War Memorial Châlons-en-Champagne

The monument "Le dernier relève", located on Place Saint-Etienne, was designed in 1924 by Gaston BROQUET.

It consists of a massive ashlar base supporting a group of 5 bronze soldiers, where a lieutenant can be seen leading his trench gunners.
On the pedestal of the monument and on the wall to the left and right hang bronze plaques with the names of the Châlonnais who died for France.

The monument to the dead of the First World War illustrates daily life in the trenches. It is entitled "Towards Sacrifice or Final Enlightenment" by the designer Gaston Broquet and consists of three poilus led by an officer. The details are surprisingly realistic: the differences between the officer and the soldiers, the military uniforms, the accessories. the weapons, etc.
The entire sculpture tries to impress through this realism and the difficult condition of the soldiers: the facial features are drawn, we read the exhaustion and fear on the faces. The formula "Never again" is clearly legible here.
The monument was inaugurated on October 24, 1926 during a grand ceremony.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Marie-Christine Vinck