Monday Monuments and Memorials – VI Arrondissement, Paris, France

Honouring those in the VIe arrondissement, Paris, who died for France

Le VIe arrdt à ses enfants morts pour la France

Translation: The 6^th arrondissement, to its children who died for France

This simple obelisk, to residents of the 6^th arrondissement who died in WW1, is in the lobby of the Mairie (town hall) at 78, rue Bonaparte, in Paris.

Monday Monuments and Memorials – Memorial to Russian Expeditionary Force 1916-1918, Paris

Memorial to Russian Expeditionary Force in France, 1916-1918, Paris

On 21 June 2011, French Prime Minister François Fillion and Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled a statue on Place du Canada in Paris, in memory of soldiers and officers of the Russian Expeditionary Force who fought on French soil between 1916 and 1918.

The bronze statue, named The Spring or Spring Brook by the sculptor, is of a Russian soldier dreaming of peace and remembering his fallen comrades as his horse drinks.

Monday Monuments and Memorials – Monument de la reconnaissance nationale belge, Paris, France

Monument de la reconnaissance nationale belge, Paris, France

Belgium’s gratitude to France in WW1 is marked by a monument in Place de la Reine-Astrid, a grassy triangular park in the 8^th arrondissement near the Pont de l’Alma. The statue was unveiled on 14 July 1923, on the occasion of France’s national holiday.

Monday Monuments and Memorials – Memorial to Greek Soldiers, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris

Monument to Greek Soldiers, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris

Tablet in memory of Greek Soldiers, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris

This March features the WW1 monuments on L’avenue des Combattants Étrangers Morts pour la France (Avenue of Foreign Soldiers who died for France) in Père-Lachaise Cemetery, Paris.

Between 4000 and 5000 Greeks served in the French army in WW1. The monument to Greek soldiers who died for France in three wars was unveiled on 25 October 1953. A copy of the Winged Victory of Samothrace tops a marble Ionic column. A tablet in front of the column reads:

Monday Monuments and Memorials – Memorial to Garibaldians of the Argonne and Italian Volunteers, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris

Monument to Garibaldians and Italian Volunteers, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris

This March features the WW1 monuments on L’avenue des Combattants Étrangers Morts pour la France (Avenue of Foreign Soldiers who died for France) in Père-Lachaise Cemetery, Paris.

In November 1914, a regiment of the French Foreign Legion was formed under Giuseppe (Peppino) Garibaldi, comprised mostly of leftist Italian volunteers who were living in France. The regiment fought in battles in the Argonne before being dissolved in March 1915. When neutral Italy joined the Allies in May 1915, the Garbaldi Legionnaires enlisted with the Italian army.

Monday Monuments and Memorials – Memorial to Czechoslovakian Soldiers, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris

Monument to Czechoslovakian Soldiers, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris

This March features the WW1 monuments on L’avenue des Combattants Étrangers Morts pour la France (Avenue of Foreign Soldiers who died for France) in Père-Lachaise Cemetery, Paris.

The monument to Czechoslovakian soldiers was dedicated on 19 December 1934. It was designed by architect Josef Gocár, with a bronze sculpture by Karel Dvorak.

Monday Monuments and Memorials – Memorial to Belgian Soldiers, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris

Monument to Belgian soldiers killed in France, Pere Lachaise Cemetery

Bronze bas-relief door, Charles Piot sculptor

This March features the WW1 monuments on L’avenue des Combattants Étrangers Morts pour la France (Avenue of Foreign Soldiers who died for France) in Père-Lachaise Cemetery, Paris.

The Ossuaire et monument aux soldats belges morts en France, 1914 – 1918 (Ossuary and monument to Belgian soldiers killed in France) was designed by architect Henry Lacoste, with a bronze bas-relief door by sculptor Charles Piot. The names of 103 soldiers are engraved on the rounded pillars.

Monday Monuments and Memorials – Memorial to Armenian Soldiers, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris

Memorial to Armenian soldiers who fell for France in WW1 – Pere Lachaise Cemetery

This March features the WW1 monuments on L’avenue des Combattants Étrangers Morts pour la France (Avenue of Foreign Soldiers who died for France) in Père-Lachaise Cemetery, Paris.

The monument in memory of Armenians who died fighting in the French army in WW1 and WW2 is an octagonal shape reminiscent of the bell towers on Armenian chapels. It was unveiled on 15 April 1978. The monument was created by Edouard Utudjian, H. Koutan, Jean-François Djermagian and sculptor, Bernard André.

Monday Monuments and Memorials – Avenue des Portugais, Paris, France

Avenue des Portugais, 16th arr, Paris

Statues are not the only way to honour the war dead. And the form of honour can have a double purpose. Avenue des Portugais, a short walk from the Arc de Triomphe in the 16^th arrondissement of Paris, is testament to both ideas.

Monday Monuments and Memorials – Monument aux volontaires américains, Paris, France

Monument aux volontaires américains morts pour la France. Paris.

Names on Monument aux volontaires américains morts pour la France, Paris

In honour of Memorial Day in the US.

The Monument aux volontaires américains morts pour la France (monument to American volunteers who died for France) is located in square Thomas-Jefferson, place des États-Unis, 16^th arrondissement, Paris.