#Monument

​​Alexandre Renaud, the Mayor

​​The memorial on the edge of the town square is in honour of the former mayor of the town, Alexandre Renaud. ​The mark of Alexandre and his family are never far away in the town and collectively add to the wartime history and remembrance.​

​​Alexandre was a veteran of the First World War, joining the French Army in 1912. He served in the 77th Infantry Regiment and in 1914 was sent to the frontlines in the area of Lorraine. In 1917 he was captured by the Germans and would become a prisoner of war whilst fighting the in area of Aisne. 

Alexandre was a pharmacist by trade and after the end of the First World War in 1923 he settled in Manche. He had opened a pharmacy in the town and sat on the municipal council from 1923-1944. In early 1944 he would then become the mayor of the town. 

In the early hours of 6 June 1944, D-Day, he would receive a knock on the door of his pharmacy from a local man informing him that a house was on fire. The pharmacy is still across the square to the left side. 

Alexandre quickly realised this must be important as the man was outside when the German curfew restriction was in place. He was informed of a house on fire and the local town’s people were trying to assist to put it out. They had formed a human chain, passing buckets of water along to douse the flames. The water was being sourced from the pump that is still on the eastern side of the square by the church.  

It was at this time also that allied C-47 Skytrain (Dakota) aircraft began to cross the skies above the town. Paratroopers began to fall into the nights sky from the aircraft, Alexandre’s two son’s watched from the upstairs window of the pharmacy.  

He then quickly returned to the family informing them of what he had seen and stating that this was not a commando raid but the liberation due to the number of aircraft and paratroopers. The family took refuge in a trench close to the rear of the pharmacy for protection. They would have heard the firefights between the American paratroopers and Germans in the town that night. 

Shortly before 05:00 the town had been liberated and was in the hands of the US 82nd Airborne Division. Alexandre and his eldest son headed out into the square to greet the liberators. 

Years later when the church in the square underwent repairs, a new stain glass window would be built to remember the story of the night of D-Day. It was in fact Alexandre’s eldest son, Paul Renaud, who’s early artwork remembering that night would be turned into a memorial window. This is now in place above the main entrance door to the church. 

Alexandre Renaud died on 1 February 1966; the memorial was placed here on 28 April 1968.  

He was also depicted in the film, ‘The Longest Day’. 

​​Voie de la Liberté, 50480 Sainte-mère-Eglise

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