Ossuaire de la Haute, Lachalade France, December 2018.
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Ossuaire de la Haute
Deep in the Argonne Forest of northern France lies the Ossuaire de la Haute, a memorial to the Defenders of the Argonne. 150,000 French combatants are commemorated here as well as 275 French regiments, 18 Italian regiments and 32 American divisions that served in this area. The crypt of the memorial contains the remains of 10,000 unknown soldiers as well as small memorial plates dedicated by the families of their relatives.
Distinct from the immaculate and cared for grounds of the Vimy Ridge and Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland battlegrounds, the forest around this monument was left as it was following the end of the Great War. The terrain churned up by trenches and shellfire is still very much evident. Directly behind the monument is a very large crater from a 52.5 ton German mine detonated 103 years ago today.
The forest was so quiet and peaceful that it was impossible to imagine the violence experienced here a century ago.
December 12, 2019
