Embedded Files
Getting out of oblivion the places and the people who had participated in this painful page of French history.
Blockhouse in the forest
Photograph on the right
Information panel.
" Crossroads of the Star "
Facing the monument
Forest of Saint - Michel en Thiérache.
Around the 40 blockhouses
"IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MAGINOT"
Sound and Light for the presentation of the circuits of the Maginot line in the forest of Saint-Michel in Thiérache
The Saturday May 18, 1940 from 7:30 a.m. simultaneous attack of the main lines of resistance and the stop line.
The 24th French soldier is killed on the edge of St-Michel and Watigny.The enemy is coming from all sides, from the north, south, east and west.Strong French resistance protected by four tanks, but around 11 a.m. the French troops, attacked by the enemy, had to lay down their arms and surrender.At 11:30 am all resistance ceased. It had for result to allow on May 17 the withdrawal in the region of Trélon of the 1st North African division.
In his report stating the ev ed events that occurred during the period from 1 st March to 18 May 1940, the General BEZIERS-LAFOSSE recounts his surrender:
“I had decided to resist the last and around 11 o'clock we had to stop the resistance we had put up against the enemy, stubborn and without a spirit of retreat.
I could have considered two solutions: either blowing up our shelter with us, but I had no explosives; or to make a glorious sortie with the bayonet against the German soldiers who surrounded us lying behind the trees of the forest and the embankments of the road: I did not believe I had the right to have most of the 20 to 30 killed with certainty. men who still surrounded me.
The magnificent courage, of which they and the others: officers, officers and soldiers of the 22nd ID have shown during this hard period from May 10 to 18 and especially during these last hours of resistance in the state forest of ST-MICHEL, he did not did not surprise me from the Bretons and Vendeans whom I had the honor of commanding. It was the same as that demonstrated during the 1st world war by their elders, at the head of which I was also.
End of quote.
The human toll of these fighting during these 3 days of May 1940 was 24 killed and many wounded for the French troops
During the fighting which took place on the territory of the commune of Saint-Michel-en-Thiérache, in and around the state forest on May 16, 17 and 18, 1940, the French losses amounted to 24 killed and many wounded.
List of French soldiers killed with dates and places where they fell:
Friday, May 17, 1940
Crossroads of the Star: a total of 13 killed
Second lieutenant LIBERGE Bernard Soldier AUGEARD Charles
Sergeant-Chef COULOMBEAU René Soldier BRAZILLE Roger
Sergeant GUEHENEC Mathurin Soldier GALLE Fernand
Sergeant SALAMA Jacques Soldier LAURENT Armand
Corporal TERRIEN Jean Baptiste Soldier LEMOINE Francis
1st Class Soldier CHEBARDY Marc Soldier MANCEAU Henri
Soldier MARCEAU Jean
In the forest of St Michel at a place called "Heurlemont Jacques"
Second Lieutenant GALLET DE ST AURIN
Road Cocréaumont in St Michel:
Sergeant BILLIARD Alexandre Brigadier-Chief MARC Yves
Road Rochettes in St Michel:
Sergeant DUDON Bernard Sergeant RIFFAUD Léon
Crossroads corner Road du Moulin and Road Thiers in St Michel:
Soldier JAGUT Alexis Soldier MALARDE Louis
Rochefort Bridge in St Michel:
Soldier DUFAUT Jean Marie
Forest House "La Gendarmerie" leaving St Michel towards Watigny:
Soldier GERARD Auguste
At Pas Bayard :
Sergeant-Chef BOUCARD Edmond
Saturday, MAY 18, 1940
Limit St Michel Watigny at a place called La Forge Sailly:
Soldier CORBINEAU Roger
The French soldiers were summarily buried on the spot
In June 1941, at the request of the municipality of St-Michel and with the agreement of the German authorities, the 21 bodies of soldiers buried in the territory of the commune will be exhumed and put into beer.
On June 22, 1941, the coffins covered with the tricolor flag after the religious service will be buried in the Military Square of the municipal cemetery.
Stories taken from the memoirs of Mr DUTRY Roger ( † 2013) vice-president of the Association Saint-Michelloise du Souvenir of May 1940
Page updated
Report abuse