Hilltop ceremony remembers Shropshire heroes
French villagers and former officers of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry came together on a French hilltop to commemorate the centenary of an exploit which won the regiment lasting glory.
A remembrance ceremony was held on Bligny Hill, which was stormed by soldiers of the 4th Battalion of the KSLI in June 1918, restoring the line after a major German attack.
Afterwards the whole battalion and three individual soldiers were awarded the Croix de Guerre Avec Palme.
Lieutenant Colonel John Marsham, president of the Bligny Officers Club comprising retired officers from the regiment, said: "We were joined by a lot of French people and the warmth of feeling of the French, particularly some of their children who read poetry at the site, was really striking,
"The trip was led by General Michael Regan. Mme Collette Macquart has been Lady Mayor of the nearby village of Chambrecy for over 10 years and organised a wonderful reception for everyone on the trip, with a champagne vin d’honneur in the ancient church in the village, followed by lunch in the nearby village of Chamousy.
"The generosity and kindness of our French hosts was exceptional, especially for such a small and rural community. The KSLI Officers Bligny Club presented Mme Macquart with a regimental bugle as a thank you, and to record the friendship between the Shropshires and the people of Chambrecy."
There were 70 people on the trip, comprising a five-day battlefield tour and the anniversary remembrance service on Bligny Hill.
Among those at the ceremony were Mrs Caroline Adams, whose father Lieutenant Geoffrey Bright led the attack. She proudly wore his medals. Her son Mark laid a wreath at the cross on Bligny Hill.
Others included a distinguished French Army veteran wearing the Legion d’honneur for gallantry - equivalent to our Victoria Cross - and the Prefet for the Marne region of France, the government and civic representative for France.
The Last Post was played by Bugle Major Douglas of Shrewsbury.
