LONDON — A modest memorial in the sleepy French town of Frethun is a rare public reminder of the transatlantic alliance of NATO and those who have served its cause.
The unveiling of the ceremony for the memorial in 2012 was attended by NATO officers and their representatives. Each year an interfaith ceremony marks the sacrifices of the those who died and served in NATO missions. The event is usually held on or near September 11.
Willy Breton, a former gendarmerie, is the president of the memorial foundation. Breton served under NATO command in both the Western Balkans and in Afghanistan. Yet, it was an incident in his later life that inspired him to start the memorial. The wider war in Afghanistan was an important turning point for NATO. When the United States invoked Article 5 of the Atlantic Charter in calling for response to 9/11, it was the first time a NATO member state had invoked the common defense agreement.
"During my tour an IED resulted in the death of Corporal Janzen Luc and Captain Barek-Delingy Christophe," he said.
In his capabilities he oversaw the transfer of their bodies to an airbase for transport home and was haunted by the honor guard that the bodies of the two soldiers received from their fellow NATO soldiers and their allies.
"NATO soldiers of different nationalities and Afghan soldiers accompanied the convoy ...[made] a guard of honor holding a lighter or lamp a loft as we passed. I was in the vehicle leading the way and I can tell you that it was a personally very moving experience. These two soldiers were brought together by death, blood and a call to service."
His service done, Breton realized that despite the many countries involved in NATO, there was no public NATO memorial anywhere in the now 30 member countries. He wanted a way to honor the memory of the soldiers who died in operations under NATO mandate, and to ensure remembrance among new generations of NATO's mission.
Breton considered several cities for a memorial and eventually chose the French village of Fréthun. Breton notes it was chosen for a number of reasons: The nearby city of Calais has long been an important transportation hub, and nearby links to the Paris-London high-speed railway ensure the memorial is reachable from a variety of airports. The support of the then-mayor was also crucial.
"Madame Catherine Fournier made land available very quickly and free of charge for the committee which allowed the NATO Memorial to be born. The monument after it was built transferred to the town hall of Frethun. The committee was dissolved, and the Federation of the Nato Memorial was officially created."Fournier later became a French senator but continued to be engaged in the monument. She died while still in office on December 7, 2021.