French Soldier (Infantry, POW)

[TGM]

Hi All,

I'm wondering if anyone could share their tips/experience of researching French soldiers.

I've found some info on my corporal (French Infantry) via http://www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defense.gouv.fr/

My corporal was a PoW at Würzburg from about May 1916 until his death (from illness) in February 1917.

 

 

Thanks in anticipation.

Edited 26 January , 2017 by TGM

[CROONAERT]

Where was he from, TGM? Or ,more usefully, what was the area of his recruitment? (your link doesn't link to the details of the actual man). If you are lucky, he was recruited in an area where his records are easily accessible online. These can often be very detailed.

 

Failing that, his unit war diaries are probably available on the same website as that to which you linked which can give detail up to when he was captured. Many regimental 'historiques' are also freely available online.

 

I've researched in detail several hundred French soldiers over the past few years but tend to fall 'flat' when researching detail of PoW's from the point of capture to the point of repatriation (the remainder is pretty straight-forward though!).

 

Dave

[TGM]

Thank you.

 

Edited 26 January , 2017 by TGM

[CROONAERT]

His parents were Charles Bertin Lucien Sterckeman (1856 - 1924) and Lucie Amelie Lecasble (1866 - 1947). He had a sister (Gilberte), but she died in 1902. He lived in the 16e Arrondissement (Arrondissement de Passy) in western Paris.

 

Unfortunately, the Parisien service records aren't yet online (just an alphabetical listing per class year giving less information than you already have from his MPF fiche!). There are also no casualty listings (only numbers of and named officers) in the 67e RI JMO. The regimental historique mentions him - but with no detail - in the 'roll of honour' (mis-spelling his name as 'Stercheman').

 

A Caporal Telephoniste, he was posted as Missing in Action at Les Eparges/Tranchee de Calonne on 24th April 1915.    Interned in Würzburg from June 1915 (?) until November 1916. Sent to the reserve hospital at Würzburg (final prisoner number 4134, 7th company) suffering from gastritis, enteritis , intestinal abscesses and anaemia. Transferred to Switzerland at the end of November 1916 where he died in hospital at Berne, Switzerland on 15th February 1917.

 

Burial location unrecorded. Probably repatriated to Paris.

 

 

Dave

 

 

[TGM]

Thanks again, Lieut-General for the military data .

 

Many thanks

Edited 26 January , 2017 by TGM

[CROONAERT]

11 hours ago, TGM said:

...may I ask where you found the info from the last paragraph....

 

From his ICRC records (he's listed under his correct name, but not under the 'interned in Switzerland' section)

 

Dave.

[TGM]

 

Thank you.

Edited 26 January , 2017 by TGM