Level 3 – 31 km
Starting point
visitMons
Grand Place 27
7000 Mons
Route description
Mons did not escape the First World War and was, despite itself, the scene of tragic events.
The “Battle of Mons” is thus very well known in the United Kingdom because of the “Legend of the Angels of Mons” and the many human losses. Among these, the Private PARR and the Private ELLISON; the first and the last British soldier to fall in action.
It was also in Mons that Lieutenant DEASE V.C. and Private GODLEY were awarded the first two Victoria Crosses awarded during the First World War.
These events explain the notoriety of the “Battle of Mons”!
Vhello offers you an authentic memorial journey through the sites and places of memory of the Mons region.
Cycle nodes
Before starting your tour, ask for your free “Battlefields Guide” brochure at the visitMons reception.
Commemorative plaques of the Town Hall of Mons
Your memorial journey begins on the Grand Place in Mons. Under the porch of the Town Hall you will find two bronze plaques. One is dedicated to the 5th Royal Irish Lancers which took part in the two battles of Mons, in 1914 and in 1918 (during the liberation fights). The other plaque is dedicated to the 3rd Canadian Division which took part in the fighting in November 1918. From the Main Square of Mons, take the direction of node 10 towards Nimy.
Monument to the Dead of the Place du Parc
A little less than a month after the liberation of the City in 1918, the Communal College examines the question of the construction of commemorative monuments. They plan on erecting three monuments, the first to commemorate the battle of Mons on August 23 and 24, 1914, a second is dedicated to the battle of November 10 and 11 and the last in memory of the Allied soldiers and Mons dead for the homeland with indication of their names. It is the latter that you can see at Place du Parc before arriving at node 10.
Place de Nimy plaque
Between nodes 10 & 5, you pass on Place de Nimy. A plaque commemorates the German atrocities in the Mons region where sniping provokes bloody reprisals. In Nimy, 22 civilians are killed. Quaregnon (66 civilians killed), Ville-Pommeroeul (14), Flénu (12) and Jemappes (11) were not spared.
Go forward in the direction of numbers 5 – 20.
Rail Bridge
After node 5, you will find the rail bridge. There Lieutenant Maurice James DEASE V.C., the only valid member of his machine-gun section, had to use the weapon himself. He was injured 5 times and finally evacuated to the ambulance where he died. Private Sydney Frank GODLEY volunteered, took the weapon and was left alone, thus ensuring the retreat of his comrades in arms. He was wounded, destroyed the weapon and threw it into the canal.
Under the arch of the railway bridge, a plaque is affixed with the following inscription:
“To the glorious memory of the Officers, NCO and men of the 4th BN Royal Fusiliers who held this sector of the British Front in the defense of the town of Mons. August 23/8/1914. This memorial marks the M.G. position where the first V.C.’s awarded during the war 14-18 were gained by Lt M.J. DEASE and Pte S.F. GODLEY.”
Road Bridge
Proceed towards node 20 and stop at the Road Bridge. You are on the left side of the salient, defended by the 4th Royal Fusilier. The salient was formed by the bend of the canal.
The 4th Royal Fusilier defended the positions between the Nimy road bridge and Mons station, it included 4 bridges: the park gate road bridge, the lock n ° 6 drawbridge, the rail bridge of the Paris-Brussels line and the road bridge of the Chaussée de Bruxelles.
Continue towards nodes 20 – 42 – 1 – 3.
George Price Memorial
The original plaque dedicated to the memory of Private George Lawrence Price was unveiled on November 11, 1968 by Colonel McIntyre (who commanded the 28th Canadian Infantry Battalion) in the presence of many surviving members of Company A. It was placed on the facade of the house from which he had emerged when he was mortally wounded. This building was demolished in the 1980s to allow the canal to be widened and the plaque was affixed to a memorial located almost opposite the site where it was shot. The walkway behind the monument was named after Price in 1991 by plebiscite.
At node 3, a new, much larger memorial was inaugurated on November 10, 2018 by Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada. The project, initiated in May 2014 by the Collège communal du Roeulx, local historians and Canadian soldiers based at SHAPE, received the support of the Canadian Ambassador and the Canadian Minister of Veterans Affairs. It is near a kindergarten, George Price Elementary School and the footbridge over the canal.
Continue towards nodes 18 – 27 – 45 – 21 – 92.
Saint-Symphorien military cemetery
At point-node 92, you will find the Saint-Symphorien military cemetery.
Unique and highly symbolic place; This is where the remains of the first and last British soldiers who died in World War I are buried. This cemetery also has the particularity of containing an almost equivalent number of British graves and German graves.
At this point, you can leave the Vhello network and reach an additional point of interest by following the Chaussée du Roi Baudouin for 3.5 km to the Bascule (junction of the Chaussée de Beaumont & the Chaussée Roi Baudouin). However, we advise you to exercise great caution as this section outside the Vhello network does not have a cycle path along its entire length.
If you do not wish to take this risk, continue in the direction of nodes 55 – 19.
Monument of “La Bascule”
The monument of “La Bascule” was erected in memory of the two battles of Mons, those of August 23, 1914 and November 11, 1918. It symbolizes the first and the last participation of the armies of the British Empire during the First World War .
Go back to number 92 and continue in the direction of nodes 55 – 19.
Site of the Mont Panisel and Bois-là-haut battlefield
Between nodes 55 & 19 are Bois-là and Mont Panisel, two heights overlooking the city of Mons which provide very good observation points, particularly towards Saint-Symphorien. During the two battles of Mons, these hills witnessed violent combat scenes.
Continue towards the nodes 19 – 6 – 69 – 14 – 17.
Mons Memorial Museum
At node 17, take Avenue du Pont-Rouge instead of following the direction of number 11. You will arrive at the Mons Memorial Museum.
Place of reflection, museum, space for questioning, interpretation center, etc. This museum space invites visitors of all ages to question the multiple and complex realities of war phenomena.
Return to number 17 to join the Vhello network and end your trip in complete safety by following nodes 11 – 10.
Useful information
Mons Memorial Museum
Boulevard Dolez 51
7000 Mons
+32 (0) 65 40 53 25
polemuseal@ville.mons.be
https://www.monsmemorialmuseum.mons.be/
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Prices: 9 € / 6 €
Bicycle hire points & contact
visitMons
Grand-Place, 27
7000 Mons
open every day
+32 (0) 65 33 55 80
info.tourisme@ville.mons.be
www.visitmons.co.uk
Classic bike
- 2h = 5€
- 4h = 8€
- 24h = 10€
Electric bike
- 2h = 10€
- 4h = 16€
- 24h = 20€
Kids bike
- 2h = 4€
- 4h = 6€
- 24h = 8€