Remembrance date for Algerian war victims … we shall be having the usual march to the Monument…
Very emotional time for those who have had personal experience of the Algerian war…
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2024:
For our commune, it’s 3pm at the Mairie, then we march to the Memorial…
year after year, the numbers attending get smaller and smaller… only natural, of course, as our “old soldiers” succumb to age and infirmities… (a few families do keep up the tradition… Remembering)
The soldiers will have been youngsters at the time… and the sadness in their eyes as they relate their experiences can leave no-one in any doubt: War is not at all glorious, for anyone… anything but… 
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2025:
With so many other happenings, I hadn’t realised the date today, let alone tomorrow (19 mars) … until reminded this morning at our Mairie
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Beautiful sunshine today.
Just 5 flag bearers today plus 3/4 old soldiers… the Maire, Adjointe … with OH and myself bringing up the rear.
OH and I were the only non-French.
Simple ceremony, remembering the deaths on all sides, the horrors etc… then back to the SdF for drinks and nibbles.
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A gentle ceremony at the Monument, then back to the Mairie for drinks and discussion.
Numbers are even more reduced this year.
3 flag-bearers + 3 elderly gents (veterans) , the Maire and 2 Adjointes , plus a veteran’s wife … and then me as the only non-French.
OH was not well enough to attend this year, but he is on the mend (thank heavens).
A very lively chit-chat followed at the Mairie and we all agreed to meet again next year “if I’m still alive” one of them told me, jokingly.. and I told him in no uncertain manner that I would be very, very disappointed if he doesn’t make it and made him promise to attend…
we all had a good laugh, but it is very poignant as they are so very old now.
When they talk about their experiences in Algeria as youngsters, the horror and the pain is something which only another veteran can fully understand. I followed the conversations as best I could and saw the sadness flit across their faces as each memory was relived.
Me, being me, I managed to have them chuckling from time to time… and we all exchanged warm hugs as we said our goodbyes.
I’d have gone to ours but I had an appointment with some radiation and couldn’t. Hopefully next year
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I don’t think they celebrate that here, just May and November. As a confirmed anti-empirist and endure that part of the ceremonies on the others I don’t feel I would be easy just celebrating one. I’ll check though, it is in honour of the fallen though, whatever the cause.
Celebrating the official ending of a ghastly conflict seems reasonable to me and it is always leaning more towards sorrow for the dead/injured etc etc than anything cheerful.
Our Maire has said that our commune will continue to honour the 19 mars while there is one local veteran of that era still alive.
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I’ve not heard this phrase… what do you mean???
(or if I have heard it, I’ve forgotten the meaning 
Not sure myself if it is even a word, but what it means is that I have always been critical of countries invading, enslaving, absorbing etc. other countries in order to build an empire. In a similar way I would not appreciate a neighbour setting up camp in my garden and then trying to force me to accept it and change to their ways.
Having said that, and that the British Empire, like all others was wrong, just wrong, I don’t approve of later generations being held responsible for what their forefathers did.
Quite agree with you.
Of course, this also covers Brits (and other nationalities) who voluntarily buy property in France and then complain that France won’t let 'em do this that or whatever.. 
but, I digress…
At the hairdresser’s today, we discussed 19 mars.,.. and she explained that “celebration” in French doesn’t mean the same as the English word…
it means more like “marking the date/day”
Perhaps commemorate is a better word?
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Yes, I’ll have to remember to use that word when speaking about such matters in English .. but Celebration when I’m speaking in French (because that is the word I read in the French articles).
ah well, keeps the little grey cells occupied 
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We had a funeral recently for a neighbour who fought in the Algerian war. His coffin was preceded by his tearful granddaughter carrying a cushion with all his medals laid out on top. There were more people outside the very crowded church than there were inside and not a dry eye anywhere to be seen.