First World War Commemorations in Liège and Mons – 04 August 2014

Posted on: August 11, 2014

On Monday 4th of August, President Michael D. Higgins and Mrs Sabina Higgins, whilst on an official visit to Belgium, attended two World War 1 Commemoration Ceremonies held at Liège and Mons.

Ceremony in Liège

On 4th August, President Higgins attended the official ceremony in Liège, hosted by Belgium, to mark the outbreak of hostilities during the First World War. Over seventy countries were invited to attend, and sixteen of these were represented at head of state level, including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany and Ireland. The President and Mrs Higgins were welcomed by the King and Queen of the Belgians, and participated in the ceremony of commemoration at the Monument Interalliés at Cointe.
The event was instrumental in allowing all nations involved in the war, and those States that gained independence after the war, to commemorate the commencement of hostilities in 1914.

The commemoration included the laying of a wreath by the King of the Belgians, Last Post, Reveille and the playing of the European Union’s Anthem.

During the course of the ceremony, speeches were made by the King of Belgium, the Governor of Liège Provence, the Prime Minister of Belgium Elio du Rupo, the President of France Francois Hollande, the President of Germany Joachim Gauck, and HRH the Duke of Cambridge Prince William.
Liège was the first Belgian city to be attacked, and as a result of its resistance, was formally presented with the Grand Gross of the Légion d’Honeur by France on 4 August, as part of the centenary commemorations.

Commemorations in Mons

Later on 4th August, President and Mrs Higgins attended the First World War a twilight commemorative service hosted by HRH the Duke of Cambridge Prince William on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, at St. Symphorien Military Cemetery in Mons, marking 100 years since Britain declared war on Germany.

Senior representatives from Belgium, Britain, Canada and Germany attended. These included the King and Queen of the Belgians, the President of Germany, the Belgian Prime Minister and the Prime Minister of Britain. Relatives of those buried in the cemetery also attended the ceremony.
The ceremony included readings from letters and diaries, choir performances by musicians from the London Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic, Last Post, Reveille, Piper’s Lament (Flowers of the Forest) and the laying of wreaths of flowers. After the dignitaries laid their wreaths on the obelisk, their respected spouses, including Mrs Sabina Higgins, took part in a ceremony involving the lighting of lanterns.
Music included Brahms’ German Requiem and the music of George Butterworth who was killed on the Somme.

One of the readings was a letter from Pte Michael Lennon, 1 Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers, dated 30 May 1915, to his brother Frank, the day before he was due to land in Gallipoli read by Prince Harry: “Well Frank, I suppose we are for it tomorrow, if we don’t get shelled on the way. I can only hope that we have all the luck to come through the night and if I should get bowled out – well it can’t be helped.” However, Pte Lennon never saw Dublin again. He was killed in action almost exactly one month later on 28 June. His name is among those on the Helles Memorial near Sedd el Bahr, the monument to those of no known grave.

On land donated by Jean Houzeau de Lehaie from Mons during the war, St. Symphorien cemetery was established by the German Army as a final resting place for soldiers of both sides killed at the Battle of Mons, on condition that all remains were treated with equal respect. The remains were reinterred from the Mons area, were subsequently buried by the Germans. The Germans raised three monuments in the cemetery, including a seven metre high grey granite obelisk dedicated to the fallen of both sides. The cemetery was dedicated on 6th September 1917. Since November 1918, the cemetery is cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

The Royal Irish Regiment suffered 300 casualties during the Battle of Mons, which was the first British engagement of the First World War.
513 soldiers from Britain, Ireland, Canada, Belgium and Germany are buried in the cemetery at St. Symphorien, including 27 who served in Irish Regiments. One of them, Lieutenant Maurice Dease from Coole, County Westmeath, was the first recipient of the Victoria Cross in the War. The 25-year old officer was in command of a machine gun section on 23rd August 1914. Private Stephen Ryan was 33 years old and is described on his gravestone as the son of Timothy and Mary Ryan of Cashel, Co Tipperary, and the husband of Mary Ryan of the Green, Cashel.

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