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Origin and history

The monument to Marshal Douglas Haig, located in Montreuil-sur-Mer, Pas-de-Calais, is a bronze equestrian statue by sculptor Paul Landowski. She paid tribute to British Marshal Douglas Haig, whose great headquarters had been established in that city during the First World War. The classic sculpture depicts Field Marshal in uniform, mounted on a still horse, in hieratic posture. The work was inaugurated on 28 June 1931, before being destroyed by the Germans during World War II.

During the occupation, the statue was debunked and melted. After the Liberation, it was recast from the original mould and resettled on 25 June 1950 on the Place du Théâtre, facing the Place du Général-de-Gaulle. The original plaster, exhibited at the Museum of the 3 Wars of Diors, is now preserved in the department collections of the Meuse. Landscapes (water, linden, massive) were added around 1993 to highlight the monument.

The monument has been listed as historic monuments since December 14, 2012. A complete restoration, including the base and missing elements (mors, flanges, sword), was carried out in April 2022. This statue symbolizes Franco-British ties during the Great War and the military legacy of Montreuil-sur-Mer, a strategic city for the Allies.

Paul Landowski, renowned sculptor, designed this work in the academic tradition, mixing sobriety and solemnity. Montreuil-sur-Mer's choice of location reflects the historic importance of the city as a British headquarters between 1916 and 1918. Today, the statue remains a place of memory and a point of major tourist interest in the Hauts-de-France.

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