It was just over 100 years ago, on Wednesday May 23rd, 1923, that Sir William Pulteney, Commander of III Corps of which the 34th Division was a part, gathered with veterans to unveil the first of two identical Divisional Memorial statues each known in their local areas as ‘La Madelon’; one so familiar to us, situated at La Boisselle and the other some distance away at Mont Noir close to Bailleul and the French and Belgian border. The two identical figures were commissioned by the Division and cast at the Fonderie Nationale in Brussels before being erected at these two important sites. It was an honour for Friends to join the maire and residents and schoolchildren from the Commune at a small commemorative event on May 23rd this year to remember those far off days and the exploits of the young men warranting such fine memorials. IF
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