The military cemetery

Since May 13, 1922, the Plaine military cemetery has been maintained continuously by the local council, in addition to the statue of Joan of Arc erected here by the Souvenir Français association, and featuring the wording: 'To them, immortality... We will remember them”. This cemetery includes an ossuary containing 447 unknown French soldiers and 190 whose identity is known and who are named on a marble slab. A second contains 9 Russian and 90 French unknown soldiers, all killed during the First World War. There are also individual graves for 285 French soldiers including 1 Jew and 94 Muslims, in addition to 46 Commonwealth citizens. On February 23, 1923 when awarding the Croix de Guerre, the Minister of War and Pensions said of Plaine: 'The area was the scene of violent fighting in August 1914 and suffered shelling which partially destroyed it. Despite its grief and the pain it has suffered, it has always demonstrated its utmost conviction in the success of our armies, and has earned the gratitude of the nation'. This text, which visitors can see engraved on a plate on the front of the town hall is signed by Maginot. The Croix de Guerre award was granted to Plaine and is shown in bronze on the monument to the fallen. On August 12, 1923 the statue of Joan of Arc was officially inaugurated at the cemetery.