Remembrance Monument, Calais

The Remembrance Monument in Calais is a solemn homage to soldiers who lost their lives defending France. Standing opposite the famed Monument of the Burghers of Calais and the Town Hall, it was established through the efforts of Souvenir Français, an organization dedicated to preserving the memory of fallen soldiers. In 1899, a fundraising effort began in Calais to honor local soldiers who died in service, particularly during colonial conflicts and the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871.

Selecting a location for the monument proved challenging due to the 1885 merger of Calais and Saint-Pierre, as the area was undergoing rapid changes with new buildings and a bustling lace industry. Ultimately, a site at the entrance of Saint Pierre Park was chosen in 1902, though at that time, it faced an open lot rather than the now-standing Town Hall.

The monument was unveiled in 1904 and is the work of sculptor Edouard Maugendre-Villers. This imposing structure features a stone pedestal adorned with wreaths and engraved with the names of fallen soldiers. Two bronze bas-reliefs on the sides symbolize Duty and Humanity, while the main face shows a female figure representing Valor, leaning on Calais's coat of arms. Atop the monument, Captain Hippolyte Dutertre receives a laurel wreath from the figure of Glory—a poignant tribute to his sacrifice.

Captain Dutertre, born in 1807 in nearby Coulogne, was a decorated officer and a graduate of the Saint-Cyr military academy. During the 1845 Battle of Sidi Brahim in Algeria, he was captured and ordered to urge his men to surrender. Dutertre, however, famously shouted, "Comrades, defend yourselves to the death," before being executed on the battlefield. This act of defiance and courage cemented his legacy, honored forever in the Remembrance Monument.