The 106th anniversary of the armistice of the First World War was celebrated in several communes of Normandy from Monday November 11, 2024. A solemn moment between “sadness”, “duty to remember” and “tribute” to the soldiers sacrificed by peace.
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The moment was solemn this Monday, November 11, 2024 at the Caen Memorial.
Several local elected officials, soldiers, authorities as well as many families came to celebrate the 106e anniversary of the armistice of the First World War on the square in front of the emblematic Caen peace museum.
“We wanted to be here to remember what happened more than 100 years ago and to show the children that it is important to be here to commemorate this conflict which changed the times. We see everything that is happening in Ukraine or in the Middle East at the moment. It's important to know what happened before so as not to make the same mistakes in the future.” comments a father, who came with his two Franco-American children to commemorate November 11, the day of ceasefire between the Allies and Germany.
“I feel a little sad because it reminds us of all the deaths there have been” adds his son, touched by the tributes to the soldiers who died to save France in front of the Caen Memorial, on which is written “from my wound a river of freedom gushed“.
Emotions were also high at the Omaha Beach American Cemetery. Around a hundred people came to pay their respects in the morning in front of the memorial.
“We must pay tribute to all these soldiers who died during the 14-18 War, to their sacrifice” recalls a tourist, who came to commemorate this day of peace in Normandy.
A wreath of flowers was laid then a moment of contemplation took place, during the tolling of the dead.
Those present then observed a minute of silence in memory of the lives sacrificed during the First World War.
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