France French MM

[Northman]

How do I research a French MM from the 1st WW that was awarded to a soldier, not necessary a Canadian or Commonwealth but possibly a French or Russian maybe ? All I have is a name, E. TROCCAZ, MM (Fr), from a Canadian war memorial in the Yukon Territory.

I do not know what army this fellow was with let alone by the spelling of his last name, what nationality he was. Nor do I have his date of death. All I know was that he may have been a gold miner living in the Yukon Territory in and around 1914.

Can anyone help me out perhaps or know where to turn to ?

Tim

[Veteran]

How do I research a French MM from the 1st WW that was awarded to a soldier, not necessary a Canadian or Commonwealth but possibly a French or Russian maybe ? All I have is a name, E. TROCCAZ, MM (Fr), from a Canadian war memorial in the Yukon Territory.

I do not know what army this fellow was with let alone by the spelling of his last name, what nationality he was. Nor do I have his date of death. All I know was that he may have been a gold miner living in the Yukon Territory in and around 1914.

Can anyone help me out perhaps or know where to turn to ?

Tim

Tim

I hate to sound discourageaing, but I just cannot imagine how such a vague reference can be successfully put to use through French military papers.

Since he is mentioned on a local war memorial, I would rather suggest that you try and find out as much as you can from his own local Birth/Marriage/Death archives, as currently done by family history researchers. This might lead to the story of his enlistment and possibly his war records.

The French Medaille Militaire was awarded to hundreds of soldiers, both French and Allies, during WW1. Hoping to find something through French archives without more than you have is looking for a needle in a haystack.

But it might prove a very good story indeed. I wish you the very best of luck !

Veteran

[Northman]

Tim

I hate to sound discourageaing, but I just cannot imagine how such a vague reference can be successfully put to use through French military papers.

Since he is mentioned on a local war memorial, I would rather suggest that you try and find out as much as you can from his own local Birth/Marriage/Death archives, as currently done by family history researchers. This might lead to the story of his enlistment and possibly his war records.

The French Medaille Militaire was awarded to hundreds of soldiers, both French and Allies, during WW1. Hoping to find something through French archives without more than you have is looking for a needle in a haystack.

But it might prove a very good story indeed. I wish you the very best of luck !

Veteran

[Northman]

Ok I will do some more research and see if I can get a newspaper account of his death or something. Yes a long shot indeed.

Tim

[Michael Johnson]

The Memoire des Hommes site gives two TROCCAZs "Mort pour la France"

Edmond Charles TROCCAZ 111 R.I. Died of wounds January 22, 1915 b. Basses-Alpes 1887

Emile Jean Baptiste TROCCAZ 4th Regiment Colonial Infantry Died of wounds February 7, 1915 b.Savoie 1881

All those "Mort pour la France" were awarded the Medaille Militaire and Croix de Guerre.

Th 1901 Canadian census shows a Charles Troccaz in the Yukon but he is 43 and single. An uncle, perhaps?

Edited March 5, 2010 by Michael Johnson

[Veteran]

The Memoire des Hommes site gives two TROCCAZs "Mort pour la France"

Edmond Charles TROCCAZ 111 R.I. Died of wounds January 22, 1915 b. Basses-Alpes 1887

Emile Jean Baptiste TROCCAZ 4th Regiment Colonial Infantry Died of wounds February 7, 1915 b.Savoie 1881

All those "Mort pour la France" were awarded the Medaille Militaire and Croix de Guerre.

Th 1901 Canadian census shows a Charles Troccaz in the Yukon but he is 43 and single. An uncle, perhaps?

In addition to Michael's note, the name TROCCAZ seems to come from the Savoy or Savoya area of South-Eastern France, until 1860 a part of the Kingdom of Sardinia. Part of the Alpine area of France, populations emigrated traditionnally to the Americas (but mostly to South America).

Genealogical research on the 'net might prove helpful

Good luck

Veteran

[Northman]

Mike and Veteran

Many thanks for all your help in this. Much appreaciated. I do believe that Charles Troccaz was an uncle. On the war memorial is simply the name E. Troccaz. Maybe Charles was still in the Yukon when the memorial was built and the nephew's names was added. A avenue that needs to be checked out.

I have another question if you can still help me out. Is there any way to find out the citation for the MM or the Croix de Guerre ?

Thanks again, Tim

[Michael Johnson]

Assuming that it was a posthumous award it would probably be along the lines of "Brave soldier. Gave his life at (location) (date)." I don't think there is any online source. Best approach is to request his service record (matricule) from the archives of the Departement where he was living when he turned 20 and commenced his military service. No guarantees that there will be a citation entered.

Edmond Charles Troccaz - born 22 janvier 1887 03839 classe 1908 Basses-Alpes email archives@cg04.fr

Emile Jean Baptiste Troccaz - born 20 septembre 1881 13705 classe 1901 Savoie email archedep@cg74.fr

Turnaround time for these requests is usually quite fast. Some archives will email you an electronic copy, and some will send you a photocopy, so best to put a mailing address in your request. I've never been asked for any fee.

[Northman]

Assuming that it was a posthumous award it would probably be along the lines of "Brave soldier. Gave his life at (location) (date)." I don't think there is any online source. Best approach is to request his service record (matricule) from the archives of the Departement where he was living when he turned 20 and commenced his military service. No guarantees that there will be a citation entered.

Edmond Charles Troccaz - born 22 janvier 1887 03839 classe 1908 Basses-Alpes email archives@cg04.fr

Emile Jean Baptiste Troccaz - born 20 septembre 1881 13705 classe 1901 Savoie email archedep@cg74.fr

Turnaround time for these requests is usually quite fast. Some archives will email you an electronic copy, and some will send you a photocopy, so best to put a mailing address in your request. I've never been asked for any fee.

[Northman]

Hi Mike

Many thanks for the info. Great stuff. I sent an email to both of those addresses and did get a "returned mail" to the archives email address that has Edmond Charles Troccaz. Could you please check for me to see if this is correct. The message was "address rejected: access denied". The other email address Emile Jean Troccaz, I assume, went through as I received no backlash of an error report.

Tim

PS..... are you interested in the War of 1812 ? There is a big military badge collecting show in Ontario in 2012. Probably some reacting going on too I would suspect.

[Michael Johnson]

Hi Mike

Many thanks for the info. Great stuff. I sent an email to both of those addresses and did get a "returned mail" to the archives email address that has Edmond Charles Troccaz. Could you please check for me to see if this is correct. The message was "address rejected: access denied". The other email address Emile Jean Troccaz, I assume, went through as I received no backlash of an error report.

Tim

PS..... are you interested in the War of 1812 ? There is a big military badge collecting show in Ontario in 2012. Probably some reacting going on too I would suspect.

Try archives04@cg04.fr

I'm a Lieutenant in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, Scout Brigade of Fort George, and a former member of the Fort York Guard.

[Northman]

Thanks again Mike. I will try that email address. Sofar no returns of being undelivered. Hope I can return the favour to you, and others, someday for all your help. Yes in 2012 there should be a big show for the anniversary of the War of 1812. Looking forward to that. In 2014 my former army unit, PPCLI, celebrates it's 100th. I'll be going to that for sure.

Tim

[Michael Johnson]

Thanks again Mike. I will try that email address. Sofar no returns of being undelivered. Hope I can return the favour to you, and others, someday for all your help. Yes in 2012 there should be a big show for the anniversary of the War of 1812. Looking forward to that. In 2014 my former army unit, PPCLI, celebrates it's 100th. I'll be going to that for sure.

Tim

My wife's late godfather Don Molloy was PPCLI in Korea, later Metro Tornto Police. A great guy. Pity he couldn't have lived to see the centennial.

[Northman]

My wife's late godfather Don Molloy was PPCLI in Korea, later Metro Tornto Police. A great guy. Pity he couldn't have lived to see the centennial.

[Northman]

Five years is a long time yet to go. I should be retired myself from the RCMP by then. By the way, I did get almost an immediate response from the corrected email for the French military archives. You don't speak French, do you ? I will have to find an interpreter.

[Michael Johnson]

Five years is a long time yet to go. I should be retired myself from the RCMP by then. By the way, I did get almost an immediate response from the corrected email for the French military archives. You don't speak French, do you ? I will have to find an interpreter.

Fluently. And I'm pretty good at 20th C French orthography. Forward the email to mmurphy9"at"sympatico.ca (use the @ symbol instead of "at", and I'll try to get you a translation before my son and I take off tomorrow for France and Belgium.

Michael

[spanferkel]

Yes numbers match "SL" nice find,

[Michael Johnson]

Looks like it's Edmond Charles TROCCAZ 111 R.I. Died of wounds January 22, 1915 b. Basses-Alpes 1887

Ancestry has border crossings Canada-U.S. Edmond is there 1906 and 1914. Listed as a hard rock miner. In 1914 he went to Alaska (on his way to Yukon?). He would have been recalled in August 1914 in the general mobilization.

He arrived 1911 going from Havre to New York. His next of kin is shown as "111e de Ligne at Toulon" meaning he had just finished his military service. He was probably out for a year in 1906, returned to do his military service in 1907, and did more than his compulsory, being discharged in 1911. (Veteran can correct me, but I believe it was two years' service normally, although only sons of widows could apply for release after one year.)

Edited April 16, 2010 by Michael Johnson

[Northman]

This information is excellant. Really appreicate the help from you. I was not getting anywhere with the French vets web site. I did receive an email from them, in French, verifying my email address or soemthing like this but after that I was stuck on how to navigate the web site.

Anyhow what you have sent has been most helpful. If you can find out more, please send it along.

Tim

[Michael Johnson]

PM me your email and I can send along the links to the ancestry material (it's done through their site, so I can't just forward it.)

Did you get a reply from the Archives? That is the most important, as it will give his service information. And since he was born over 120 years ago there should be no problem getting it released.

[Michael Johnson]

I've tried tracing him through census records. His SGA entry shows him born in Volonne, but I can't find the family in either census bracketing his birth date. Just passing through?

[Northman]

PM me your email and I can send along the links to the ancestry material (it's done through their site, so I can't just forward it.)

Did you get a reply from the Archives? That is the most important, as it will give his service information. And since he was born over 120 years ago there should be no problem getting it released.

[Northman]

Mike

I can be reached at scully01"at"sasktel.net. I tried the french web site for the military and even tried to translate by using their translate button. I did send a request but nothing came back.

Tim

[Michael Johnson]

OK, I'm having a go, having emailed them in French. I've cleared their anti-spam filter.

Do you have a photo of the Yukon monument? He's remembered on at least four in France: http://www.memorial-genweb.org/~memorial2/html/fr/resultpatro.php?nom=Troccaz. The Digne one has a question mark because they originally showed him as 1939-45.

[Northman]

OK, I'm having a go, having emailed them in French. I've cleared their anti-spam filter.

Do you have a photo of the Yukon monument? He's remembered on at least four in France: http://www.memorial-...hp?nom=Troccaz. The Digne one has a question mark because they originally showed him as 1939-45.