Le Monument aux Morts

It is in the heart of the Pays de Bray, that the Department of Seine-Maritime has granted in 2021 its label "Rural Heritage" to the war memorial of the charming village of Cuy-Saint-Fiacre. Let's go for its discovery!
I set off early on the roads of Bray to enjoy the spectacle of undulating landscapes, green fields where cows and other animals graze, real postcards of Normandy. As a history and geography teacher, the study of international conflicts and the duty of remembrance is a regular part of the lessons I give to my students. Also, the discovery of this war memorial which recently obtained a distinction makes me curious.
When I arrived in Cuy-Saint-Fiacre, I perceived the town as a place where life is good. Indeed, everything is superbly arranged; and I only have to follow the directional signs to find the church with the war memorial. I pass in front of the town hall and park on the parking lot of the community hall. I enjoy the scent of roses along the low wall of the church which leads me to the gate of the cemetery. I push one of the doors and in front of me, placed on its pedestal, I discover the monument in homage to the soldiers of Cuy-Saint-Fiacre who died for France. This is the one that has just been labeled "Rural heritage of the Seine-Maritime". After the armistice of 1914, all the villages of France wished to pay tribute to their children who died during the First World War by erecting monuments to the dead. I walk slowly and remember as a child with my classmates in the cemetery of my town. On November 11, the day of the Armistice, we would go one by one to lay our bouquet of flowers at the foot of the war memorial. There, we listened with attention to the speech of the Mayor! What memories! I suppose and hope that the children of the commune of Cuy-Saint-Fiacre continue to come to pay homage to these men who gave their lives for the nation.
On the pedestal, I see the four shells linked by chains, completed by two steps which form the base of the monument. Three golden sprays placed at the foot of the monument complete the decor. I note the presence of many symbols related to the theme of war: a flag, a war cross, palms, military ornaments. The Latin cross on which are engraved the names of the children of the village sacrificed for France is topped by an Adrian helmet, symbol of the modern war. At the top, as if ready to fly away, I can see the rooster with its wings open. All this has an impressive side! The singularity of this monument is in its sobriety, its purity of lines, its smooth and round forms and its immaculate hard stone from Euville in the Meuse. The realization of this work is extraordinary. Its sculptor is none other than François Pompon, an animal artist who owns a house near the church and the cemetery of Cuy-Saint-Fiacre. The career of this sculptor is very prestigious: originally from Burgundy, he worked in many sculptors' studios, notably that of Rodin, and his works can be found in the most beautiful museums in the world, both in Europe and in the United States.
I understand better the distinction obtained by this monument, which differs from many other commemorative sculptures that I have seen. I take a few pictures to illustrate my next classes and I take a few minutes to read the information given by the interpretation totem next to it.
This discovery made me curious to discover the other sites labeled "Rural Heritage" by the Department. And I hope to discover some other nuggets!