Le Monument aux Morts was a memorial to soldiers killed in World War 1, and was located in the central square of a small town called Trévières, on the northern coast of France. Trévières was one of the first towns liberated during the D-Day invasion (the first phase of Operation Overlord) and the statue was badly damaged by shrapnel and shellfire during the battle.

A cast was made of the damaged statue and a new version was created, which a French family donated to the US National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA. A plaque on the pedestal below the statue says “With our eternal gratitude to the United States of America for restoring France’s freedom, for granting asylum to our parents, and for halting the extermination of a people.”

 
 
 
The National D-Day Memorial is located in Bedford, which is about 30 minutes west of Lynchburg, VA. If you’re wondering (as I was) “Why Bedford?” the reason is actually pretty simple. The town of Bedford lost more men (44) on D-Day than any other town in America. Good reason. Interesting memorial too, actually. I’m hoping to go by there again when I have more time and can shoot a little more of it. The three pictures I took are all of the top center section, and there are several other areas I didn’t get to.

- Ken