Location Details

Canada has played an integral role in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) since its inception on 4 April 1949. Canada's commitment to have four fighter wings in Europe resulted in the creation of the 1 Canadian Air Division with its Headquarters in Metz, France and the following Wings located in France and Germany:
    1 (F) Wing at Marville, France;
    2 (F) Wing at Grostenquin, France;
    3 (F) Wing at Zweibrücken, Germany; and
    4 (F) Wing at Baden-Söllingen, Germany.

Logistical support for the Division was provided by 30 AMB in Langar, England.

2 (F) Wing Grostenquin was located approximately 55 kilometers east-south-east of Metz in the province of Moselle. The closest towns of any size are Faulquemont, Morhange, St. Avold, Nancy and Metz; however, there are numerous villages throughout the countryside. The Wing offered Service Members and their families schools, a hospital, swimming pool, hockey arena and other recreational facilities as well as a grocery store. However, accommodation at the station was limited to single quarters and a trailer site of 120 caravans for families. Most service members and their families resided in Permanent Married Quarters in St. Avold or in private accommodation in St. Avold and the surrounding towns and villages.

Lelling is a small farming village located 10 kilometers from the former 2(F) Wing Grostenquin and was the home to many service members and their families between 1953 and 1964.

St. Etienne's Roman Catholic Church was constructed over a hundred years ago and the church cemetery was to become the final resting-place of many Canadians. Unlike most of North America, in most locations in Europe plots are not acquired in perpetuity but rather for a specific period of time, normally 20 to 25 years, after which the grave marker is removed and eventually the plot is reused. As a result of this practice, the graves of the 34 known Canadians laid to rest in St. Etienne's Cemetery are no longer marked.

The Commune of Lelling and Canada have entered into a 50-year lease for a section of the Cemetery. A Memorial Cairn, was installed during the summer of 2002 to indicate the Cemetery as the last resting place of the Canadian citizens and identify those who were buried here and whose graves have been lost. A dedication ceremony and a memorial service at St. Etienne’s Church was held in August 2002.

Background Information on these sites has been extracted from: the Pinetree Line Web Site; the 2 (F) Wing RCAF Grostenquin, France Information Booklet (1957); publication 4 CMBG Canada's NATO Brigade, 1983, Moritz Schauenburg Gmbh & Co. KG.