“Lille,” a gateway to the Western Front. That’s what they call it. But this is more than just a gateway. Right here stands the Crypte aux morts de la guerre 1914-1918 War memorial. It is a testament to a city’s resilience.
Lille witnessed immense suffering during the First World War. German forces occupied Lille on October 13, 1914. This followed a ten-day siege. Heavy shelling devastated the city. Around the train station and town centre 882 apartment blocks were destroyed. Also 1500 houses were ruined.
Under German rule, Lille became a place for soldiers to relax. They needed a break from the fighting. The Germans established hospitals, coffee houses, bars, and even casinos. The Lille theatre, now the Opera, hosted events for German soldiers. Crown Prince Rupert of Bavaria and Governor General Heinrich were special guests.
But Lille’s spirit of resistance never broke. Today, monuments throughout the city serve as poignant reminders. They remind us of the past. Lille’s 1929 monument honors citizens executed during the war. The monument shows five members of a resistance group shot by Germans in 1915. They sent information to British forces. When Lille fell again in 1940, Nazis destroyed this memorial. After the war, it was rebuilt.
Even Lille’s Zoo holds a war memorial. It is dedicated “to the 20000 pigeons who died for their country”. Also it honors “the pigeon fanciers who were executed by the enemy”. They were killed for keeping the pigeons.
The Crypte aux morts de la guerre 1914-1918 War memorial stands as a reminder. Lille was just kilometers from the front lines. Troops regularly passed through on their way to and from battle. Southern Cemetery was used by the Germans during the war. After the Armistice, hospitals and casualty clearing stations used it. Over 600 casualties from 1914-18 are commemorated here. Nearly 300 from 1939-45 are also remembered.
Among the graves is Frederic Joscelyn Colless. He was an Australian soldier. He died as a prisoner of war in Lille. He suffered from sepsis caused by grenade splinters. Michael Alfred Raymond Trotobas is also buried here. He was a captain in the Manchester Regiment. He was also part of the French Resistance. Trotobas led a sabotage campaign against the Germans. He destroyed the Lilles-Fives locomotive works.
The Crypte aux morts de la guerre 1914-1918 War memorial reminds us of Lille’s story. It is a story of occupation, resistance, and remembrance. It is a city that has emerged as a hub for technology, education, and tourism. But it never forgets its past. As you reflect, remember the words on Walter Chester’s headstone: “Life is eternal; and love is immortal; and death is only a horizon.”