Only 6 "Poilus" still alive !

[Jacky]

In 2005 Chirac promised that the last to die would receive a state homage.

If I'm correct, this had been declined by all WW1 veterans "poilus"??

Kind regards,

Jacky

[Christophe]

In 2005 Chirac promised that the last to die would receive a state homage.

If I'm correct, this had been declined by all WW1 veterans "poilus"??

Kind regards,

Jacky

Jacky,

What allows you to say this ?

Cheers.

Ch.

[Kev in Deva]

Interesting to see he has at least 3 Italian medals where did he serve in WW1? Kevin in Deva

[Christophe]

Here is a document of the French Ministry of Defence (in french) with the portraits of our 2 Poilus :

http://www.defense.gouv.fr/onac/content/do...mars%202007.pdf

Ch.

[Christophe]

Interesting to see he has at least 3 Italian medals where did he serve in WW1? Kevin in Deva

Lazarre Ponticelli is born Italian and came in France at the age of 9.

He fought on the fronts of Soissons, Argonne and Douaumont (Verdun). From 1915, he is "obliged" to fight under the Italian uniform (3rd regiment of Chasseurs Alpins) against the Austrians in the Tyrol.

Ch.

[Christophe]

Here is how Lazare Ponticelli wears his medals in official ceremonies (11 November 2006).

Ch.

Pic : Website "Ders des Ders" - http://dersdesders.free.fr/index.html

Edited May 6, 2007 by Christophe

[Christophe]

Close-up pic.

Ch.

Pic : Website "Ders des Ders" - http://dersdesders.free.fr/index.html

[TerryG]

Merci beaucoup pour tout cela Christophe. Tres interessant et tres emouvant.

[Christophe]

Merci. Thanks, Terry.

It's important that, NOW, everything is done to listen their lives, learn and keep their testimonies. I am always impressed by the "youth" of these men who encountered a such terrible life...

Cheers.

Ch.

[Duzig]

Hello all,

I usually don't come into the great war forum much but saw the term poilu and it caught my eye. I have two plates which I believe make reference to "poilu" during ww1. I have inserted a picture of one plate,and the wording on reverse of plate says "Le Poilu en Alsace et Lorraine" In translation I get the definition of poilu as "hairy",is this correct? To youngsters growing up now, vietnam is almost long past history, world war 2 and world war 1 unfortunately I think will soon become ancient history for most. Hope my post of the plate fit in with the discussion.

Duzig(Bill)

Edited October 7, 2007 by Duzig

[Christophe]

On 5 October 2007, died Justin Tuveri.

Justin Tuveri was an Italian "Poilu", who became French in 1940. He therefore is not included in the French Ministry of Defence list of WW1 combattants. He fought for Italy.

Here is a bio published by AP :

"Italian World War I Veteran Dead at 109

The Associated Press

Thursday, October 11, 2007; 10:10 AM

PARIS -- Justin Tuveri, who fought for Italy during World War I and was one of the few remaining European veterans of the Great War, has died, officials said Thursday. He was 109.

Tuveri, who spent most of his life in France, remained active despite his advanced age, pruning trees and cleaning out rain gutters at 90 and driving until age 98, according to the newspaper, Le Monde. He died Oct. 5 at his home in the southern French resort town of St. Tropez, the mayor's office said.

Although Tuveri became a French citizen in 1940, he did not figure on the French Defense Ministry's list of surviving veterans from the 1914-18 war because he had fought for Italy. Only two French veterans from the war are still alive, the ministry said.

Tuveri, born in Collinas on the island of Sardinia in 1898, was a member of the Sassari Brigade, a Sardinian infantry unit nicknamed the "Dimonios" _ "Demons" in the island's dialect.

"We were young and inexperienced, with only the fear of dying," he once told Le Monde.

Italian Defense Minister Arturo Parisi paid tribute to Tuveri.

"We honor his youth and his life, and, at the same time, we express again our gratitude for the courage of the Sardinians who, in the ranks of the Sassari Brigade, fought in Italy's name on the bloodied plateaus of the Great War," he said.

The brigade fought Austro-Hungarian and German forces in the heights of northeastern Italy, suffering 15,000 casualties.

Tuveri's military service was cut short four months after he joined the fight when he was shot twice in the back during a battle with German forces, Le Monde reported.

He was taken to a hospital, where doctors were forced to remove the bullets from his body without anesthesia, he told Le Monde in 2005.

"I heard the sound of the scalpel that cut my skin," he recalled. "I can still hear the sound in my ears."

Following his recuperation, Tuveri emigrated to France where he worked in a quarry and then as a driver and caretaker for the Greek royal family, Le Monde said. Although he was born Giustino Tuveri, he changed his first name in France.

Tuveri was buried Monday in St. Tropez. "

The 2 last "Poilus" still alive are still :

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

- Lazare Ponticelli (07-12-1897).

Ch.

Pic : Pierre-Jean Santini

[Christophe]

For our French speaking Members, here is the article of Le Monde, dated 10.10.07, mentioned in the AP article I posted earlier:

http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-...1-965379,0.html

Cheers.

Ch.

[Guest Rick Research]

And so the last survivor of the renowned Sardinian Brigade joins the ranks of history!

I have read many thousands of military history memoirs, but the very best of them all--any war, any country--is Emilio Lussu's insightful, humane, brutally honest "Sardinian Brigade." originally published in Swiss political exile in 1939, it was translated into English in 1967. I have been treasuring my aging used bookshop paperback copy for 30 years.

[Christophe]

We just learn the death today of Louis de Cazenave, one of the two last surviving "Poilus".

He died this morning, aged of 110 years.

More infos to come.

RIP.

Ch.

Pic : AFP / Louis de Cazenave, at the age of 18.

[Christophe]

Here is more information, acording to AFP (sorry in french) :

"D?c?s d'un des deux derniers poilus de la Grande Guerre

PARIS (AFP) ? Louis de Cazenave, un des deux derniers "poilus" fran?ais, combattant de la Premi?re Guerre mondiale (1914-18), est d?c?d? dimanche, ? l'?ge de 110 ans, a-t-on appris aupr?s du minist?re des anciens combattants.

Il est d?c?d? dimanche matin ? son domicile de Brioude, dans la haute-Loire (centre-est), a pr?cis? le minist?re, citant la pr?fecture locale.

N? le 16 octobre 1897, Louis de Cazenave ?tait le doyen des poilus survivants. Engag? en 1916, il avait fait partie du 5e bataillon s?n?galais de d?cembre 1916 ? septembre 1917. En 1919, apr?s la fin du conflit, il ?tait devenu cheminot.

Le dernier ancien combattant de la "grande guerre" en vie est Lazare Ponticelli, n? le 7 d?cembre 1897.

Il aura des "obs?ques solennelles de port?e nationale", selon une d?cision prise en 2005 par l'ex-pr?sident Jacques Chirac."

Ch.

Pic : AFP - Louis de Cazenave at Brioude on 16 October 2007, the day of his 110th birthday.

[Ed_Haynes]

So . . . out of all those, just one survives? Sobering thought.

[Christophe]

Here is a quick online translation of the AFP article :

Death of one of the two last "Poilus" of the Great War

PARIS (AFP) - Louis de Cazenave, one of the two last Poilus, fighting the First World War ( 1914-18 ), died on Sunday, at the age of 110, as it was learnt with the Veterans Administration.

He died on Sunday morning in his place of residence of Brioude, in the Haute Loire (east central region), clarified the ministry, quoting the local prefecture.

Born on October 16th, 1897, Louis de Cazenave was the dean of Poilus surviving. Engaged in 1916, he had been a part of the 5th Senegalese battalion from December, 1916 till September, 1917. In 1919, after the end of the conflict, he had become a railroad employee.

The last war veteran of the "great war" alive is Lazare Ponticelli, been born on December 7th, 1897.

He will have " solemn burial of national reach ", according to a decision taken in 2005 by the ex--pr?sident Jacques Chirac."

Ch.

[Paul R]

I agree... Hard to believe that the war ended almost 90 years ago!! So much has come and gone since. I wonder how much he remembers of the war, 90 years later. I wonder what he did during the second world war. How many American and German vets are there?

Here is the article translated.

Louis of Cazenave, one of the two last ones "hairy" French, fighter of the First World War (1914-18), deceased Sunday, at the age of 110 years, one has learn with the ministry of the former fighters.

It deceased Sunday morning to his residence of Brioude, in the high loire (centers is), specified the ministry, quoting the local prefecture.

Been born October 16 1897, Louis of Cazenave was the most oldest person of the hairy survivors. Engaged in 1916, it had been part of the 5th Senegalese battalion of December 1916 to September 1917. In 1919, after the conflict end, it had become railroader.

The last former fighter of the "big war" in life is Lazare Ponticelli, been born December 7 1897.

It will have of the "solemn funerals of national reach", according to a taken decision in 2005 by the ex-pr?sident Jacques Chirac."

[Christophe]

Hi Paul and Ed,

You can find a lot of details on the last survivors of WW1 on this site (in french) :

http://dersdesders.free.fr/index.html

All bios are here. Very well done.

Cheers.

Ch.

[Ed_Haynes]

While, like everything else on Wikipedia, it has problems (shows 3 living French veterans, for example), see:

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

[Christophe]

Raymond Cambefort is officially excluded from French government lists, as it only counts those with more than three months of combat service. He signed up on August 28, 1918.

Ch.

[Christophe]

And, we learnt it only recently, but Raymond Cambefort died four days before Louis de Cazenave, on 16 January 2008.

Raymond Cambefort (11 February 1900 ? 16 January 2008) was, at age 107, one of the last three fully verified World War I veterans living in France until these last days. He lived in the Toulouse region.[unreliable source?]

Cambefort signed up for service on 28 August 1918, and served until 4 November 1919. Despite the fact he was a French soldier in the trenches, the French government did not recognize him as an official Poilu; he fought less than the official three months needed (exactly during two months and two weeks before the Armistice).

Lazare Ponticelli is now the last Poilu still alive !!!

Sad month of January 2008 !!!

Ch.

[Christophe]

A few articles in english about Louis de Cazenave :

Reuters :

France's oldest WWI vet dead at 110

Jan 21, 2008 04:30 AM

PARIS?France's oldest man, a World War I veteran who refused a medal and spoke powerfully about the horrors of war, has died at 110, leaving just one veteran alive from the conflict.

Louis de Cazenave died at his home in the Auvergne region in central France yesterday, the government said.

President Nicolas Sarkozy called his death a reminder of the 1.4 million French who lost their lives in the 1914-18 war.

De Cazenave survived both the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and the Second Battle of the Aisne a year later, two of the bloodiest episodes of what was described as the "war to end all wars."

Born in October 1897, de Cazenave became an infantryman in 1916.

He retired in 1941 but refused a military decoration. Eventually, he was awarded the civilian Legion of Honour in 1999.

"Some of my comrades weren't even given a wooden cross," he told Le Monde newspaper in 2005.

Recalling events etched into his mind 88 years earlier, he gave a grim account of the offensive on German positions along the river Aisne.

That offensive caused about 350,000 French and German deaths and led afterwards to a partial French mutiny.

"You should have heard the wounded between the lines. They called out to their mothers, begged us to go finish them off," he told Le Monde.

"We found the Germans when we went to get water at the well. We spoke to them. They were just like us; they had had enough."

De Cazenave described patriotism as "a way of making people swallow anything" and war as absurd and useless.

"Nothing can justify it, nothing."

France's last surviving World War I veteran is now Lazare Ponticelli, 110. He has refused an offer of a state funeral, saying it would show disrespect to war victims who never got the same honour."

Reuters

Ch.

[Christophe]

AP

LOUIS DE CAZENAVE: 110

FIRST WORLD WAR VETERAN CALLED COMBAT 'ABSURD'

AP

January 22, 2008

Paris -- French First World War veteran Louis de Cazenave, whose life touched three centuries and who refused a prestigious award for his service, died Sunday. He was 110, and leaves just one known French veteran of the war.

Mr. de Cazenave, who saw the vicious Battle of the Somme and later called war "absurd," died at his home in Brioude, southern France, said his son, also named Louis de Cazenave. "He died in his sleep, without suffering," the son said by telephone.

Born Oct. 16, 1897, Mr. de Cazenave was called up to fight in 1916 and served in different infantry regiments before joining an artillery unit in January, 1918, according to a statement from the French President's office.

Mr. de Cazenave took part in the Battle of the Somme in 1916, the Battle of the Chemin des Dames the next year and in the liberation of France from German forces in 1918, the statement said.

The Somme battle between British-led forces in northern France and a surprisingly tough German force left 1.2 million on both sides dead, wounded or held prisoner, after four months of trench warfare. The Chemin des Dames battle was responsible for 150,000 French deaths.

"War is something absurd, useless, that nothing can justify. Nothing," he told Le Monde in a 2005 interview. He described walking through fields of wounded soldiers calling for their mothers, begging to be finished off.

After the war, Mr. de Casenave became a train driver. He married his wife, Marie, in 1920, and outlived her by more than 34 years. Television footage of the veteran's 110th birthday showed him smoking a pipe at home, puzzled by all the media attention.

Mr. de Cazenave repeatedly refused an award from France's Legion of Honour before finally accepting it in 1995, in response to pleas from other veterans.

The last known French veteran of the First World War is Lazare Ponticelli, also 110. "

Ch.

[Christophe]

BBC News

France's oldest WWI veteran dies

One of the last two surviving French veterans of World War I has died at the age of 110.

Louis de Cazenave, who fought in the Battle of the Somme in 1916, died in his sleep at his home in Brioude, central France, his son Louis said.

Mr de Cazenave's death leaves Lazare Ponticelli, also 110, as the last "poilu", or French WWI veteran.

Mr de Cazenave's son said he died as he would have wanted - peacefully in his sleep at home, surrounded by family.

President Nicolas Sarkozy sent condolences to Mr de Cazenave's family and paid tribute to all those killed in the war.

Adding his tribute, French Defence Minister Herve Morin said:

"De Cazenave departed with the discretion and simplicity that he had cultivated as a remedy against the fracas and horror of combat."

To the slaughter

The second-last of the poilus (English: hairy ones) - the affectionate name given since Napoleonic times to French footsoldiers - joined up in 1916 at the age of 19, midway through the war.

He was one of the 8.5 million young Frenchmen mobilised to fight the German occupation.

In April 1917, assigned to the Fifth Senegalese Rifles, he fought in one of the most disastrous French actions of the war, at the Chemin des Dames, during the Second Battle of the Aisne.

The chemin was an 18th Century road straddling a ridge.

The Germans took it in late 1914, and after two years of attritional warfare, the French commander-in-chief, Gen Robert Nivelle, recommended a massive assault against them.

But squabbling between Allied leaders lead to delays and leaks.

Forewarned, the Germans dug in so well that the creeping artillery barrage ahead of the French advance did little to dislodge them.

Across the battlefront the French lost 40,000 men on the first day.

Some reports say the advancing French bleated in mocking acknowledgement that they were lambs to the slaughter.

The last poilu

Mr de Cazenave's family say the experience, which led to French mutinies, left him a pacifist.

During World War II he was briefly jailed by the pro-Nazi puppet regime under Marshal Petain, the general who relieved Nivelle after the debacle.

"War is something absurd, useless, that nothing can justify. Nothing," he told Le Monde newspaper in a 2005 interview.

In that interview, he described walking through fields of wounded soldiers calling for their mothers, begging to be finished off.

President Sarkozy said Mr de Cazenave's death was an occasion to reflect on the 1.4 million French soldiers who lost their lives, and the 4.5 million who were wounded, during World War I.

"This generation has only one remaining representative today," he added in his statement.

The last poilu , Lazare Ponticelli, has been told of Mr de Cazenave's death.

He is now one of a handful of known World War I veterans left in any of the warring nations.

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/worl...ope/7199127.stm

Published: 2008/01/20 22:34:55 GMT

? BBC MMVIII"

Link : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7199127.stm

Ch.