FISMES MILITARY MUSEUM.
The town of Fismes was liberated by the Americans in 1918 and again in 1944. It appears that every family in the town kept souvenirs after both events and today, they are all on display in this most unique and fascinating museum. Probably, one of the best military museums that I have ever visited.
Unlike today’s university educated curators and archivists, this museum is not touchy feely, interactive, reliant on computer screens or wanting to sentimentalise warfare. Instead, through a series of full scale dioramas and displays it captures life in Fismes through both world wars and does so, by putting on show a truly remarkable exhibition of vehicles, uniforms, weaponry, ephemera and militaria.
I spoke with the owner and he told me that he started his collection aged 10 and eventually reached a point in mid-life when his wife gave him an ultimatum – ‘Either the collection goes or I do.’
Not wanting to lose either the collection or his wife, he purchased the last remaining buildings of the town Sucrerie (sugar factory) built in 1872 and now on two floors, the Sucrerie houses this immense and historically important collection.
Click on this link to see the museum web site Accueil | Musée France 40 Véhicules
My long suffering Spurs supporting friend, John Kirk, has been searching to buy a tripod for his Hotchkiss machine gun for quite some time, and yet I lost count of how many Hotchkiss tripods are on display at this museum – maybe the owner would sell one John?
On arrival, you are greeted by a number of vehicles parked in the yard including this superb Renault FT17, beautifully painted in camouflage and as the owner explained, all construction work and vehicle renovation work is funded privately and carried out by a team of dedicated volunteers.
After putting out an appeal for more items, the owner was inundated by donations from the residents of Fismes and these include many personal items including letters and memorabilia from named US soldiers who were billeted with the locals in the town.
Another display that caught my eye was an immense glass fronted cabinet containing hundreds of soldier’s mess tins all engraved and etched, many of them with graphic sex acts! And happily, for once, no ‘Trigger Warnings!’
The full size dioramas on each floor illustrate scenes from both the French, American and German view point and cover both world wars. Especially interesting is the diorama showing the Doughboys fighting through the cellars of the houses in Fismes in October 1918, there’s no holding back on the graphic detail on display.
With a shop selling modern books, military clothing etc., and surplus contemporary memorabilia (maybe a tripod John?) a period bar selling refreshments and a supermarket next door should you want a snack, the Fismes museum is well worth a visit, but note that like many French institutions, they close for lunch from noon to 2pm.
