French WW1 soldier research help please.

[Rich]

Hello all

 

I have just purchased a commemorative diploma and two medals to a WW1 soldier, Emile BOUSQUET of the 63rd Chasseurs Alpines. No middle name(s) or region is shown on the diploma.

 

When I went onto the GrandMemorial I found 190 entries, some of which link to regional websites where i would once again have to put in all his details. I also looked on Family Search, Geneat (guest privileges, not a subscriber) and Ancestry (worldwide) but without much more success.

 

https://www.culture.fr/Grand-Memorial/Resultats-de-recherche?grand_memorial_search[lastname]=bousquet&grand_memorial_search[exactLastname]=1&grand_memorial_search[firstname]=emile&grand_memorial_search[exactFirstname]=1&grand_memorial_search[townAll]=&grand_memorial_search[startYearAll]=&grand_memorial_search[endYearAll]=&grand_memorial_search[townBirth]=&grand_memorial_search[startYearBirth]=&grand_memorial_search[endYearBirth]=&grand_memorial_search[townRecruitment]=&grand_memorial_search[startYearRecruitment]=&grand_memorial_search[endYearRecruitment]=&grand_memorial_search[townResidence]=&grand_memorial_search[townDeath]=&grand_memorial_search[startYearDeath]=&grand_memorial_search[endYearDeath]=&grand_memorial_search[documentType][]=registre+matricule 

 

Is there a simple way to search for him by his regiment, as there is on the British equivalent? Or do I have to go through them all, hoping to find him? 

 

Thanks very much

Richard

[Hendrik]

Hello Richard,

 

Your soldier seems to have survived the war as he's not in the list of those killed during the war at the end of the unit's war diary (see https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k63409679/f1.item.texteImage ). Which two medals do you have there ? Pictures would be nice, especially of the diploma ...

 

Regards,

Hendrik

[Rich]

Hi Hendrik 

 

Thank you for replying and also for the war diary. That's an amazing find.

 

He has a common surname, similar to 'Wood' in English, so there are many of them!. Here is a photo of the diploma and medals. I only have the photo the vendor listed: Paid less than 20 euros so I cannot complain. It has the original two medals; I assume he also qualified for the later Croix du Combatant.

 

Best,

Richard

 

 

 

Edited November 13, 2023 by Rich

[Hendrik]

Hello Richard,

 

I confirm he would normally have qualified for the Croix du Combattant later on.

 

When you mentioned 2 medals in your 1st post, they were likely to be either a posthumous award of the Military Medal and the War Cross or the present duo. The Grand Memorial site could only be of help in the first case. For further research on Bousquet you would need the region he was enlisted in and preferably his year of birth and then go through the relevant archives ... needle in a haystack stuff 🙂

 

Regards,

Hendrik

[Rich]

Hi Hendrik

 

Thanks again for your advice; yes, I feel it might take a bit of digging to find the man out of the many. I will have to spend time looking at the Matricule Registers!

 

Cheers

Richard

[Farkas]

Hi both,

I had a search using the page that Rich’s link goes to. 
Using his name and entering the occupation as ‘soldat’ it had a few matches but most with a middle name so I started with the ones without one.

 

 

Each name links to information held elsewhere, some didn’t work but because those that did showed the unit and I was able to rule each out.

 

Then I found this close match

Obviously this says 22 BCA

& The certificate says 63 BCA

 

The 63rd BCA were the reserve battalion for the 23rd.

The 62nd BCA were the reserve battalion for the 22nd.

Maybe he transferred ?

from the 22👉63   or from 63 👉22 🤷‍♂️

 

So, In my opinion it’s worth trying to find a connection that may put this soldier in both units…

 

 

On 13/11/2023 at 07:36, Hendrik said:

Hello Richard,

 

Your soldier seems to have survived the war as he's not in the list of those killed during the war at the end of the unit's war diary (see https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k63409679/f1.item.texteImage ). Which two medals do you have there ? Pictures would be nice, especially of the diploma ...

 

Regards,

Hendrik

hi Hendrik, I don’t suppose you know, or are able to find a connection between the 22nd & 63rd can you?  I even thought maybe 22nd was actually a brigade or division that the 63rd belonged to, but its a new area to me and I’ve not had any luck yet.

 

On 13/11/2023 at 21:36, Rich said:

Hi Hendrik 

 

Thank you for replying and also for the war diary. That's an amazing find.

 

He has a common surname, similar to 'Wood' in English, so there are many of them!. Here is a photo of the diploma and medals. I only have the photo the vendor listed: Paid less than 20 euros so I cannot complain. It has the original two medals; I assume he also qualified for the later Croix du Combatant.

 

Best,

Richard

 

 

 

Nice group to have , well worth a little more time trying to get him identified and remembered properly.

 

cheers

tony 🍻

 

 

 

 

 

[Hendrik]

Hello Gents,

 

The Emile Bousquet of Richard's certificate survived the war as indicated by the mention "a fait la campagne". He was still alive to receive the two medals created in 1920 and 1922 ...  Bousquet is not an uncommon name in France and those soldiers on the Memorial pages were all KIA.

 

Regards,

Hendrik

[Farkas]

6 hours ago, Hendrik said:

Hello Gents,

 

The Emile Bousquet of Richard's certificate survived the war as indicated by the mention "a fait la campagne". He was still alive to receive the two medals created in 1920 and 1922 ...  Bousquet is not an uncommon name in France and those soldiers on the Memorial pages were all KIA.

 

Regards,

Hendrik

Ah , thanks Hendrik 👍

 

I didn’t realise what it meant, i’m glad for the man Emile but that’s a couple of hours I won’t get back 😁

 

cheers

tony 🍻

[Rich]

Hi Tony - thanks for taking time to look. Very kind of you. Yes, I think it might be job when I am on leave!