Right from the start of the First World War, Mons found itself at the heart of the conflict. It was in this region that the first clashes took place between the German army and British soldiers, whose ranks included the man who became the first British casualty of the First World War, John Parr. During the Battle of Mons on 23 August 1914, a small army from across the English Channel confronted a German force that was twice its size. In the end, the British troops managed to pull out of this dire trap – perhaps by the grace of the Angels of Mons? From here, they retreated to France. Upon their arrival, they fought another bloody battle in Cateau in Cambrai.
For the soldiers of the British Empire, Mons represented the start of a terrible four-year conflict – which also ended in Mons on 11 November 1918, the day the armistice was signed. On that same day, Private George Lawrence Price was killed by a German sniper in Ville-sur-Haine, very close to Mons. He was the last soldier of the British Empire to be killed during the Second World War.
For the British army, Mons became a highly symbolic place: the First and the Last. Indeed, it is at St Symphorien Cemetery where the remains of John Parr, the first British soldier premier killed in the conflict, and of George Ellison, the last British soldier killed in the conflict, are buried, opposite one another.
Due to its central position in the battle of 23 August 1914 and in the last clashes of the war on 11 November 1918, Mons is at the heart of an area heavy with memory. There are monuments, memorials and symbolic places all over the region. With the Parcours de mémoire, which will be ready from August 2014, we offer you a way to discover and rediscover places of battle, tragedy and contemplation.
The result of an international partnership, the project to create the Parcours de mémoire is supported by various partners based in Mons (City of Mons, Tourist Office and Mundaneum) and in the region of Cambrai (Tourist Office, Community of villages of Caudrésis-Catésis and Community of the urban area of Cambrai), and is funded by the European Union. The overall aim of the project is to highlight the British retreat of 23-26 August 1914 by creating a route in memory of a task force that fought in Mons and withdrew to Cateau.
Practical details :
- Trail accessible from August 2014
- Meanwhile, it is still possible to follow the old trail, which remains in place
- Brochure du parcours disponible à l'Office de Tourisme de Mons (VisitMons) et au Mons Memorial Museum
- Parcours accessible en cliquant ici
- Application pour smartphone disponible en téléchargement gratuit : Itunes - Android
Information :
- From the Tourist Office: +32 (0)65 395939
- Send us an email
Partners:
Produced with the support of the General Commission for Tourism