Fiche 015.3

TROIS JOURS POUR SAUVER L’HONNEUR       

ASSOCIATION SAINT—MICHELLOISE DU SOUVENIR DE MAI 1940

Combats des 16, 17 et 18 Mai 1940

FORGOTTEN FIGHTS

 A WAR BETWEEN EUROPEANS IS A CIVIL WAR. (Victor Hugo)

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Henri DUDON Bergerac, 21 June 2000.

7, rue Pozzi

34100 BERGERAC

Mr Jacques RAGUET

Dear Sir,

I receive your important letter containing my brother Bernard's service records and cannot thank you enough for your delicacy for having drafted the text of the letters to be addressed to the Military Administration.

However, what I regret is that it took 60 years to get this information and admire both your diligence in getting it.

I think of the satisfaction that my parents might have had; My Father, a great invalid from the war of 14, who from the beginning of 1941 had learned of the death of his eldest son, an Infantry Officer, who had fallen to BRIENNE SUR AISNE (Ardennes) on June 9, 40, during the last fights that our armies opposed the German horde and a few months later learned of the death of their second son in Saint-Michel.

Yes, Dear Sir, in 1940 we were four of the family mobilized: my older brother, killed in Brienne, the second, killed in Saint-Michel, my brother-in-law prisoner, and alone, I remained providentially, attached to an E.O.R. training center in Angoulême and when the Germans arrived, on June 25, the armistice had been signed the day before, the city of Angoulême was declared open city and after a month of camp I was liberated.

You had to have one left to take care of the family, as you say.

In February 41, I first went to Brienne to recognize my brother's remains and a second time two months later to carry out the transfer to the local military cemetery, and when in August 41 we heard of Bernard's death, I wrote to the parish priest of Saint-Michel who sent me the report, a copy of which is attached. I went to Saint-Michel where I met Monsieur LEMPERUR and a young girl (perhaps his daughter) who had known Bernard during the stay of his unit in the region and very kindly maintained his grave.

Is this person among you?

But in Brienne as in Saint-Michel, I was able to appreciate the generosity and kindness of the inhabitants of your region, who have experienced war and suffering are perhaps more generous than those of the South and I could recall what Enrico Macias sang "the people of the North have at their heart the warmth that the sun does not bring them."

Dear Sir, I cannot thank you enough and congratulate you for your part and dedication to your Association "Three Days to Save Honour" and I add my modest contribution to this generous project.

I do not know what I will be able to do next year, at my age, we must be careful and even if I am still "good-looking and good-looking" as you say, an accident happened very quickly.

In any case I will remain in contact with you and will keep you informed of the follow-up of our steps.

Please find here the expression of my grateful and very cordial feelings.

Signed: Henri DUDON.

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Henri DUDON Bergerac, 13 September 2000.

7, rue Pozzi

34100 BERGERAC

Mr Jacques RAGUET

Dear Sir,

I am pleased to inform you that, thanks to the kind information you have given me, I have just received from the Grand Chancellery of the Legion of Honour the Certificate of Award of the Military Medal and the Certificate of the War Cross awarded to my brother Bernard DUDON.

I thank you again for the kindness you have shown me and ask you to accept, dear Sir, the assurance of my very grateful feelings.

Signed: Henri DUDON