A S S O C I A T I O N

« L O O S , S U R L E S T R A C E S D E

L A G R A N D E G U E R R E »

Number 54

L’Écho des tranchées

MINISTERE DE LA DEFENSE

I.P.N.S

4th quarter 2017

In this edition:

« Chemins de Mémoire »

Téléphone : 06 09 46 48 65

Télécopie : 03 21 69 88 79

Messagerie : a.villedieu@wanadoo.fr

Place de la République

62750 Loos en Gohelle

A S S O C I A T I O N « L O O S , S U R L E S

T R A C E S D E L A G R A N D E

You can download this magazine from the Association’s website http://

loos1915.pagesperso-orange.fr/ from the tab Echo des Tranchées where you will also find full

details of our activities, the Battles of Loos, military cemeteries, local heroes, outings, a forum,

and plenty of practical information.

From our President

Alfred DUPARCQ

- From our President

- The Canadian

memorial

- Report on activities

1

2

3 et 4

An eventful year

2017 has produced quite a remarkable record in terms of commemorations,

visits and a range of involvement over the course of the year which marks the

100th anniversary of the Battle of Hill 70.

The year’s activities included: the pre-inauguration of the Canadian memori-

al, which took place before the commemoration of the capture of Vimy Ridge in

April; the visit to the underground workings; numerous visits leading up to that

event, as well as those which followed it; installation of panels illustrating the

Battle of Hill 70; involvement of our members with various local colleges; an

interview on “Radio Plus” telling of the capture of Hill 70; and, of course, gath-

erings for the 11th November ceremonies; and our presence at the museum at

Harnes and the exhibition at Sainghin en Weppes.

We hope that 2018 will be as eventful as this past year.

We are already looking ahead to an exhibition in the Media Centre at Loos on

10th, 11th and 12th November 2018 to give due recognition to the centenary of the

1918 armistice.

Finally, our commune will soon be featuring in the programmes of various

Canadian tour operators who wish to come to Loos “On the trail of the Great

War”.

L’Écho des tranchées Page 2 1st quarter 2018 Numéro 54

I.P.N.S

In September 2017, the Lens-Liéven tourist office organised a conference on the subject of Hill 70 in the

Media Centre at Loos en Gohelle. Led by Simon Godly and Gilles Payen, the conference gave the public a

better understanding of the stakes involved in this Canadian attack in August 1917. With the aid of projected

illustrations, the details of this attack towards Lens were explained (the green slagheap, Lens in 1917, Canadi-

an divisions, heroes) as well as the construction of the magnificent Canadian monument inaugurated in Au-

gust 2017.

Simon Godly and Gilles Payen leading the Hill 70 conference

Laying wreaths at the inauguration of the Canadian memorial by Lieutenant-General Paul Wynnyck

The visit of the Canadian delegation also saw

the burial of the remains of Reginald Joseph Win-

field Johnston and Harold Wilfred Shaughnessy at

the British memorial at Loos.

4th quarter 2017 - number 54

The Canadian memorial

Report on activities

L’Écho des tranchées 4th quarter 2017 - number 54 Page 3

In the footsteps of ……. Alexandre Villedieu

Alfred Duparcq with Captain

Alexandre Villedieu

On 26th February 1996 a farmer at

Loos uncovered the remains of a

French soldier at the foot of the Double

Crassier. On the soldier was a small

case containing a Waterman fountain

pen. A huge surprise: the pen was still

in working order after 82 years in the

ground. The soldier’s name was Alex-

andre Villedieu. He was born in the 5th

district of Lyon in 1886, and was killed

at Loos on 8th October 1915.

The “Loos sur les Traces de la Grande Guerre” Association thereupon decided to name its museum after Alexandre Villedieu and

tried to trace the Villedieu family at Lyon and Eculy. Another big surprise occurred in November 2017 when Captain Alexandre

Villedieu from Lyon came to light, wanting to visit the museum which bears his name. It was revealed that his great- uncle Antoine

had fallen in the Battle of the Marne in 1914 and that another Villedieu, Jacques, had died on the Silk Road in Asia, and that there is

a memorial bearing his name in Vietnam.

Has any connection been made between the two Alexandre Villedieus? Research is continuing, both by our Association and our

visitor.

At the ceremony on 11th November, pupils from colleges in Loos and Lens formed up in the shape of a maple leaf, the

emblem of Canada, on the site of the Canadian memorial.

I.P.N.S

L’Écho des tranchées Page 4 4th quarter 2017 - number 54

I.P.N.S

To mark 11th November, our Association was

asked by the commune at Sainghin en Weppes for the

loan of material found around Loos, and this was put

on show with other relics which had been witness to

fighting in the region.

Pupils from the Ovide Leroy school at Loos visit-

ed the museum. They were all very attentive, and

surprised to see what the land in our commune still

conceals in terms of relics of the Great War.

The six Victoria Crosses awarded on the occasion of the Battle of Hill 70 on display at the Cana-

dian War Museum.

A delegation from our Association visited Sain-

ghin en Weppes for a private viewing of this exhibi-

tion.