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The Allied Special Forces Memorial Grove, located at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire, has unveiled a powerful new monument: the Moussey Memorial. This tribute commemorates the extraordinary courage of the citizens of Moussey, a village in the Vosges region of France, for their resistance during the Second World War.
Situated on the historic border of Alsace-Lorraine, Moussey has long endured suffering and strife. During WWII, the villagers heroically aided British Special Forces during Operation Loyton (August–September 1944), a mission carried out by the 2nd Special Air Service Regiment. Despite brutal German reprisals—including mass deportations to concentration camps, the people of Moussey refused to betray the SAS patrols operating in the nearby mountains. Tragically, few of the deported villagers returned, and many Resistance fighters, gendarmes, forest workers, and SAS soldiers were executed.
To honour this legacy of sacrifice and solidarity, the new Moussey Memorial was conceived by Mike Colton and crafted by blacksmith and artisan Bromley O’Hare. The centrepiece is a striking Cross of Lorraine, a symbol of the French Resistance, fashioned entirely from mild steel, galvanized, and finished with an industrial-grade “Traffic Light Red” powder coating. The stainless steel fittings, supplied by electropolishing specialists Anopol, were meticulously pickled and polished before installation, ensuring both durability and a reflective, high-quality finish.
This Cross incorporates a unique three-bar design, symbolizing the French national motto: “Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité” (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity). It is strategically placed to face the village of Moussey, over 600 miles away, and is nestled among pine trees transplanted from a Forest Guards’ cottage near the original resistance site in the Vosges mountains.
The three bars of this design represent “Liberté, égalité, fraternité” (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity) which is the National Motto of France. The Cross faces Moussey some 600 miles away!
The Moussey Memorial is a proud addition to the Allied Special Forces Memorial Grove, a volunteer-funded tribute established in 2003 to honour the courage and sacrifice of Allied Special Forces. It is also connected to the Phantom Garden, another section of the Memorial Grove.
A formal dedication ceremony will take place on 1st May 2026 at 12 noon, commemorating the brave citizens of Moussey and their unyielding support of the Allied cause.
For more information, please visit: https://alliedspecialforcesmemorialgrove.org
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