CUTTING FRENCH NATIONAL CEMETERY
La Nécropole Nationale de Cutting
Moselle
France
Image © Nicholas Philpot
Location Information
Cutting is a small village in the Moselle department of France. Cutting French National Cemetery is located south of the village at the crossroads of the D27 and D38.
Historical Information
The Cutting National Cemetery, known as “L’Espérance” (“Hope”) is home to soldiers who died from France during fighting in Dieuze in August 1914. It was built in 1914, throughout the fighting, and holds the bodies of 813 French soldiers, the majority of whom (540 in total) lie in two collective graves.
In an individual grave amongst these soldiers, you’ll find General Diou, major of the 63rd infantry brigade. He was mortally wounded in the Muhwald woods, and died in Dieuze. His grave faces a monument that was erected after the war to honour the sacrifices of the 15th and 16th army corps in August 1914. Colonel Arbanère from the 53rd infantry regiment, who died on 20 August, is also buried here.
“L’Espérance” is typical of military cemeteries from the start of WWI, and of the way the dead were handled by French military authorities. In fact, at this time, officers were generally buried in individual graves, whereas troops were buried in collective graves. From 1915, the use of individual graves became common for all soldiers. The law of 29 December 1915 gave soldiers who died for France the right to be buried in individual graves.
Total World War One Burials: France 813.
