When the fighting in Normandy was over, the bodies of six soldiers who were killed in the Écouves Forest were buried were they fell on private land in a place known as "Les Gateys", in the village of Saint-Nicolas-des-Bois. In 1964, the 2nd DB veterans' association "la Maison des Anciens de la 2e DB" bought this plot of land, where major commemoration ceremonies have frequently been held. They redeveloped the site and transformed it into a small private cemetery.

In 1987, the Orne General Council wanted to bring together the dispersed graves of the men from the 2nd DB killed during the battles to liberate the Orne. The "Maison des Anciens de la 2e DB" donated the land at Les Gateys so that these graves could be transferred here. The bodies of 11 soldiers were reburied here.

This military cemetery, which is now a National Cemetery, contains 17 graves. Two of these each contains the bodies of two soldiers whose mortal remains could not be separated.

Latin crosses cohabit here with stele bearing the Crescent of Islam or the Star of David, reflecting the spirit of unity and fraternity of the 2nd DB.

The Coudehard-Montormel Museum, the only one of its kind, is in the heart of the Falaise pocket, where Germany's powerful war machine eventually collapsed under the Allies' blows. The museum includes an outdoormonument-exhibitionand a guided tour inside thememorial, which offers an annual programme, and the battlefield, which people can visit on their own. The monument was built for the battle's 20th anniversary in 1965. Its sober architecture prompts visitors to think about the tragic events that occurred here and commemorates the sacrifice of the Polish soldiers who died "for our freedom and yours". The memorial was built in 1994 to mark the battle's 50th anniversary. Inserted into the side of hill 262, where Polish tanks fought on the afternoon of 19 August 1944, it naturally fits into the landscape. The annual programme, which is open to all, offers guided tours of the Falaise pocket, film screenings and various cultural activities. Near the memorial, the marked "August 1944" route takes visitors past strategic places where fierce fighting occurred during the battle of the Falaise pocket and pays tribute to the soldiers. The Coudehard-Montormel Museum bears witness to the combined efforts of four Allied nations fighting to defeat a common enemy. It is an unforgettable immersion into the hell that was the Battle of Normandy, and a visit provides the opportunity for a rare educational experience.

Montormel-Coudehard Memorial "Les Hayettes" 61160 Montormel Tel.: 02 33 67 38 61 - Fax: 02 33 67 38 72 E-mail: memorial.montormel@worldonline.fr Opening times: 1 May to 30 September Every day: 9:30am-6pm 1er October to 31 March Wednesdays/Saturdays/Sundays: 10am-5pm (For groups by appointment on other days) 1 to 30 April Every day: 10am-5pm