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The Sainte-Ménehould national cemetery

La nécropole nationale de Sainte-Ménehould. © ECPAD

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The Sainte-Ménehould national cemetery brings together the remains of French soldiers who, despite the treatment administered in the town's many hospitals, died as a result of their injuries. Nearly 5,700 bodies are buried there. Created from 1914 onwards, this cemetery was developed after the war to accommodate bodies exhumed from the temporary military cemeteries in the Bionne area. 5,486 soldiers from the First World War lie in individual graves and 277 in eight ossuaries. This cemetery was developed until 1953 in order to bring together the bodies of soldiers who had fallen in the Marne during the Second World War.

A monument dedicated to the defenders of the Argonne was erected at the end of the cemetery. This obelisk, built in brick and stone, thus preserves the memory of the men of the 10th and 18th army corps (CA).

Among the French soldiers lies Lieutenant-Colonel André Agel (grave 495). A former student at the Saint-Cyr military academy, Sudan class (1891-1893), this senior officer in charge of the 51st infantry regiment (RI) "was killed gloriously on 10 November 1914, at the foot of the German trenches he had received orders to take. In this situation, as was previously the case on many occasions, he gave the most magnificent example of courage and dedication to the troops under his command". The body of Thomas Ziller (grave 521) is also buried here. Originating from the Alsace region, on 4 December 1914 this soldier enlisted voluntarily with the 2nd foreign regiment under the assumed name of Eugène Girard. After transferring to the 57th RI in April 1915, he died as a result of his injuries on 28 June 1916. He was posthumously awarded the War Cross with palms.

La nécropole nationale de Sainte-Ménehould. © ECPAD

Ligne de front en Argonne. © MINARM/SGA/DMCA/Joëlle Rosello

Généraux Sarrail et Dubail circulant sur la place de l'hôtel de ville de Sainte-Ménehould, mai 1915. En septembre 1914, le général Sarrail (1856-1929), commandant de la 3e armée, parvient à enrayer le mouvement offensif allemand dans la région de Verdun. En 1915, il est relevé de ses fonctions à la suite de l'échec des opérations meurtrières de l'Argonne. En août, il devient chef de l'armée d'Orient. Le général Dubail (1851-1934) occupe, à partir de janvier 1915, les fonctions de commandant du groupe d'armées provisoires de l'Est. © Collections BDIC

Locomotive blindée stationnant en gare de Sainte-Ménehould, mai 1915. Le blindage est camouflé d'une peinture imitant un mur en moellons. © Collections BDIC

Canon de 75 mm utilisé comme pièce anti-aérienne et installé aux abords de Sainte-Ménehould, juin 1915. © Collections BDIC

Ravitaillement des troupes d'Argonne en gare de Sainte-Ménehould, juillet 1915. © Collections BDIC

Madame Segond-Weber se recueillant devant des tombes de soldats morts en septembre 1914 dont les dépouilles ont été inhumées dans le cimetière militaire de Sainte-Ménehould. © Collections BDIC