The » Château de La Motte au bois » was built in 1065 by Robert le Frison , Count of Flanders in The Middle Age. La Motte au Bois is a small village , near from Hazebrouck , and during the French Revolution ( 1790 -1794 , not very sure of the right date) , the former has merged with Morbecque.
During the First World War , La Motte au Bois , and his castle ,was very close from the front line of Belgium. The Baronne Clementine de La Grange open the gates of his castle to the british force of Commonwealth in October 1914 , the 12th. The HQ ( Hight Quarter) of the british cavalry , commanded by General Allenby , was laced in the very enclosure of the castle.
The baroness hardly speaks a word of English, the everyday situations with the soldiers, who came to rest a little before leaving for the front were sometimes very funny.
Clementine, will befriend these unfortunate people, and will keep a diary where she will note the news from the front.
Her husband , Amaury de La Grange,was a pilot in the French army during the conflict.
During these 4 years of war, the baroness received many personalities including king Georges V. In April 1918, the castle was completely plundered, leaving the baroness in the most complete disarray.
In 1919, the baroness received the highest British military distinction and she became » Mother of the British Army ».
The castle was completely destroyed in 1944 by the allies during some bombing and rebuilt in 1950. Now , The castle was today the home of the Institut Aéronautique Amaury de la Grange , which trains aeronautical engineers.
The Castle before the war. 
Some British military engines in the gardens of the castle.
Guides with Wanderlust 