Imagine, if you will, the deafening roar of artillery echoing across the ravaged landscape. This is a testament to those brave souls: Aux Artilleurs des Tranchées. It stands here in Brussels as a poignant reminder of the First World War.
Dedicated to the trench artillerymen who fell victim to the conflict this monument speaks volumes. Aux Artilleurs des Tranchées is not just a statue. It’s a frozen moment of history cast in bronze and stone.
The Aux Artilleurs des Tranchées monument was erected after World War One. It specifically honors the trench artillerymen who died. The monument’s original location was in the center of the square. It faced Avenue de Tervueren. Inaugurated on May 6 1934 by King Leopold III it was more imposing than the current version.
The statue’s base stood on a platform with four steps. An impressive white stone portico framed the back. The monument’s dedication was engraved on it in both French and Dutch. Bas-reliefs were integrated into the white and blue stone structure.
However progress has its price. The monument was dismantled in the 1970s. This was to make way for Brussels’ first pre-metro line. The Mérode station now occupies the original site. The Aux Artilleurs des Tranchées monument was rebuilt in a simplified form on the side of the square.
At the heart of Aux Artilleurs des Tranchées stands a bronze statue. It depicts a winged Victory. She raises a crown aloft. Behind her two bronze bas-reliefs depict scenes from the trenches.
On the left three men struggle to move a piece of artillery. A fourth carries munitions. To the right a lookout watches the enemy. Three artillerymen load a mortar while a fifth protects himself.
The realistic style contrasts with the allegorical Victory. The faces are hard and almost painful. Heavy clothing suggests cold and damp. A chaotic background shows debris a cross and broken trees. All this conveys the hardship endured by those honored.
Maurice Waucquez sculpted Aux Artilleurs des Tranchées. The Verbeyst foundry cast it. You can find Waucquez’s signature at the base of the central figure. It is also in the upper left corner of the left panel.
The plaster models used to create the bronze elements are in the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces. They are in the 14-18 room. This museum is close to the Aux Artilleurs des Tranchées monument.
As you stand here before Aux Artilleurs des Tranchées remember the sacrifices made. Remember the mud the blood and the endless barrage of shells. Let this monument serve as a reminder of the cost of war. May it inspire us to strive for a future where such sacrifices are never again necessary.