100 year anniversary of British transit camp in Saint-Germain-au-Mont-d'Or near Lyon, France

[Guest]

Dear all,

 

My name is Benoît, I am French. I live in the village of Saint Germain au Mont d'Or, near Lyon in france.

 

We are preparing for the 100 year anniversary of the British transit camp which was set up in the village in 1917 (more info here http://www.museemilitairelyon.com/spip.php?article210 , in French). The ceremony will take place on the 18th of November 2017.

 

Every year we hold a British and French ceremony in the village but for the 100 year anniversary we want to have something special.

 

With the town hall we are preparing an exhibition and we are trying to find letters, stories, old postcards etc about the transit camp which was set up in the village and the soldiers who spent time at the camp.

Thanks to that forum I have already found some useful information but I am starting this new topic to see if I can get more information about the soldiers who stayed in the camp and about there living conditions.

 

 

If anyone can get in touch with me I would be really grateful.

 

Merci d'avance,

 

Benoît

 

 

[PHalsall]

Hi Benoît,

 

I am so sorry I have not noticed your posting earlier. I hope your ceremont went well, so nice to realise that these men are not forgotten.

I have little to offer in terms of information, other than that my grandfather passed through there in December 1918 on his return from being a PoW in Turkey.

The one thing I can recall is reading somewhere of troops returning after the end of the war and stopping at St Germain au Mont D'Or and a crowd of French locals appearing to offer them flowers, chocolate, cigarettes, then singing the Marseillaise with the returning troops trying their best to join in. A lovely story, and unfortunately I can no longer locate the source or I would forward the link! I hope you already have that one.

 

Regards,

 

Pete

[PHalsall]

Hi Benoît,

 

You may be interested in this link. http://www.forcespostalhistorysociety.org.uk/journal_archive/journals-current---291/journal-300o.pdf It gives some information about the camp and at least one photo on page 181, Fig 4 that I cannot see on your website.

 

Regards,

 

Pete