You see memorials like this all over, usually by the sides of roads where people have died in traffic accidents, but also elsewhere. Last week I saw one by the river at Amélie les Bains, commemorating two women who drowned there in 2011. This one had no name or date, just a photograph of a young man in uniform and the heading 'Un Pompier' ( a fireman), then two poems. I know a fireman died on duty further North up the coast in the 1990's, but I have no idea what tragedy this commemorates.
Such a beautuful cloud formation. I'm thinking that in a way if the person remembered is not named perhaps the impact of the memorial is less. But the person who crested it maybe wanted it to be very private. I understand this as masses of tributes at the site of disasters don't 'speak' to me personally.
Perhaps a rescue that ended in tragedy Tim. The French people I work with do seem to be touched quite strongly by such things. I'm not surprised these memorials are ubiquitous.