Attacks on Commonwealth war graves continue

French gendarmes blamed bored, drunken youths yesterday for a spate of attacks on Commonwealth war graves in northern France.

The gendarmerie is planning to step up patrols after headstones and crosses were smashed at the First World War cemetery at Aix-Noulette outside Lens in the third such incident over the past ten days.

It does seem this is more mindless vandalism than anything else, but even so, why is all the vandalism occurring in Commonwealth rather than French or German cemeteries? The article in the Times goes on to note:

Three youths, all aged 15, had been arrested for breaking 45 gravestones of British, Canadian and New Zealand soldiers at St Aubert cemetery near Cambrai in nothern France at the end of last month. They are also accused of burning the visitors’ book at the cemetery.

Another four youths, two of whom are aged 17, one 18 and one 16, have been arrested for smashing 12 headstones at the nearby Quesnel cemetery. The 18-year-old, who will be tried in a criminal court in Amiens in October, faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison.

Posted by David on August 2, 2003 8:02 PM