Only 6 "Poilus" still alive !

[Christophe]

Leon Weil, one of France's last surviving veterans of World War I, has died this week, on Tuesday 6 June 2006. He was 109.

There are now only six officially recognized surviving French veterans of the Great War.

Leon Weil, born 16 July 1896, was mobilized in August 1916 at the age of 20 and sent to the Chemin des Dames, Craonne fronts.

In World War II, Weil was an active member of an intelligence network for the Resistance against the Nazi occupation of France.

He was decorated as a combatant in both wars and was awarded France's highest award, the Legion d'Honneur.

Ch.

Pic : AFP.

[Christophe]

For those interested (and speaking French), you can download / see hereafter a doument describing the 6 last WW1 survivors' lives (at 30.10.05) :

http://www.defense.gouv.fr/sites/onac/enje...lus/les_poilus/

It is edited by the French Ministry of Defense (ONAC) and called : "1914-1918 - Ils avaient 18 ans - Regards d'histoires, regard sur l'histoire". (1914-1918 - They were 18 - Looks on stories, and on History).

Ch.

[Daniel Murphy]

It looks like he had picked up a souvenir along the way. A Kar 98 AZ in nice shape.

Dan Murphy

[Christophe]

Dan,

Here it is.

Ch.

[Christophe]

Only 5 "Poilus" still alive !

This week a WWI veteran died in France, aged 105.

"Fran?ois Jaffr? one of France's last surviving veterans of the First World War, has died at the age of 105, the National Veterans' Office said.

Jaffre died on Friday in a retirement home outside Paris.

His death leaves France with just five officially-recognised surviving veterans of the Great War. The oldest, Maurice Floquet, turns 112 on December 25.

Jaffre was nearly excluded from the revered club of living veterans of the First World War.

He had slipped off the list of survivors in 1997 after failing to tell officials he had moved from his Paris home to a retirement home in the suburban Yvelines region.

Jaffre was reregistered in March after French newspapers brought his case to light.

Born May 28, 1901, Jaffre lost his mother when he was 14. He chose to leave school to enrol in navy college and signed a 10-year military contract in September 1917, aged 16.

Jaffre served as a radio operator on a submarine escort protecting American troops and equipment on their journeys from New York to France.

During the Second World War, Jaffre, with his experience of deciphering codes, worked in counter-intelligence for France's external intelligence agency.

In 1996, he was awarded France's highest award, the Legion of Honour."

Ch.

Pic : AFP

Edited September 28, 2006 by Christophe

[Hauptmann]

Hi Christophe,

Even with the time that's gone by it just amazes me how few of these men are left... from all sides, when you consider the vast numbers who served during The Great War.

It only brings home the fact that every effort must be made to record such history from their perspective before it's too late... not only for WWI but from vets of all wars and periods of time that are still within our grasp. Soon it will be too late.

Each time one of these gentleman passes on a vast library burns down.

Thanks for posting this.

Dan

[Ed_Haynes]

Yeah. The last I knew, there were only 15-20 Indian veterans of WWI left. (Entering service much younger, they have survived longer.) A friend of mine has gotten 8 or 10 of them on tape for extensive (one 4+ hours!) interviews. Soon . . . all finished!

[Christophe]

(...) It only brings home the fact that every effort must be made to record such history from their perspective before it's too late... not only for WWI but from vets of all wars and periods of time that are still within our grasp. Soon it will be too late. (...)

Hi Dan,

I have to say that a real good job has been done by the French Ministry of Defense these last years. Not only have they published the booklet mentioned earlier, but they have also scanned all available combattant cards of french WW1 vets. This gives as a result an extremely well done, extensive and easy to consult database, as it is available on the web.

Last but not least, all Poilus have been honoured these last years : presence in official commemoration ceremonies, awards of the L?gion d'Honneur, attention of the media and stories published...

Cheers.

Ch.

[Hauptmann]

Hi Dan,

I have to say that a real good job has been done by the French Ministry of Defense these last years. Not only have they published the booklet mentioned earlier, but they have also scanned all available combattant cards of french WW1 vets. This gives as a result an extremely well done, extensive and easy to consult database, as it is available on the web.

Last but not least, all Poilus have been honoured these last years : presence in official commemoration ceremonies, awards of the L?gion d'Honneur, attention of the media and stories published...

Cheers.

Ch.

Hi Christophe,

Very glad to hear it and sounds like they have indeed done a great job. As long as they are remembered they are still with us.

Dan

[Hauptmann]

Yeah. The last I knew, there were only 15-20 Indian veterans of WWI left. (Entering service much younger, they have survived longer.) A friend of mine has gotten 8 or 10 of them on tape for extensive (one 4+ hours!) interviews. Soon . . . all finished!

Hi Ed,

Way to go! If only things like that could be put on the web for widespread research and reference... or just sheer enjoyment for those of us who love history.

Please pass along compliments on a job well done.

Dan

[David Gregory]

Hi Dan,

I have to say that a real good job has been done by the French Ministry of Defense these last years. Not only have they published the booklet mentioned earlier, but they have also scanned all available combattant cards of french WW1 vets. This gives as a result an extremely well done, extensive and easy to consult database, as it is available on the web.

Last but not least, all Poilus have been honoured these last years : presence in official commemoration ceremonies, awards of the L?gion d'Honneur, attention of the media and stories published...

Cheers.

Ch.

Christophe,

Can you post a link to the online database for the French combattant cards or any other information on individual soldiers?

Are all known WW1 French combattants listed or were some of the records lost or destroyed in the past?

Many thanks in advance,

David

[Chris Boonzaier]

Christophe,

Can you post a link to the online database for the French combattant cards or any other information on individual soldiers?

Are all known WW1 French combattants listed or were some of the records lost or destroyed in the past?

Many thanks in advance,

David

Yes!! yes!! a link!

I thought just the KIA were availible?

[Christophe]

Yes!! yes!! a link!

I thought just the KIA were availible?

You're correct.

Here you can find the link :

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=11572

Ch.

[Christophe]

Only 4 "Poilus" still alive !

Maurice Floquet, France's oldest "Poilu" of World War I, one of France's last surviving veterans of the First World War, has died at the age of 111, the French National Veterans' Office said. He died during the night from Thursday to Friday, just before the commemorations of 11th November.

Maurice No?l Floquet (born December 25, 1894) was, at the age of 111, believed to be France's longest-lived soldier ever. Moreover, Maurice is France's oldest living man and France's oldest verified man ever (France's oldest person was a woman, Jeanne Calment, who, at 122 when she died, still remains the oldest verified person ever).

Maurice was in the artillery during World War I. He was wounded on several occasions. The first of these wounds came at the Somme during hand-to-hand fighting with bayonets. The second wound occurred at Beausejour part of the Neuve Chapelle; a lump of rock pierced Maurice's throat and obstructed his breathing. By all accounts it was an enemy soldier who removed the rock and so saved Maurice's life.

A year later, and back on the front line, Maurice was again wounded in the head and left arm when a grenade exploded. (The hole in Maurice's head was patched up by a nurse who found a piece of someone else's cartilage!)

To this day Maurice still had a German bullet lodged in his arm.

After the war, Maurice married and became a tractor repairman. He worked his garden until he was more than 100 years old and he still used to ride an exercise bike for 20 minutes a day in the backyard of his apartment - an unusual feat for a supercentenarian.

On December 25, 2004 (his 110th birthday), he was promoted by president Jacques Chirac to the rank of officer in the L?gion d'honneur.

By all accounts Maurice enjoyed watching sports on TV and didn't like to wear his eye glasses. He was allowed one full glass of red wine every day -- and champagne on special occasions.

Ch.

Pic : AFP

[Christophe]

For those interested, and French speaking, here the complete news from AFP :

"DRAGUIGNAN, 10 nov 2006 (AFP) - 14h03

D?c?s ? 111 ans du doyen des poilus, la veille du 11 novembre

Le doyen des cinq derniers poilus fran?ais de la Premi?re guerre mondiale, Maurice Floquet, est d?c?d? dans la nuit de jeudi ? vendredi ? l'?ge de 111 ans, a-t-on appris aupr?s de la correspondante du minist?re de la D?fense ? Montauroux (Var), o? il vivait depuis 26 ans. Maurice Floquet, qui aurait f?t? ses 112 ans ? No?l, ?tait alit? depuis quelques jours au domicile de l'une de ses filles ? Montauroux, village de l'arri?re-pays varois, a pr?cis? ? l'AFP Christiane Chicherio, correspondante du minist?re de la D?fense, charg?e dans ce village de 4.000 habitants des relations avec la famille Floquet. "M. Floquet est fatigu?, il ne peut recevoir aucune visite pour le moment. Ses deux filles, Jeannine et Simonne, sont ? ses c?t?s", avait expliqu? mardi ? l'AFP Mme Chicherio, sans vouloir donner davantage de pr?cision. N? le 25 d?cembre 1894, Maurice Floquet a ?t? mobilis? en septembre 1914, ? 19 ans, et incorpor? au 26?me r?giment d'infanterie. Il a pris part aux premiers combats dans la Somme o? il a ?t? bless?. Le 25 septembre 1915, il a ?t? bless? une deuxi?me fois, lors d'une attaque dans la Marne. Gri?vement touch? ? la t?te et au bras gauche par des ?clats de grenade, il a ?t? tr?pan? ? deux reprises, y perdant l'usage d'une oreille et devant subir plusieurs greffes. Apr?s une longue hospitalisation, il a termin? la guerre dans une usine d'armement ? Sochaux (Doubs). Rendu ? la vie civile en septembre 1919, il a exploit? un garage en Haute-Marne, jusqu'? sa retraite en 1952. Il s'est ensuite install? dans le Var, o? r?side l'une de ses filles. Quand il a re?u les insignes d'officier le 24 mars 2005, 87 ans apr?s l'armistice, il n'avait eu qu'une phrase: "Je suis ?mu". L'an pass? avant les c?r?monies du 11 novembre, sa fille Jeannine avait confi?: "il n'a aucune rancoeur, je ne l'ai jamais entendu critiquer les Allemands". Depuis 2005, selon sa fille Jeannine, il ne voulait "plus qu'on parle de lui", ni de la Grande Guerre.

? 2006 AFP."

Ch.

[Christophe]

The 4 last "Poilus" :

- Louis de Cazenave (16-10-1897).

- Lazare Ponticelli (07-12-1897).

- Jean Grelaud (26-10-1898).

- Ren? Riffaud (19-12-1898).

Ren? Riffaud should be the only Poilu able to attend the commemoration ceremony of today at the Arc de Triomphe, with Jacques Chirac.

Ch.

[Christophe]

Here is a map from the AFP showing where are now the last 4 Poilus.

Ch.

[Christophe]

And ren? Riffaud, today with Jacques Chirac at the ceremony of the souvenir (Arc de Triomphe).

Ch.

Pic : AFP.

[Hauptmann]

Hi Christophe,

This all got me to thinking about other living WWI vets and vets from other wars in general... not just French but from all over. Found a couple of interesting things that I thought I'd pass on:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surviving_vet..._of_World_War_I

http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/How_many_World_Wa...are_still_alive

Dan

[Christophe]

Only 3 "Poilus" still alive !

Ren? Riffaud, one of France's last World War I veterans, has died on 16 January, at age 108. He had been lately (March 2006) recognised as a veteran of the WWI.

He was born on 12 december 1898, in Tunisia, mobilized in April 1917, and joined a colonial artillery unit in Summer 1918. He fought in the Ardennes, where he was wound by gaz. After the war, he worked as an electrician, and opened his own electrical repairs company.

Ch.

Pic : Benoit Tessier / AP

[Christophe]

Ren? Riffaud.

(see also post #18).

Ch.

Pic : AFP.

[Christophe]

The 3 last "Poilus" :

- Louis de Cazenave (16-10-1897).

- Lazare Ponticelli (07-12-1897).

- Jean Grelaud (26-10-1898).

Ch.

[Kev in Deva]

The 3 last "Poilus" :

- Louis de Cazenave (16-10-1897).

- Lazare Ponticelli (07-12-1897).

- Jean Grelaud (26-10-1898).

Ch.

A "Long Life" to those that remain, and may their former deceased comrades "Rest in Peace."

Salut

Kevin in Deva

[Christophe]

Thanks to Nick, our Chairman , this thread has now been moved to its right place : WW1.

Ch.

[Christophe]

Only 2 "Poilus" still alive !

Jean Grelaud, one of France's 3 last World War I veterans, has died on 25 February, at age 108.

Here is his bio published by AFP, on 5 March 2007.

"PARIS, March 5, 2007 (AFP) - Jean Grelaud, one of France's last three surviving World War I veterans, died last month at the age of 108, his friends and family said Monday.

Grelaud, who had always been reticent to talk about the devastating conflict, died on February 25 after asking that his passing be kept secret for several days by his family.

Born on October 26, 1898, he joined the infantry in 1917 and saw fierce action almost immediately in the disatrous Second Battle of the Aisne.

The following year he was captured during the Second Battle of the Marne -- the last major German offensive on the Western Front -- before escaping to Belgium.

He also saw action in World War II.

Only two "poilus" -- as World War I veterans are known in France -- still survive, both aged 109. In 2005 Chirac promised that the last to die would receive a state homage.

Some 8.5 million French soldiers fought in the 1914-1918 conflict, of whom some 1.38 million died in action.

Copyright AFP"

Ch.