French War Graves Aire-sur-la-Lys

There are many French war graves, graves of civilian casualties and those of resistance members.

There are 2 French plots of honor in this cemetery

The first French memorial with stele includes the fallen of the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), both world wars as well as T.O.E. (Theatre Operations Exterieure – Indochine) and A.F.N. (independence conflicts in North Africa).

The second commemorates the same conflicts with the exception of the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71).

Exceptional here is the civil gravestone with the official French war cross for the pastor (Abbé) Arthur Martel who served in the 219th Infantry regiment as a sergeant and was killed on July 1, 1917 at the age of 22.

The two is a family grave for the Martel family with an official French war cross in front of it. Gustave Martel was killed in Amiens on September 22, 1916, Pierre in Dunkirk on June 2, 1940 and another Gustave was shot by the Germans in Haveskerques on September 8, 1944.

Among the civilian graves there are several repatriated fallen soldiers from both world wars who were buried in family graves where there is also an official French war cross.

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Kaj Metz + Francky de Rous
• Photos: Francky De Rous