Belgium on 4 August 1914 its main goal was to get to Paris as quickly as possible Crossing Belgium was a mere formality in the eyes of the German generals So three German armies entered Belgium on 4 August 1914 The 1st German Army

(von Kluckrsquos) would head across Flanders to Antwerp before moving south The 2nd German Army (von Buumllowrsquos) took Liegravege before heading to Namur Charleroi and Mons The 3rd German Army (Hausenrsquos) made its way to the Meuse Valley via Famenne and Condroz At the time Belgium did not have the troops needed to hold back these three army corps alone so Great Britain and France would meet the Germans on Belgian soil to defend the neutral status imposed on our nation

INdeXcHApTeR 1 SAMbRe ROUge (Red SAMbRe)

Hainaut was initially witness to violent fighting pitting the French against the Germans along the Sambre between 21 and 24 August 1914 This is an oft-forgotten chapter of history as Francersquos defeat was so violent

p6

cHApTeR 2 MONS 14-18

The second chapter of Hainautrsquos involvement in the 14-18 War took place on the battlefield of Mons on 23 August 1914 It was in Mons that the first and last British soldiers (ldquoThe First amp The Lastrdquo) were killed by the Germans

p16

cHApTeR 3 THe cOMINeS-wARNeTON FRONT ANd MeMORIAL SITeS IN wALLONIe pIcARde

A third chapter began at the end of October 1914 when a front line pitched the warring armies along around 750km from the North Sea to the Swiss border Located at the heart of the front line Comines-Warneton would suffer the devastation imposed by trench warfare for 4 years

p24

QUeSTIONS pREacuteALAbLeS

ARe MeMORy ANd TOURISM INcOMpATIbLe

The pilgrimage to the battlefields became popular even before the end of the war as the front line was pushed back towards the north But before long pilgrims and tourists came up against each other The first Michelin Guide dedicated to the Marne battlefield was published in 1917 On 4 September 1920 the Journal des mutileacutes describes ldquoa sight that is both painful and sickening that of happy tourists pouring noisily out of coachesrdquo Today memorial tourism helps us convert areas marked by drama regions that were invaded such as Hainaut become regions welcoming visitors

As part of the 14-18 centenary tourism attractions are enjoying some major changes Memorial sites have been res-tored and enhanced by cultural and tourist organisations The range of attractions have been adapted for the new genera-tions two major museumsinterpretation centres (Mons Memorial Museum and Plugstreet 14-18 Experience) have risen from the ground to offer innovative ways of presenting military history alongside the very human stories associated with them

All the commemorations organised in Belgium and in the French Community are listed at wwwbe14-18be and wwwcommemorer14-18be

wHy ARe FOReIgN SOLdIeRS bURIed HeRe ON beLgIAN SOIL

From the first few weeks of the 14-18 War the logistical and symbolic management of the dead was a major concern for the warring nations After 1918 the British and the Germans refused to allow fallen soldiers to be repatriated preferring to build military cemeteries To begin with France and the United States chose to return the dead to their families but soon had to abandon this idea due to the enormity of the task the dead were piled up in their thousands in temporary cemeteries and many of these were not identifiable the ldquounknownrdquo

All the cemeteries mentioned in this guide have at least 50 graves connected to the First World War The different nations stan-dardised the look of the military cemeteries and the soldiersrsquo graves a short square cross for the Germans a white headstone or cross for the French and white stone headstones for citizens of the British Empire in 1914 (today encompassed by the Commonwealth) including those from among others Canada South Africa India Australian and New Zealand

All the French military graves in Belgium (14-18 + 40-45) are listed in this document httpwwwconsulfrance-bruxellesorgIMGpdfListe_Cime-tieres_militaires_francais-2pdf

All the military graves and cemeteries for the former British Empire (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) are listed at wwwcwgcorg

4 5

edITOMeMORIAL TOURISM IN HAINAUT pROvINce

When we think of the European backdrop to the Great War the regions of the Marne the Somme Verdun and the Yser Front are the sites most commonly associated with the 14-18 conflict and their commemorations These major offensives are indeed the most striking as they were the scene of trenches of soldiers in their thousands leaving in their wake a swathe of devastated land and dead bodies

There are other regions however such as Hainaut that are well worth exploring for their historical links to the First World War the visible traces of past events and mankindrsquos de-sire to respect our duty to remember The fighting that took place in the Sambre Valley Mons and the Comines-Warneton front put Hainaut on the historic and memorial map of the Great War

The purpose of this publication is not to retell the story of the conflict in Hainaut but rather to provide a guide for visitors to explore the main tourist attractions and heritage sites connected to 14-18 They are presented chronologically (from August to October 1914 with a few references to 1918) from East to West geographically From one hun-dred year-old military graves to brand new interpretation centres let us be your guide to Hainaut Province

Fabienne CapotDeacuteputeacutee provinciale

Responsible for culture and tourism

Nathalie BrassartDeacuteputeacutee provinciale Responsible for culture and tourism

Comines-Warneton Meacutemorial Missing amp Hyde Park Corner

3

HOw wAS HAINAUT AFFecTed by THe eveNTS OF THe 14-18 wAR

When Germany crossed the border into Belgium on 4 August 1914 its main goal was to get to Paris as quickly as possible Crossing Belgium was a mere formality in the eyes of the German generals So three German armies entered Belgium on 4 August 1914 The 1st German Army

(von Kluckrsquos) would head across Flanders to Antwerp before moving south The 2nd German Army (von Buumllowrsquos) took Liegravege before heading to Namur Charleroi and Mons The 3rd German Army (Hausenrsquos) made its way to the Meuse Valley via Famenne and Condroz At the time Belgium did not have the troops needed to hold back these three army corps alone so Great Britain and France would meet the Germans on Belgian soil to defend the neutral status imposed on our nation

INdeXcHApTeR 1 SAMbRe ROUge (Red SAMbRe)

Hainaut was initially witness to violent fighting pitting the French against the Germans along the Sambre between 21 and 24 August 1914 This is an oft-forgotten chapter of history as Francersquos defeat was so violent

p6

cHApTeR 2 MONS 14-18

The second chapter of Hainautrsquos involvement in the 14-18 War took place on the battlefield of Mons on 23 August 1914 It was in Mons that the first and last British soldiers (ldquoThe First amp The Lastrdquo) were killed by the Germans

p16

cHApTeR 3 THe cOMINeS-wARNeTON FRONT ANd MeMORIAL SITeS IN wALLONIe pIcARde

A third chapter began at the end of October 1914 when a front line pitched the warring armies along around 750km from the North Sea to the Swiss border Located at the heart of the front line Comines-Warneton would suffer the devastation imposed by trench warfare for 4 years

p24

QUeSTIONS pREacuteALAbLeS

ARe MeMORy ANd TOURISM INcOMpATIbLe

The pilgrimage to the battlefields became popular even before the end of the war as the front line was pushed back towards the north But before long pilgrims and tourists came up against each other The first Michelin Guide dedicated to the Marne battlefield was published in 1917 On 4 September 1920 the Journal des mutileacutes describes ldquoa sight that is both painful and sickening that of happy tourists pouring noisily out of coachesrdquo Today memorial tourism helps us convert areas marked by drama regions that were invaded such as Hainaut become regions welcoming visitors

As part of the 14-18 centenary tourism attractions are enjoying some major changes Memorial sites have been res-tored and enhanced by cultural and tourist organisations The range of attractions have been adapted for the new genera-tions two major museumsinterpretation centres (Mons Memorial Museum and Plugstreet 14-18 Experience) have risen from the ground to offer innovative ways of presenting military history alongside the very human stories associated with them

All the commemorations organised in Belgium and in the French Community are listed at wwwbe14-18be and wwwcommemorer14-18be

wHy ARe FOReIgN SOLdIeRS bURIed HeRe ON beLgIAN SOIL

From the first few weeks of the 14-18 War the logistical and symbolic management of the dead was a major concern for the warring nations After 1918 the British and the Germans refused to allow fallen soldiers to be repatriated preferring to build military cemeteries To begin with France and the United States chose to return the dead to their families but soon had to abandon this idea due to the enormity of the task the dead were piled up in their thousands in temporary cemeteries and many of these were not identifiable the ldquounknownrdquo

All the cemeteries mentioned in this guide have at least 50 graves connected to the First World War The different nations stan-dardised the look of the military cemeteries and the soldiersrsquo graves a short square cross for the Germans a white headstone or cross for the French and white stone headstones for citizens of the British Empire in 1914 (today encompassed by the Commonwealth) including those from among others Canada South Africa India Australian and New Zealand

All the French military graves in Belgium (14-18 + 40-45) are listed in this document httpwwwconsulfrance-bruxellesorgIMGpdfListe_Cime-tieres_militaires_francais-2pdf

All the military graves and cemeteries for the former British Empire (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) are listed at wwwcwgcorg

4 5

HOw wAS HAINAUT AFFecTed by THe eveNTS OF THe 14-18 wAR

When Germany crossed the border into Belgium on 4 August 1914 its main goal was to get to Paris as quickly as possible Crossing Belgium was a mere formality in the eyes of the German generals So three German armies entered Belgium on 4 August 1914 The 1st German Army

(von Kluckrsquos) would head across Flanders to Antwerp before moving south The 2nd German Army (von Buumllowrsquos) took Liegravege before heading to Namur Charleroi and Mons The 3rd German Army (Hausenrsquos) made its way to the Meuse Valley via Famenne and Condroz At the time Belgium did not have the troops needed to hold back these three army corps alone so Great Britain and France would meet the Germans on Belgian soil to defend the neutral status imposed on our nation

INdeXcHApTeR 1 SAMbRe ROUge (Red SAMbRe)

Hainaut was initially witness to violent fighting pitting the French against the Germans along the Sambre between 21 and 24 August 1914 This is an oft-forgotten chapter of history as Francersquos defeat was so violent

p6

cHApTeR 2 MONS 14-18

The second chapter of Hainautrsquos involvement in the 14-18 War took place on the battlefield of Mons on 23 August 1914 It was in Mons that the first and last British soldiers (ldquoThe First amp The Lastrdquo) were killed by the Germans

p16

cHApTeR 3 THe cOMINeS-wARNeTON FRONT ANd MeMORIAL SITeS IN wALLONIe pIcARde

A third chapter began at the end of October 1914 when a front line pitched the warring armies along around 750km from the North Sea to the Swiss border Located at the heart of the front line Comines-Warneton would suffer the devastation imposed by trench warfare for 4 years

p24

QUeSTIONS pREacuteALAbLeS

ARe MeMORy ANd TOURISM INcOMpATIbLe

The pilgrimage to the battlefields became popular even before the end of the war as the front line was pushed back towards the north But before long pilgrims and tourists came up against each other The first Michelin Guide dedicated to the Marne battlefield was published in 1917 On 4 September 1920 the Journal des mutileacutes describes ldquoa sight that is both painful and sickening that of happy tourists pouring noisily out of coachesrdquo Today memorial tourism helps us convert areas marked by drama regions that were invaded such as Hainaut become regions welcoming visitors

As part of the 14-18 centenary tourism attractions are enjoying some major changes Memorial sites have been res-tored and enhanced by cultural and tourist organisations The range of attractions have been adapted for the new genera-tions two major museumsinterpretation centres (Mons Memorial Museum and Plugstreet 14-18 Experience) have risen from the ground to offer innovative ways of presenting military history alongside the very human stories associated with them

All the commemorations organised in Belgium and in the French Community are listed at wwwbe14-18be and wwwcommemorer14-18be

wHy ARe FOReIgN SOLdIeRS bURIed HeRe ON beLgIAN SOIL

From the first few weeks of the 14-18 War the logistical and symbolic management of the dead was a major concern for the warring nations After 1918 the British and the Germans refused to allow fallen soldiers to be repatriated preferring to build military cemeteries To begin with France and the United States chose to return the dead to their families but soon had to abandon this idea due to the enormity of the task the dead were piled up in their thousands in temporary cemeteries and many of these were not identifiable the ldquounknownrdquo

All the cemeteries mentioned in this guide have at least 50 graves connected to the First World War The different nations stan-dardised the look of the military cemeteries and the soldiersrsquo graves a short square cross for the Germans a white headstone or cross for the French and white stone headstones for citizens of the British Empire in 1914 (today encompassed by the Commonwealth) including those from among others Canada South Africa India Australian and New Zealand

All the French military graves in Belgium (14-18 + 40-45) are listed in this document httpwwwconsulfrance-bruxellesorgIMGpdfListe_Cime-tieres_militaires_francais-2pdf

All the military graves and cemeteries for the former British Empire (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) are listed at wwwcwgcorg

4 5

MERBES-LE-CHAcircTEAU

GERPINNES

HAM-SUR-HEURE-NALINNE

FARCIENNES

LE-TILLEULMONTIGNY-

AISEAU-PRESLES

HENSIES

MOUSCRON

HONNELLES

LENS

FLOBECQ

ELLEZELLES

EacuteCAUSSINNES

MANAGE

MORLANWELZ

CHAPELLE-LEZ-HERLAIMONT

VILLERSLES BONS

FLEURUS

ERQUELINNES

BEAUMONT

SIVRY-RANCE FROIDCHAPELLE

LE-COMTEBRAINE-

CHAcircTELET

LEacuteVEcircQUE

QUIEacuteVRAIN

QUEacuteVY

CHARLEROI

SILLY

ENGHIEN

ESTINNES

PONT-Agrave-CELLES

MONS

SOIGNIES

LE ROEULX

LA LOUVIEgraveRE

LOBBES

THUIN

CHIMAY

MOMIGNIES

SENEFFE

TRAZEGNIES

MARCINELLE

ANDERLUESBINCHE

FONTAINE-PRESLES

VILLERS

CELLES

GERPINNES

HAM-SUR-HEURE-NALINNES

FARCIENNES

AISEAU-

FLOBECQ

EacuteCAUSSINNES

CHAPELLE-LEZ-HERLAIMONT

LES BONS

FLEURUS

ERQUELINNES

BEAUMONT

SIVRY-RANCE FROIDCHAPELLE

BRAINE-

CHAcircTELET

LEacuteVEcircQUE

QUEacuteVY

CHARLEROI

ENGHIEN

ESTINNES

PONT-Agrave-CELLES

CourcelleS

BOUSSU

LOBBES

THUIN

CHIMAY

MOMIGNIES

SENEFFE

TRAZEGNIES

MARCINELLEBINCHE

FONTAINE-

ESTAIMPUIS

PECQ

CELLES

MONT-DE-LENCLUS

RUMES ANTOING

BRUNEHAUT PEacuteRUWELZ

BERNISSART

BELOEIL

FRAMERIES

QUAREGNON

CHIEgraveVRES

SILLY

LESSINES

ATH

BRUGELETTE

JURBISE

LENS

SOIGNIES

LE ROEULX

MONS

SAINT-GHISLAIN

MANAGE

MORLANWELZ

LA LOUVIEgraveRE

ANDERLUES

LE-TILLEULMONTIGNY-

LE-COMTETOURNAI

DOUR

COMINESWARNETON

COLFONTAINE

FRASNES-LEZ-ANVAING

LEUZE-EN-HAINAUT

CELLES

GERPINNES

Routes BATTlE oF CollARMoNTStartthinsp rue des Combattants6150 Anderlues

9

Routes CARNIegraveRES RouTEStartthinsp 71 rue drsquoAnderlues 7141 Carniegraveres

10

Routes HERoESrsquo WAlkStartthinsp Place communale 6540 Lobbes

11

Routes BATTlE oF GoZeacuteE Startthinsp Place Communale 6534 Gozeacutee

12

Routes BEHINd THE SCENES oFTHE GREAT WAR Startthinsp Place Communale6120 Marbaix-la-Tour

13

Routes oN THE BATTlEFIEld Startthinsp Place Degauque 6142 Leernes

14

Routes IN THE FooTSTEPS oFTHE SoldIER-PRIESTStartthinsp Grand-Place 10 6500 Beaumont

15

Routes IN THE FooTSTEPS oFTHE BATTlEStartthinsp rue Belle Motte5070 Fosses-la-Ville

16

BEllE-MoTTE FRENCH MIlITARy CEMETERy IN AISEAu-PRESlESRue Belle Motte 6250 Aiseau-Presles

01

CollARMoNT FRENCH NATIoNAl CEMETERy IN CARNIegraveRESChemin de Warimez 6150 Anderlues

02

HEulEu FRENCH NATIoNAl CEME-TERy IN loBBESRue du Champs de Bataille 6540 Lobbes

03

CHARlERoI-NoRd CoMMuNAl CEMETERyRue du Presbytegravere 52 6000 Charleroi

04

MARCINEllE CoMMuNAl CEMETERyRue des Sarts 6001 Marcinelle

05

lA louvIegraveRE ToWN CEMETERyRue de la Flache 7100 La Louviegravere

06

MuSeacuteE dES CHASSEuRS agrave PIEdS CHARlERoIAvenue Geacuteneacuteral Michel 1b6000 Charleroi

08

ERquElINNES CoMMuNAlCEMETERyRue Madame 6560 Erquelinnes

07

01SAMbReROUge

01

02

03

0408

16

09

10

1112

14

13

05

06

07

15

6 7

HeULeU FReNcH NATIONAL ceMeTeRy IN LObbeS

On 23 August 1914 French infantry regiments and dragoon squadrons endured volleys of German cannon fire The superior German firepower forced the French to retreat towards the south Here lie the remains of 226 soldiers originally mainly from Bordeaux or Vendeacutee

Rue du Champs de Bataille 6540 lobbes 50deg202003N 4deg151393E Free access

01SAMbRe ROUge

ceMeTeRIeS

Rue Belle Motte 6250 Aiseau-Presles 50deg241257N 4deg361258E Free access

beLLe-MOTTe FReNcH MILITARy ceMeTeRy IN AISeAU-pReSLeS

This is one of the biggest French military cemeteries on Belgian soil Not in terms of surface area but in terms of the number of French soldiers (from mainland France as well as North African colonies) buried there 4057 soldiers mainly from Normandy and Brittany originally from Rennes Vitreacute Saint-Brieuc and Dinan The remains of most of these soldiers (2875) are gathered together in two catacombs This cemetery is located on the administrative border between Hainaut and the Namur Province where there are also two French cemeteries Auvelais (345 soldiers) and Tarcienne (4962 soldiers)

01 03

cOLLARMONT FReNcH NATIONAL ceMeTeRy IN cARNIegraveReS

On 22 August 1914 the infantry of General Sordetrsquos regiment took up their position in Anderlues on the Collarmont promontory that separates the Haie and the Haine Valleys The goal was to hold back the inexorable advance of the German army and help the cavalry retreat to the French border The 248 French soldiers who died during this battle lie here

Chemin de Warimez 6150 Anderlues 50deg25rsquo2849N 4deg153279E Free access

02After defeating Namur the 2nd German Army crossed the Sambre on 21 August 1914 to come up against the French troops deployed to this region make it across the border and get to Paris as quickly as possible On 21 and 22 August the forces fought in Tamines Arsimont Auvelais and Le Roux in Namur Province On 22 August the first fighting on Hainaut soil broke out in the villages of Roselies Aiseau Carniegraveres Anderlues and leernes On 23 August the fighting continued in Lobbes Gozeacutee and Marbaix-la-Tour ending on 24 August in Fontaine valmont and Mon-tignies-Saint-Christophe Maubeuge in France fell on 7 September In the area

known as LEntre-Sambre-et-Meuse 12000 French and German soldiers lost their lives

All the towns and villages affected by the fighting along the Sambre have joined forces under the umbrella of 14-18 Sambre Rouge (literally Red Sambre) to shed light on some of the lesser-known events of the first few days of the war

Find out more about the sites events and memorial routes at wwwsambrerouge14-18be Contacts Maison du Tourisme Val de Sambre et Thudinie - 0032(0)71596919 - Place Albert 1er 2 6530 Thuin - infomtvaldesambreorg

8 9

HeULeU FReNcH NATIONAL ceMeTeRy IN LObbeS

On 23 August 1914 French infantry regiments and dragoon squadrons endured volleys of German cannon fire The superior German firepower forced the French to retreat towards the south Here lie the remains of 226 soldiers originally mainly from Bordeaux or Vendeacutee

Rue du Champs de Bataille 6540 lobbes 50deg202003N 4deg151393E Free access

01SAMbRe ROUge

ceMeTeRIeS

Rue Belle Motte 6250 Aiseau-Presles 50deg241257N 4deg361258E Free access

beLLe-MOTTe FReNcH MILITARy ceMeTeRy IN AISeAU-pReSLeS

This is one of the biggest French military cemeteries on Belgian soil Not in terms of surface area but in terms of the number of French soldiers (from mainland France as well as North African colonies) buried there 4057 soldiers mainly from Normandy and Brittany originally from Rennes Vitreacute Saint-Brieuc and Dinan The remains of most of these soldiers (2875) are gathered together in two catacombs This cemetery is located on the administrative border between Hainaut and the Namur Province where there are also two French cemeteries Auvelais (345 soldiers) and Tarcienne (4962 soldiers)

01 03

cOLLARMONT FReNcH NATIONAL ceMeTeRy IN cARNIegraveReS

On 22 August 1914 the infantry of General Sordetrsquos regiment took up their position in Anderlues on the Collarmont promontory that separates the Haie and the Haine Valleys The goal was to hold back the inexorable advance of the German army and help the cavalry retreat to the French border The 248 French soldiers who died during this battle lie here

Chemin de Warimez 6150 Anderlues 50deg25rsquo2849N 4deg153279E Free access

02After defeating Namur the 2nd German Army crossed the Sambre on 21 August 1914 to come up against the French troops deployed to this region make it across the border and get to Paris as quickly as possible On 21 and 22 August the forces fought in Tamines Arsimont Auvelais and Le Roux in Namur Province On 22 August the first fighting on Hainaut soil broke out in the villages of Roselies Aiseau Carniegraveres Anderlues and leernes On 23 August the fighting continued in Lobbes Gozeacutee and Marbaix-la-Tour ending on 24 August in Fontaine valmont and Mon-tignies-Saint-Christophe Maubeuge in France fell on 7 September In the area

known as LEntre-Sambre-et-Meuse 12000 French and German soldiers lost their lives

All the towns and villages affected by the fighting along the Sambre have joined forces under the umbrella of 14-18 Sambre Rouge (literally Red Sambre) to shed light on some of the lesser-known events of the first few days of the war

Find out more about the sites events and memorial routes at wwwsambrerouge14-18be Contacts Maison du Tourisme Val de Sambre et Thudinie - 0032(0)71596919 - Place Albert 1er 2 6530 Thuin - infomtvaldesambreorg

8 9

cHARLeROI-NORd cOMMUNAL ceMeTeRy

This communal cemetery houses the graves of 93 French soldiers and 270 citizens of the British Empire (79 of whom were Australian) Most of these soldiers died as prisoners of war between 1914 and 1918 Some of them even died after the armistice in 1919 because of the injuries received before the end of the war Alongside the military graves this cemetery is also home to a number of noteworthy civilian monuments that illustrate architectural fashions from the middle of the 19th century onwards

LA LOUvIegraveRe TOwNceMeTeRy

The 55 British soldiers buried in this ceme-tery all died after the armistice between December 1918 and April 1919 following the fighting to win back Belgian land This cemetery also houses the graves of 9 unknown Russians who might have been prisoners of war from the front line in Champagne where 40000 Russian soldiers were stationed in 1916 before they were dispersed after the 1917 revolution

MARcINeLLe cOMMUNAL ceMeTeRy

This cemetery houses the remains of 27 Frenchmen 49 citizens of the British Empire and 286 Germans who died in 1914 during the German offensive (most of the French) then in 1918 before the end of the war (mostly the British and the Germans) The annual ceremony on 15 October brings together Ambassadors from these three nations The cemetery also houses impo-sing square Belgian graves dating from the period after the 40-45 war and a large number of the bodies of the 262 minors who died in the Bois du Cazier disaster on 8 August 1956 The former colliery is next to the cemetery

eRQUeLINNeS cOMMUNAL ceMeTeRy

This cemetery has a special lawn area honouring the military and civilian victims of the 14-18 War It also houses the graves of 66 soldiers from the British Empire who died in October and November 1918 3 Frenchmen and 11 Germans who have not been identified (ldquoEin deutscher soldatrdquo) have also been buried in this communal cemetery

Rue du Presbytegravere 52 6000 Charleroi Rue de la Flache 7100 la louviegravere

Rue des Sarts 6001 Marcinelle Rue Madame 6560 Erquelinnes

50deg224295N 4deg263841E 50deg285488N 4deg121184E

50deg224295N 4deg263841E 50deg184469N 4deg75543E

Free access 8am-4pm

Free access 8am-4pm Free access 8am-17pm

Free access 8am-6pm (0103-3009) ndash 9am-5pm (0110-2902)

04 06

05 07

01SAMbRe ROUge

10 11

SITeS ANd MUSeUMS ROUTeSMUSEacutee deS cHASSeURS agrave pIedS de cHARLeROI

Located in the entrance of the Caporal Leacuteon Treacutesignies (a hero of the Great War) barracks in Charleroi the museum presents an overview of the regionrsquos history through twelve infantry regiments that have been in existence since 1830 until the present day The great hall is exclusively dedicated to the two World Wars and the liberation in 1944 The different periods are illustrated by objects uniforms documents paintings and lithographs equipment and genuine weapons

Avenue Geacuteneacuteral Michel 1b 6000 Charleroi 50deg244015N 4deg27276E

2pm-5pm (Monday and Thursday)10am-1pm (Saturday 0032(0)71300748 wwwchasseurs-a-pied-belgesbe

Full price 2euro

08 09

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

01SAMbRe ROUge

MeMORIAL ROUTeS

The website wwwsambre-rouge14-18be suggests a dozen different routes you can use to explore the history and traces of the Sambre battles You can also download the mobile app for the routes from there along with photos do-cuments and video and audio clips related to the themes covered by these routes

bATTLe OF cOLLARMONTWalking route covering 46km leaving from Anderlues cemeteryRue des Combattants 6150 Anderlues

cARNIegraveReS ROUTeWalking route covering 65km leaving from the viewpoint indicator in Carniegraveres71 rue dAnderlues 7141 Carniegraveres opposite La Jardinerie

HeROeSrsquo wALkWalking route covering 46km leaving fromthe Monument to the dead in LobbesPlace communale 6540 lobbes

bATTLe OF gOzEacutee Walking route covering 4km (102km if joined with Marbaix-la-Tour)leaving from the Monument to the dead in GozeacuteePlace Communale 6534 Gozeacutee

beHINd THe SceNeSOF THe gReAT wAR Walking route covering 62km (102km if joined withGozeacutee) leaving from the church in Marbaix-la-TourPlace Communale 6120 Marbaix-la-Tour

ON THe bATTLeFIeLd Walking route covering 44km leavingfrom the Maison de la Laiumlciteacute de Leernes Place Degauque 6142 leernes

IN THe FOOTSTepS OF THeSOLdIeR-pRIeSTWalking route covering 7kmleaving from Beaumont Tourist Information OfficeGrand-Place 10 6500 Beaumont

IN THe FOOTSTepS OF THe bATTLeDriving route covering 184km across the Plaine de la Belle-Motte leaving from the French cemetery Rue Belle Motte 5070 Fosses-la-ville

12 13

MAJOReveNTS

22 AUgUST 2014Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse

cOMMeMORATIONOfficial commemorations of the fighting in the Sambre regionhttpwwwsambrerouge14-18beagendainauguration-officielles-com-mmorations

22 gt 24 AUgUST 2014Roselies

Re-eNAcTMeNT Bivouacs and battles of Roselies and Arsimont wwwsambrerouge14-18beagendareconstitu-tion-des-bivouacs-et-des-batailles-de-roselies-et-darsimont

22 AUgUST gt16 SepTeMbeR 2014Solre-sur-Sambre

eXHIbITION le grenier aux images (The image loft)wwwsambrerouge14-18beagendaexposition-photos-erquelinnes

23 gt 24 AUgUST 2014Anderlues-CarniegraveresMerbes-le-ChacircteauFontaine-lrsquoEvecircque

gUIded TOUR Narrated walks in the footsteps of the battle wwwsambrerouge14-18beagendapromenades-contees-marches-aux-flambeaux

23 gt 24 AOUcircT 2014Ham-sur-Heure

Re-eNAcTMeNT Bivouac onlookers and entertainment wwwsambrerouge14-18beagendabivouac-militaire-14-18

23 gt 24 AUgUST 2014Lobbes

THeATRIcAL peRFORMANce IN A TRAM life during the occupation wwwsambrerouge14-18beagendaanimations-theatrales-dans-les-voitures-de-tram

23 gt 24 AUgUST 2014Gozeacutee

eXHIbITIONla vie sous les avis (life behind the announcements)wwwsambrerouge14-18beagendaexposition-la-vie-sous-les-avis

24 AUgUST 2014Gozeacutee

MULTIMedIA eNTeRTAINMeNT 3d show (by dreamwall)httpwwwsambrerouge14-18beagendaspectacle-3d-gozee

23 AUgUST gt15 deceMbeR 2014Couillet (Centre de culture scientifique at the ULB)

eXHIbITIONSoudain le chaos les Archives de Charleroi racontent Aoucirct 14 (Suddenly chaos The Charleroi archives tell the story of August 1914)wwwsambrerouge14-18beagendaexposition-soudain-le-chaos-les-archives-de-charleroi-racontent-aout-14

31 AUgUST 2014Beaumont(Parc de Paridaens)

eveNTPoilursquos meal with an orchestral performance of songsfrom 14-18wwwsambrerouge14-18beagendarepas-du-poilu

04 OcTObeR gt13 deceMbeR 2014Charleroi(Museacutee des Beaux-Arts)

eXHIbITIONPutain de Guerre (damn War)wwwsambrerouge14-18beagendaexposition-putain-de-guerre

12 NOveMbeR gt10 deceMbeR 2014La Louviegravere(Tourist Information Office)

eXHIbITIONAoucirct 1914 les moissons sont tacheacutees de sang (August 1914 the crops are stained with blood)wwwsambrerouge14-18beagendaexposition-aout-1914-les-mois-sons-sont-tachees-de-sang

14 15

MERBES-LE-CHAcircTEAU

GERPINNES

HAM-SUR-HEURE-NALINNE

FARCIENNES

LE-TILLEULMONTIGNY-

AISEAU-PRESLES

HENSIES

MOUSCRON

HONNELLES

LENS

FLOBECQ

ELLEZELLES

EacuteCAUSSINNES

MANAGE

MORLANWELZ

CHAPELLE-LEZ-HERLAIMONT

VILLERSLES BONS

FLEURUS

ERQUELINNES

BEAUMONT

SIVRY-RANCE FROIDCHAPELLE

LE-COMTEBRAINE-

CHAcircTELET

LEacuteVEcircQUE

QUIEacuteVRAIN

QUEacuteVY

CHARLEROI

SILLY

ENGHIEN

ESTINNES

PONT-Agrave-CELLES

MONS

SOIGNIES

LE ROEULX

LA LOUVIEgraveRE

LOBBES

THUIN

CHIMAY

MOMIGNIES

SENEFFE

TRAZEGNIES

MARCINELLE

ANDERLUESBINCHE

FONTAINE-PRESLES

VILLERS

CELLES

GERPINNES

HAM-SUR-HEURE-NALINNES

FARCIENNES

AISEAU-

FLOBECQ

EacuteCAUSSINNES

CHAPELLE-LEZ-HERLAIMONT

LES BONS

FLEURUS

ERQUELINNES

BEAUMONT

SIVRY-RANCE FROIDCHAPELLE

BRAINE-

CHAcircTELET

LEacuteVEcircQUE

QUEacuteVY

CHARLEROI

ENGHIEN

ESTINNES

PONT-Agrave-CELLES

CourcelleS

BOUSSU

LOBBES

THUIN

CHIMAY

MOMIGNIES

SENEFFE

TRAZEGNIES

MARCINELLEBINCHE

FONTAINE-

ESTAIMPUIS

PECQ

CELLES

MONT-DE-LENCLUS

RUMES ANTOING

BRUNEHAUT PEacuteRUWELZ

BERNISSART

BELOEIL

FRAMERIES

QUAREGNON

CHIEgraveVRES

SILLY

LESSINES

ATH

BRUGELETTE

JURBISE

LENS

SOIGNIES

LE ROEULX

MONS

SAINT-GHISLAIN

MANAGE

MORLANWELZ

LA LOUVIEgraveRE

ANDERLUES

LE-TILLEULMONTIGNY-

LE-COMTETOURNAI

DOUR

COMINESWARNETON

COLFONTAINE

FRASNES-LEZ-ANVAING

LEUZE-EN-HAINAUT

CELLES

GERPINNES

ST SyMPHoRIEN BRITISH ANdGERMAN MIlITARy CEMETERyRue Nestor Dehon 7030 Mons

01

HAuTRAGE BRITISH MIlITARyCEMETERyGrandrsquoRoute de Mons7334 Hautrage (Saint-Ghislain)

02

MoNS CoMMuNAl CEMETERy Chemin de la Procession 7000 Mons

03

MoNS MEMoRIAl MuSEuMBoulevard Dolez 7000 Mons

04

Routes GuIdE To THE MoNS BATTlEFIEld Deacutepart GrandrsquoPlace 7000 Mons

05

02 MONS 14-18

01

0203 0504

16 17

MONS cOMMUNALceMeTeRy

In 1914 the German military authorities decided to build an extension to the north of the Mons communal cemetery After the war all the soldiers would be brought together here in this cemetery 74 Russian soldiers 24 French soldiers 14 Italian soldiers 9 Romanian soldiers 2 Belgian sol-diers 3 German soldiers and 393 soldiers from the British Empire The bodies of the Italian and French soldiers went on to be repatriated to their native countries

Chemin de la Procession 7000 Mons 50deg273415N 3deg582911E Free access 9am-4pm

02MONS 14-18

ceMeTeRIeS

Rue Nestor Dehon 7030 Mons 50deg255763N 4deg04018E

ST SyMpHORIeN bRITISH ANd geRMAN MILITARy ceMeTeRy

This cemetery is a commemorative site that is unique in a number of ways The most remarkable is the fact that the first and the last British soldiers who died in Mons are buried here As well as this it is a bi-natio-nal cemetery (284 German soldiers + 229 soldiers from the British Empire) Like most of the bi-national cemeteries in Belgium in 1916 it was originally a German cemetery

01

03

HAUTRAge bRITISH MILITARy ceMeTeRy

Most of the soldiers buried here died in 1914 in the fighting that took place in the region After the armistice 24 new British graves and 85 German ones were moved to this cemetery There are now 235 British and 538 German graves 355 of which are for unknown soldiers

GrandrsquoRoute de Mons 7334 Hautrage 50deg282151N 3deg47198E Free access

02The city of Mons still looms large in the British collective memory Firstly thanks to the legend of the Angels which established its reputation during the evening of 23 August armed angels are supposed to have slowed down the Germansrsquo progress and helped the British withdraw Then there are the battles of Mons referred to as ldquothe First and the lastrdquo it was in Mons in 1914 that the British armies met the German troops for the first time and suffered their first loss (John Parr) In 1918 it was also in Mons that the Canadian troops liberated the city on 11 November the day of the armistice and the day on which the last soldier from the British Empire (George Lawrence Price) died in the fighting

This example of manoeuvre warfare in August 1914 went down in the annals after the surprising retreat by the British On 24 August the BEF (British Expeditio-nary Force) withdrew when faced with the Germanrsquos superior numbers In 13 days the British managed to retreat 400km while also countering German offensives this was the ldquoGreat Retreatrdquo These men who had landed at Le Havre on 9 August 1914 took up their position one month later on the front along the Marne

Find out more about the sites events and memorial routes at wwwvisitmonsbe amp wwwmonsbedecouvrirhistoire1914-1918 Contacts Maison du Tourisme de la Reacutegion de Mons - 0032(0)65335580 - GrandrsquoPlace 22 7000 Mons - infotourismevillemonsbe - comemorations2014villemonsbe

Free access - Closed from 3107to 06082014

18 19

MONS cOMMUNALceMeTeRy

In 1914 the German military authorities decided to build an extension to the north of the Mons communal cemetery After the war all the soldiers would be brought together here in this cemetery 74 Russian soldiers 24 French soldiers 14 Italian soldiers 9 Romanian soldiers 2 Belgian sol-diers 3 German soldiers and 393 soldiers from the British Empire The bodies of the Italian and French soldiers went on to be repatriated to their native countries

Chemin de la Procession 7000 Mons 50deg273415N 3deg582911E Free access 9am-4pm

02MONS 14-18

ceMeTeRIeS

Rue Nestor Dehon 7030 Mons 50deg255763N 4deg04018E

ST SyMpHORIeN bRITISH ANd geRMAN MILITARy ceMeTeRy

This cemetery is a commemorative site that is unique in a number of ways The most remarkable is the fact that the first and the last British soldiers who died in Mons are buried here As well as this it is a bi-natio-nal cemetery (284 German soldiers + 229 soldiers from the British Empire) Like most of the bi-national cemeteries in Belgium in 1916 it was originally a German cemetery

01

03

HAUTRAge bRITISH MILITARy ceMeTeRy

Most of the soldiers buried here died in 1914 in the fighting that took place in the region After the armistice 24 new British graves and 85 German ones were moved to this cemetery There are now 235 British and 538 German graves 355 of which are for unknown soldiers

GrandrsquoRoute de Mons 7334 Hautrage 50deg282151N 3deg47198E Free access

02The city of Mons still looms large in the British collective memory Firstly thanks to the legend of the Angels which established its reputation during the evening of 23 August armed angels are supposed to have slowed down the Germansrsquo progress and helped the British withdraw Then there are the battles of Mons referred to as ldquothe First and the lastrdquo it was in Mons in 1914 that the British armies met the German troops for the first time and suffered their first loss (John Parr) In 1918 it was also in Mons that the Canadian troops liberated the city on 11 November the day of the armistice and the day on which the last soldier from the British Empire (George Lawrence Price) died in the fighting

This example of manoeuvre warfare in August 1914 went down in the annals after the surprising retreat by the British On 24 August the BEF (British Expeditio-nary Force) withdrew when faced with the Germanrsquos superior numbers In 13 days the British managed to retreat 400km while also countering German offensives this was the ldquoGreat Retreatrdquo These men who had landed at Le Havre on 9 August 1914 took up their position one month later on the front along the Marne

Find out more about the sites events and memorial routes at wwwvisitmonsbe amp wwwmonsbedecouvrirhistoire1914-1918 Contacts Maison du Tourisme de la Reacutegion de Mons - 0032(0)65335580 - GrandrsquoPlace 22 7000 Mons - infotourismevillemonsbe - comemorations2014villemonsbe

Free access - Closed from 3107to 06082014

18 19

SITeS ANd MUSeUMS MONS MeMORIALMUSeUM

This museum will invite visitors of all ages to question the realities of war They will be immersed into the day-to-day lives of soldiers and civilians in times of war The MMM will be a space for inter-generational interaction right at the heart of a memorial area marked by the two world wars that turned the 20th century upside down

Boulevard Dolez 7000 Mons 50deg27041N 3deg572469E oPENING SPRING 2015

04

ROUTeS05

06

gUIde TO THe MONS bATTLeFIeLd Explore the monuments and plaques commemorating the Battle of Mons There are two different routes available The Guide published by the Mons Tourist Information Office is packed with all the historic information related to 10 points of interest Hainaut Tourisme also has a GPX file (walking GPS) and a downloadable guide for tourists on bikes Starting place GrandrsquoPlace de Mons - Contact Hainaut Rando (Province de Hainaut) 065360464 - inforandohainautbe - Free of charge

wwwtourismegpsbe - wwwvisitmonsbe

THe gReAT wAR bOdIeS weApONS ANd peAce 1914-1918 MeMORIAL ROUTe This Interreg project will be offering visitors the opportunity to take a physical and philosophical journey focusing on a historical event shared by Belgium and France The multimedia tools provided to visitors will include a website and an app compa-tible with all types of smartphone to help you prepare for and organise your stay

More info at wwwvisitmonsbefrdecouvrirmons-14-18item191351-projet-interreg-iv-a-la-grande-guerre-corps-armes-et-paix

02MONS 14-18

Les Anges de Mons Marcel Gilliscopy Collection de la Ville de Mons

20 21

23 AUgUST 2014Mons

cOMMeMORATIONCeremonies for the centenary of the Battle of Monswwwmonsmemorialmuseummonsbeeventscommemora-tions-2014

11 NOveMbeR 2014Mons

cOMMeMORATIONSignature of the Armistice wwwmonsmemorialmuseummonsbeeventscommemora-tions-2014

22 AUgUST gt23 NOveMbeR 2014Mons (BAM)

eXHIbITION la bataille de Mons les objets teacutemoignent (The Battle of Mons objects bearing witness)wwwbammonsbeexpositionsa-venirla-bataille-de-mons

22 AUgUST gt23 NOveMbeR 2014Mons (BAM)

eXHIbITION Signes des temps Œuvres visionnaires davant 1914 (Signs of the times visionary works of art pre-1014)wwwbammonsbeexpositionsa-venirsignes-des-temps

22 AUgUST gt23 NOveMbeR 2014Mons (BAM)

eXHIbITION The First and the last (commemorative art competition)httpwwwbammonsbeexpositionsa-venirthe-first-and-the-last

12 JULy gt16 NOveMbeR 2014Mons (Salle Saint-Georges)

eXHIbITION Fritz Haber la science comme arme de guerre (Fritz Haber science as a weapon of war)wwwsallesaintgeorgesmonsbeexpositionsa-venirfritz-haber-la-science-comme-arme-de-guerre

23 AUgUST 2014Mons(GrandrsquoPlace)

cOMMeMORATIve cONceRT Military music

23 AUgUST 2014Saint Symphorien(Mons)

OpeN dAy ANd deMONSTRATION by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

02MONS 14-18

MAJOReveNTS

28 JUNe gt14 SepTeMbeR 2014Mons

gUIded TOUR Guided tour of the key sites of the Battle of Mons in a double decker busExplore the battlefield sites from a genuine British double decker bus accompanied by a professional tour guide (FREN) Leaving from the Grand-Place in Mons every Saturday and Sundayhttpwwwvisitmonsbefrdecouvrirmons-14-18

1eR gt 24 AUgUST 2014Mons (GrandrsquoPlace)

eNTeRTAINMeNT3d screening about the Angels of Mons

03 AUgUST gt11 NOveMbeR 2014Mons(Maison de la Meacutemoire)

eXHIbITION1914-2014 la Bataille de Mons vue par les Montois (1914-2014 The Battle of Mons as seen by the people of Mons) wwwmmemoirebe

20 gt 22 AUgUST 2014Mons (Parc du Beffroi et Site de la Bascule)

Re-eNAcTMeNT Military camp of British soldiers from 1914

04 AUgUST 2014Mons(Cimetiegravere de Saint-Sym-phorien Place du Parc et GrandrsquoPlace de Mons)

cOMMeMORATIONvisit by representatives of the Belgian and Britishgovernments to St Symphorien wwwmonsmemorialmuseummonsbeeventscommemora-tions-2014

04 AUgUST 201423 AUgUST 201414 SepTeMbeR 2014Mons

eXHIbITION The via dolorosa project bus is in town (Mons Co-mines-Warneton Zonnebeke diksmuide) wwwviadolorosabe

22 23

MERBES-LE-CHAcircTEAU

GERPINNES

HAM-SUR-HEURE-NALINNE

FARCIENNES

LE-TILLEULMONTIGNY-

AISEAU-PRESLES

HENSIES

MOUSCRON

HONNELLES

LENS

FLOBECQ

ELLEZELLES

EacuteCAUSSINNES

MANAGE

MORLANWELZ

CHAPELLE-LEZ-HERLAIMONT

VILLERSLES BONS

FLEURUS

ERQUELINNES

BEAUMONT

SIVRY-RANCE FROIDCHAPELLE

LE-COMTEBRAINE-

CHAcircTELET

LEacuteVEcircQUE

QUIEacuteVRAIN

QUEacuteVY

CHARLEROI

SILLY

ENGHIEN

ESTINNES

PONT-Agrave-CELLES

MONS

SOIGNIES

LE ROEULX

LA LOUVIEgraveRE

LOBBES

THUIN

CHIMAY

MOMIGNIES

SENEFFE

TRAZEGNIES

MARCINELLE

ANDERLUESBINCHE

FONTAINE-PRESLES

VILLERS

CELLES

GERPINNES

HAM-SUR-HEURE-NALINNES

FARCIENNES

AISEAU-

FLOBECQ

EacuteCAUSSINNES

CHAPELLE-LEZ-HERLAIMONT

LES BONS

FLEURUS

ERQUELINNES

BEAUMONT

SIVRY-RANCE FROIDCHAPELLE

BRAINE-

CHAcircTELET

LEacuteVEcircQUE

QUEacuteVY

CHARLEROI

ENGHIEN

ESTINNES

PONT-Agrave-CELLES

CourcelleS

BOUSSU

LOBBES

THUIN

CHIMAY

MOMIGNIES

SENEFFE

TRAZEGNIES

MARCINELLEBINCHE

FONTAINE-

ESTAIMPUIS

PECQ

CELLES

MONT-DE-LENCLUS

RUMES ANTOING

BRUNEHAUT PEacuteRUWELZ

BERNISSART

BELOEIL

FRAMERIES

QUAREGNON

CHIEgraveVRES

SILLY

LESSINES

ATH

BRUGELETTE

JURBISE

LENS

SOIGNIES

LE ROEULX

MONS

SAINT-GHISLAIN

MANAGE

MORLANWELZ

LA LOUVIEgraveRE

ANDERLUES

LE-TILLEULMONTIGNY-

LE-COMTETOURNAI

DOUR

COMINESWARNETON

COLFONTAINE

FRASNES-LEZ-ANVAING

LEUZE-EN-HAINAUT

CELLES

GERPINNES

BloCkHAuS PIoNEER MuSEuMRue des Arts 7780 Comines

9

MIlITARy HISToRy MuSEuMTouRNAIRue Roc Saint Nicaise 59-617500 Tournai

10

Route CoMINES-WARNEToN 14-18 REMEMBRANCE - dANS lA RouE du SouvENIR (IN THE WHEEl oF MEMoRy)Deacutepart Office du Tourisme de

11

BRITISH MIlITARy CEMETERIES HydE PARk CoRNER ANd BERkS ExTENSIoNN365 7782 Comines-Warneton

01

STRANd MIlITARy BRITISHMIlITARy CEMETERy N365 7782 Comines-Warneton

02

17 oTHER BRITISH CEMETERIES 7782 Comines Warneton

03

MoNuMENT CoMMEMoRATINGTHE CHRISTMAS TRuCEIN CoMINES-WARNEToNChemin du Mont de la Hutte7784 Comines-Warneton

04

Sud dE TouRNAI CoMMuNAl CEMETERyChausseacutee de Willemeau 7500 Tournai

05

MoNuMENT dES vENdeacuteENS IN TouRNAIAvenue du Commandant Delahaye 7500 Tournai

06

PluGSTREET 14-18 ExPERIENCE Rue de Messines 1567782 Ploegsteert

08

lEuZE-EN-HAINAuT CoMMuNAl CEMETERyAvenue des Heacuteros Leuzois7900 Leuze-en-Hainaut

07

03cOMINeS-wARNeTONLe FRONT de cOMINeS-wARNeTON eT LeS LIeUX de MEacuteMOIRe eN wALLONIe pIcARde

05 06 1007

01 02 03 04

08 09 11

2524

STRANd MILITARybRITISH MILITARyceMeTeRy

This is the largest military cemetery in Hainaut Province as it houses the graves of 738 British soldiers 289 Australians 89 New Zealanders 26 Canadians 1 South African and 11 Germans The Strand was the name given to a trench that crossed the wood in Ploegsteert the entrance to which was near this cemetery

N365 7782 Comines-Warneton 50deg435823N 2deg524899E Free access

ceMeTeRIeS 02

bRITISH MILITARy ceMeTe-RIeS Hyde pARk cORNeR ANd beRkS eXTeNSION

These are the regionrsquos most famous cemeteries Hyde Park Corner houses a monument dedicated to the memory of the soldiers whose bodies were never found 11367 names are engraved on the walls of the Memorial to the Missing Soldiers abandoned in the No Manrsquos Land between two trenches annihilated by the explosion of an artillery shell or buried under the earth thrown up by these shells and by the mud from the battlefield The graves of 81 British soldiers 180 Australians 80 New Zealanders 149 Canadians and 4 Germans can be found here On the other side of the road the Royal Berks Extension contains the graves of 467 British soldiers

N365 7782 Comines-Warneton 50deg441598N 2deg525647E Free access

01As of the end of October 1914 a front line divided the warring armies for 4 years along around 750km from the North Sea to the Swiss border The eastern line between Dixmude and Compiegravegne was defined at the beginning of October 1914 The front line had German troops on one side and French (mainly up to Lens) and British on the other (mainly between Lens and Dixmude ndash going through the current town of Comines-Warneton and bypassing Ypres)

The site of what is now Comines-Warneton was intersected by the front line for the duration of the war and was heavily involved in all the major battles that indelibly marked the history of the region (Ypres 1914 Ypres 1915 Crecircte de Messines-Wytschaete 1917 Battle of Passchendaele etc)

Find out more about the sites events and memorial routes at wwwvilledecomines-warnetonbetourisme amp wwwvisitwapibe Contacts Maison du Tourisme de la Wallonie picarde - 0032(0)69354285 - Placette aux oignons 20 7500 Tournai - infovisitwapibe

The significant number of soldiers buried in Comines-Warneton (nearly 6950) can be ex-plained by the duration of the conflict and the stationing of British Empire troops on the front as well as by the growing violence of the fighting over the course of the war It began with bullets and bayonets it would end with the technological racket of shells tanks and lethal gases The large number of military cemeteries can be explained by the measures taken by the British to convert most of the temporary cemeteries built during the war into military ones without changing their location

03cOMINeS-wARNeTON

26 27

STRANd MILITARybRITISH MILITARyceMeTeRy

This is the largest military cemetery in Hainaut Province as it houses the graves of 738 British soldiers 289 Australians 89 New Zealanders 26 Canadians 1 South African and 11 Germans The Strand was the name given to a trench that crossed the wood in Ploegsteert the entrance to which was near this cemetery

N365 7782 Comines-Warneton 50deg435823N 2deg524899E Free access

ceMeTeRIeS 02

bRITISH MILITARy ceMeTe-RIeS Hyde pARk cORNeR ANd beRkS eXTeNSION

These are the regionrsquos most famous cemeteries Hyde Park Corner houses a monument dedicated to the memory of the soldiers whose bodies were never found 11367 names are engraved on the walls of the Memorial to the Missing Soldiers abandoned in the No Manrsquos Land between two trenches annihilated by the explosion of an artillery shell or buried under the earth thrown up by these shells and by the mud from the battlefield The graves of 81 British soldiers 180 Australians 80 New Zealanders 149 Canadians and 4 Germans can be found here On the other side of the road the Royal Berks Extension contains the graves of 467 British soldiers

N365 7782 Comines-Warneton 50deg441598N 2deg525647E Free access

01As of the end of October 1914 a front line divided the warring armies for 4 years along around 750km from the North Sea to the Swiss border The eastern line between Dixmude and Compiegravegne was defined at the beginning of October 1914 The front line had German troops on one side and French (mainly up to Lens) and British on the other (mainly between Lens and Dixmude ndash going through the current town of Comines-Warneton and bypassing Ypres)

The site of what is now Comines-Warneton was intersected by the front line for the duration of the war and was heavily involved in all the major battles that indelibly marked the history of the region (Ypres 1914 Ypres 1915 Crecircte de Messines-Wytschaete 1917 Battle of Passchendaele etc)

Find out more about the sites events and memorial routes at wwwvilledecomines-warnetonbetourisme amp wwwvisitwapibe Contacts Maison du Tourisme de la Wallonie picarde - 0032(0)69354285 - Placette aux oignons 20 7500 Tournai - infovisitwapibe

The significant number of soldiers buried in Comines-Warneton (nearly 6950) can be ex-plained by the duration of the conflict and the stationing of British Empire troops on the front as well as by the growing violence of the fighting over the course of the war It began with bullets and bayonets it would end with the technological racket of shells tanks and lethal gases The large number of military cemeteries can be explained by the measures taken by the British to convert most of the temporary cemeteries built during the war into military ones without changing their location

03cOMINeS-wARNeTON

26 27

ST QUeNTIN cAbAReT462 graves from the 14-18 War321 British 7 Australians64 New Zealanders 68 Canadians2 GermansSaint Quentin 26-32 7782 Ploegsteert50deg45255N 2deg51223EFree access

LONdON RIFLe bRIgAde353 graves from the 14-18 War263 British 38 Australians 34 New Zealanders 18 GermansRue drsquoArmentiegraveres 78A 7782 Ploegsteert50deg43158N 2deg52568EFree access

LA pLUS dOUve FARM345 graves from the 14-18 War101 British 86 Australians 61 New Zealanders 88 Canadians 9 GermansPlus Douve 30 7782 Comines-W50deg45144N 2deg51487EFree access

TANcRez FARM335 graves from the 14-18 War307 British 19 Australians3 New Zealanders 4 South Africans2 GermansRue du Touquet 224 7780 Comines-W50deg42345N 2deg54069E Free access

LANcASHIRe cOTTAge269 graves from the 14-18 War231 British 23 Australians 2 Canadians 13 GermansRoute de Ploegsteert 60 7782 Comines W50deg43450N 2deg53522EFree access

pROwSe pOINT MILITARy236 graves from the 14-18 War168 British 13 Australians 42 New Zealanders 1 Canadian 12 GermansRoute de Neuve Eglise 22 7784 Comines-W50deg44393N 2deg53564EFree access

RIFLe HOUSe230 graves from the 14-18 War229 British 1 CanadianChemin du Mont de la Hutte 7784 Comines Warneton50deg44263N 2deg53596E Free access

cALvAIRe (eSSeX) MILITARy ceMeTeRy218 graves from the 14-18 War218 BritishChemin de la Blanche 7784 Comines-W50deg43081N 2deg53550EFree access

The 17 other British cemeteries managed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission are spread throughout the Comines-Warneton area We will just give you the numbers of the soldiers honoured the address and the geographical location

RATION FARM ceMeTeRy(La Plus Douve)202 graves from the 14-18 War186 British 12 Australians 4 New Zealanders 1 GermanPlus Douve 7784 Comines-Warneton50deg45147N 2deg51486E Free access

UNdeRHILL FARM190 graves from the 14-18 War103 British 47 Australians 39 New Zealanders 1 CanadianRue du Petit Pont 6 7782 Comines-Warneton50deg44276N 2deg52118EFree access

gUNNeRSrsquo FARM179 graves from the 14-18 War163 British 2 Australians 1 New Zealander 9 South Africans 4 GermansChemin de la Blanche 50-76 7782 Comines-W50deg43054N 2deg53473E Free access

pLOegSTeeRT wOOd163 graves from the 14-18 War117 British 18 New Zealanders 28 CanadiansBois de Ploegsteert 7784 Comines-W 50deg44136N 2deg54015EFree access

MOTOR cAR cORNeR132 graves from the 14-18 War38 British 9 Australians 84 New Zealanders 1 GermanDregraveves des Rabecques 2 7783 Comines-W50deg42341N 2deg53352EFree access

MUd cORNeR83 graves from the 14-18 War31 Australians 52 New ZealandersChemin du Mont de la Hutte 7784 Comines-W50deg44317N 2deg53548EFree access

TORONTO AveNUe ceMeTRy78 graves from the 14-18 War78 AustraliansBois de Ploegsteert 7784 Comines-W50deg44277N 2deg53599EFree access

Le TOUQUeT RAILwAy cROSSINg74 graves from the 14-18 War74 British7782 Comines-W50deg42405N 2deg54425EFree access

cHURcHyARd7 graves from the 14-18 War7 BritishPlace de la Rabecque 7783 Comines-W50deg43337N 2deg52479EFree access

03

03cOMINeS-wARNeTON

28 29

MONUMeNT cOMMeMORA-TINg THe cHRISTMAS TRUce IN cOMINeS-wARNeTON

A modest wooden cross planted at Christmas in 1999 by the Khaki Chums (a re-enactment society) commemorates the temporary truce that was respected in this exact spot between the Germans and the British on 25 November 1914 The large number of footballs laid at the foot of the cross are in memory of the friendly game played between the warring armies during this truce With the support of UEFA a more solemn monument will be unveiled here on 19 December 2014

MONUMeNT deS veNdEacuteeNS IN TOURNAI

In 1924 the remains of 53 French soldiers most of whom were from La Vendeacutee were brought to the catacombs for the ldquoVendeacuteensrdquo Most of these soldiers who were called up for the first or second time were aged 40 or more and they died on 24 August 1914 during the district of Morel in Tournai

SUd de TOURNAI cOMMUNAL ceMeTeRy

Tournai was occupied by the Germans from 23 August 1914 until 8 November 1918 and the Sud Cemetery was gradually extended during the war It is home to the graves of Polish Portuguese and Italian prisoners and a total of 117 Russian graves This cemetery is also the resting place for the bodies of 689 soldiers from the British Empire Many bodies were moved here from sixty or so other communal cemeteries in Belgium

Chemin du Mont de la Hutte 7784 Comines-W

Chausseacutee de Willemeau 7500 Tournai Avenue des Heacuteros Leuzois 7900 leuze-en-H

50deg443978N 2deg54912E

50deg354812N 3deg223566E 50deg355655N 3deg375516E

Free access

Free access

Avenue du Commandant Delahaye 7500 Tournai 50deg363856N 3deg24178E Free access

Free access

04 06

05

LeUze-eN-HAINAUTcOMMUNAL ceMeTeRy

In the Commonwealth area of this commu-nal cemetery lie the bodies of 57 British and 1 New Zealander soldiers who died between April 1918 and July 1919

07OTHeR cOMMeMORATIve MONUMeNTSANd ceMeTeRIeS IN wALLONIe pIcARde

03cOMINeS-wARNeTON

30 31

MUSeUMSpLUgSTReeT 14-18eXpeRIeNceInteractive interpretation Centre in Ploegsteert

The Interpretation Centre focuses on the lives of soldiers and civilians A glass pyra-mid marks the entrance to the Centre and its semi-underground construction reminds us of the catacombs that are now inacces-sible Three other themes directly linked to the presence of Australian soldiers are also dealt with in a simple modern setting the Battle of Messines the winter of 1917-1918 and the catacombs

Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm except Wednesdays 1pm to 5pm 1st Friday of the month 10am to 7pm Weekends 10am to 6pm (from 1 April to 30 September) or 10am to 5pm(1 October to 31 March)

003256484000 - inforememberplugstreetcomwwwplugstreet1418com

Rue de Messines 156 7782 Ploegsteert 50deg44128N 2deg52512E Full price euro5

08

bLOckHAUS pIONeeR MUSeUM

Buried in the embankment covered in ivy the German blockhaus built in the town centre shad been all but forgotten until a local histo-ry group converted it into a museum It is an unusual experience to step into a First World War bunker without having anything to fear There are also three small rooms where you can look at documents telling the stories of the lives of the ldquopioneeringrdquo German soldiers from 1914-1918 This museum is next door to the other better known one dedicated to the regionrsquos ribbon making activities

wwwvilledecomines-warnetonbetourismea-visitermuseesle-musee-ab-blockhaus-pionnier-14-18-bb+32(0)56 55 80 81 ndash fmaekelbergbelgacomnet Throughout the year by appointment via the Tourist Information Office on +32(0)56 55 56 00

Rue des Arts 7780 Comines 50deg46003N 3deg 0662E Full price 1euro

09

MILITARy HISTORyMUSeUM TOURNAI

Founded in 1930 the Military History Mu-seum is housed in an 18th century private mansion not far from the Grand-Place It offers visitors a journey through the military history of Tournai and its residents from 1792 to 1945

November to March 10am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm The museums are closed on Tuesdays and Sunday mornings April to October 10am to 1230pm and 130pm to 530pm The museums are closed on Tuesdays + 32 69 21 19 66 - museearmestournaibewwwtournaibemusee-armes

Rue Roc Saint Nicaise 59-61 7500 Tournai 50deg46003N 3deg 0662E Full price 260euro

10

03cOMINeS-wARNeTON

32 33

ROUTeS11 cOMINeS-wARNeTON 14-18 ReMeMbRANce - dANS LA ROUe

dU SOUveNIR (IN THe wHeeL OF MeMORy)

Explore the main memorial sites related to the First World War in Comines-Warneton A GPX file (walking GPS) and practical guides are available to download from wwwtourismegpsbe to help you find your way around the area

Leaving from Comines-Warneton Tourist Information Office (Moulin Soete)40km 3 hours excluding visits to the sitesEasy route on roads and the RAVeL network Contact Hainaut Rando (Province de Hainaut) 065360464 - inforandohainautbeFree of charge

03cOMINeS-wARNeTON

MAJOReveNTS15 MAy 2014 gt22 FebRUARy 2015Comines-Warneton(Museacutee de la Rubanerie)

eXHIbITIONRibbon making in wartimehellip Comines industry and people in 1914-1918 httplarubaneriewordpresscom

24 MAy gt24 deceMbeR 2014 Ath(Office de Tourisme drsquoAth)

eXHIbITIONRegards croiseacutes sur la 1egravere Guerre Mondiale (different perspectives of the First World War) httpwwwathbedefaultaspV_DOC_ID=10919

28 JUNe 2014 gt04 JANUARy 2015Tournai(Museacutee drsquoHistoire militaire)

eXHIbITION Tournai August 1914 une ville plongeacutee dans la guerre (a town immersed into the war)

13 amp 20 SepTeMbeR11 NOveMbeR20 deceMbeR 2014Comines-Warneton

eXHIbITIONThe via dolorosa project bus is in town (Mons Co-mines-Warneton Zonnebeke diksmuide) wwwviadolorosabe

12 SepTeMbeR gt04 OcTObeR 2014Comines-Warneton(Museacutee de la Rubanerie)

eXHIbITIONTrancheacutees Œuvres au fusain de John Bulteel (Trenches John Bulteelrsquos charcoals)httplarubaneriewordpresscom

12 gt 13SepTeMbeR 2014Ploegsteert

gUIded wALk Written memories of 14-18 (Heritage days in Wallonia)officetourismecomines-warnetonbelgacomnet

19 SepTeMbeR gt24 deceMbeR 2014Ploegsteert (Plugstreet 14-18 Experience)

eXHIbITION old Bill et les caricatures du lieutenant Bruce Bairnfather (old Bill and the caricatures of lieutenant Bruce Bairn-father)wwwplugstreet1418com

01 gt 15NOveMbeR 2014Ploegsteert(Plugstreet 14-18 Experience)

INTeRNATIONAL eXHIbITION la Trecircve de Noeumll (The Christmas Truce)wwwplugstreet1418be

11 NOveMbeR 2014Ploegsteert WarnetonComines

cOMMeMORATIONCeremonies commemorating the Armisticefmaekelbergbelgacomnet

11 NOveMbeR 2014Ploegsteert

ReMeMbRANce HALF-MARATHONwwwmtobe

19-20-21dEacuteceMbeR 2014Ploegsteert

cOMMeMORATIONSRemembering the Plugstreet Christmas Trucewwwplugtreeet1418com

17 OcTObeR 2014Entre Nieuwpoort et Ploegsteert

eveNTGone West 800 torchbearers on the front line wwwplugstreet1418be wwwgonewestbe

34 35

HAINAUT cULTURe TOURISMeHAINAUT PROVINCE TOURISM FEDERATION

wwwhainauttourismebe

31 Rue des Clercs 7000 Mons - 065360464 ndash federationtourismehainautbewwwfacebookcomhainauttourisme

Creacutedits photos Hainaut Tourisme - C Carpentier WBT JP Remy C Warzeacutee Archives de la Ville de Charleroi Design graphique arkambe