Thiepval Memorial official reopening ceremony

On Saturday 21 October, CWGC celebrated the reopening of the Thiepval Memorial after its ten-year maintenance cycle, on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of its construction.

The ceremony was opened and closed by the Samarobriva Somme Pipe Band, with songs from Emma Brown. We would like to thank our partners, the DRAC, the Department of the Somme and the Hauts-de-France Region, for their financial support for this project.

Those present included the Ambassador of New Zealand, the Deputy Prefect of Peronne, the Regional Councillor for Remembrance, the Vice-Chairman of the CWGC Peter Hudson and Xavier Puppinck, Director CWGC France. Also attending were the Director of the DMCA, the United Kingdom, South African, and Canadian Defence Attachés in Paris, the Director of the Sir John Monash Centre, the Representative of the Australian Ambassador in Paris, Mr. John Desrosiers, Director of European Operations of Veterans Affairs Canada and Ms. Carole Novy, Administrative Director of the VDK in France.

CWGC Vice Chairman Peter Hudson CB CBE cuts the ribbon during the ceremony.