Initiated in 1915, this special ceremony pays tribute to soldiers who died in the city's military hospitals during World War I. The attendees first gathered before the monument topped with the Croix de Guerre, which holds some mortal remains.
The tribute continued at the monument erected in 1946 in memory of the French and Spanish who died for the Liberation of France. Henri Calhiol, from the Archaeological and Historical Society of Gers, spoke to explain the reasons for the monument's erection.
He recalled the commitment of the resistance fighters of the Soulès battalion, including Martin Mortès, a Spanish refugee and veteran of the Retirada, as well as Captain Eugène Hoffat and his son René, all involved in the Resistance in Astarac. The memory of Gabriel Plazuelo, head of the Gers guerrillas, killed by the Germans in Saint-Maur, was also evoked.
This ceremony highlighted the courage and sacrifice of these men, French and Spanish, who fought for freedom. It also reflects Mirande's unique history, marked by the welcome and commitment of many resistance fighters.
The morning concluded with a moment of remembrance at the graves of the commune's former mayors.
