This was an original WW1 painted sign on a wall in the village of Couin, north-west of Albert on the Somme battlefields. It was recently renovated by the owner, M. Damez. The local Commune and Souvenir Francais (the Western Front Asoociation equivalent in France), placed the new memorial to all animals that died in France & Flanders. We were, initially, impressed that someone, however belatedly, was giving some thought to the horrendous treatment of animals forced to take part in our disastrous wars. Having visited the site, in November of 2004, we were rather surprised at what appeared to be a translation error, from the original French, to English. We were also disappointed by the misguided emotional representation of the suffering bourne by animals at the hands of their human keepers. Accordingly, we have decided to give our own interpretaion of the memorial.

EXISTING FR ENCH TRANSCRIPTION Aux innomerables et humbles creatures de Dieu qui ont suivi les hommes, ont souffert et ont peri durant les dernieres guerres. Avec fidelite et courage, elles ont beaucoup endure et sont tombees pour nous. Sachons nous souvenir d’elles avec gratitude et affection. Que leurs souffrances et leur mort nous amenent a savoir apporter plus de gentillesse et de respect aux animaux vivants EXISTING TRANSCRIPTION WITH CORRECTION TO THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION (IN BRACKETS) To the innumerable God’s humble who suffered and perished in the last wars. (To the countless humble creatures, created by God, who suffered and perished in the last wars.) With love, faith, and loyalty, they endured much and died for us. May all remember them with gratitude and in the future commemorate their suffering and death by showing kindness to living animals. ALTERNATIVE EPITAPH BASED ON ORIGINAL TRANSCRIPTION To God's countless humble creatures who suffered and perished in the last wars. With no voice, and no choice, they were forced to endure much, and died for their masters – many, but not all, of whom were vain, selfish and bigoted , too full of their own self-importance to care about their innocent fellow creatures. If only we could remember them with gratitude and in the future commemorate their suffering and death by showing kindness to living animals, instead of still using their antecedents, as we do, in Government protected and legally operating vivisection laboratories, throughout the world.

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