French graves in Palestine and Syria 1918/19

[stevenbecker]

Mates,

 

Do you know where the French dead from the later advances in Sept to Dec 1918 and early 1919 were buried in Palestine and Syria?

 

I was after the graves of those French soldiers lost in the Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie of the 5th Australian Light Horse Bde during Sept - Oct 1918 and any other after that date from illness and such?

 

Any ideas where they were buried?

 

While have a small number names of some of this Regt, I don't have any deaths recorded, when I know they got into trouble a number of times.

 

Cheers

S.B

Edited 5 June , 2018 by stevebecker

[Gareth Davies]

Did Deir ez Zor French Military Cemetery exist back then?  Also Aleppo?

[domsim]

Steve

 

Couple of histories of Aleppo and Damscus Commonwealt War graves Comm sites give clues:

 

Damascus:

The cemetery dates from the First World War when Damascus was entered by Commonwealth forces on 1 October 1918. The first medical unit arriving the next day found the Turkish hospitals crowded with sick and wounded, and a few days later an epidemic of influenza and cholera broke out. The First World War burials in this cemetery were mostly from these hospitals. The Second World War burials began in 1941 during the operations against the Vichy French, and later on graves were moved into the cemetery from civilian burial grounds, Deraa French Military Cemetery, and from scattered sites in the areas where the fighting occurred.

 

Aleppo

 

Aleppo War Cemetery was created in 1941 by the military authorities. It was later enlarged when graves were brought in from scattered sites in areas where the fighting occured, and from two French cemeteries - Aleppo French Military Cemetery and Deir ez Zor French Military Cemetery. The cemetery now contains 114 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, eight of them unidentified. There is also a memorial, in the form of a seat with dedicatory panels, to 127 Indian soldiers who died during the First World War who were buried at the time in two Indian cemeteries in Aleppo which no longer exist. The cemetery also contains one Czech and 12 Greek war graves.

 

So as Gareth said possible cemetery at Deir ez Zor others at Deraa and Aleppo . Is there a French equvalent of the CWGC with a website? Or are these later?

 

cheers

Dom.

 

 

[Keith_history_buff]

Here's the names of some fatalities:

Pierre Ambroise TANNE 16 November 1918
Joseph Leon Jules Marie EURVIN 31 October 1918

 

You should be able to find them on the Mémoire des hommes website.

This link is quite useful too, covering both the aforementioned MdH and matricules militaires.
http://www.culture.fr/eng/Genealogie/Grand-Memorial

[Keith_history_buff]

You can do a search on MdH to bring back all casualties in a given country. Given the small French presence, there ought not be so many in the search results. It's good that you can bring up the English version of the website, too.

 

Navigate to this page
https://www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defense.gouv.fr/en/arkotheque/client/mdh/base_morts_pour_la_france_premiere_guerre/

To call up further search options, click on 

Browse the database of indexation collaborative (not exhaustive)

 

 

Country of death = "Syrie" brings back 164 results
 

[apwright]

By coincidence, I was researching this regiment quite recently.

The RMMC doesn't appear to have suffered any battle-related deaths.
From the war diary at
https://www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defense.gouv.fr/fr/ark:/40699/e00527acd4fb063a/527acd4fc3c48
I've only identified 15 men of the regiment who died, plus another 4 from attached units, nearly all of them from unspecified disease at hospitals in Damascus and Beirut. The diary is quite detailed, but although it runs to September 1922, the whole of the year 1920 is missing, so I've only looked up to the end of 1919.

 

Battle casualties were limited to the following wounded:
19-9-18 - Tulkarm. 4 slightly wounded (sous-lieutenant Adrien Berthold Marie EVAIN PAVEE DE VENDEUVRE, brigadier ATTALA BEN EL BEY, and cavaliers André ARQUIMBAUD and Lucien Henri SCHEPP)
27-9-18 - 1 slightly wounded (unnamed)
21-7-19 - 2 slightly wounded (maréchal des logis BOUHAUINE and spahi AMAR BOUSSENA)
12-11-19 - 1 wounded (unnamed)

 

The deaths are as below:

Key: RS = régiment de spahis; RCA = régiment de chasseurs d'Afrique; SIM = section d'infirmiers militaires; AM 2/P = ambulance de montagne 2/P (field ambulance attached to the RMMC); 15 ETEM, 51 Cie = 51e compagnie of 15e escadron du train des équipages militaires (provided the transport for AM 2/P).
The four squadrons of the RMMC in this period were (from 1st to 4th) the 15e & 16e escadrons du 4e RCA, 1er escadron du 1er RS and 8e escadron du 4e RS.

 

The dead from Damascus were probably originally buried in the French military cemetery in the suburb of Mezzeh (Al Mazzeh). The graves from there were transferred to the new cemetery at Dmeir (Al-Dumayr) in 1960. Between 1960 and 1998, all French graves from Aleppo, Latakia, Deir ez-Zor and Tartus were likewise transferred to Dmeir.

 

In Lebanon there is apparently a French military cemetery in the Horsh Beirut park (Bois de Pins), so perhaps those who died in Beirut were buried there. It may be worth sending an email to the French Embassy in Beirut to ask if it contains Great War graves.

 

Hope this helps!
Adrian

[Guest]

Mate,

 

Its taken some time but I show these men in that Regt

 

ABEILHE    Emile    6080    Cavalier    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie recom MM - for his actions outside Damas 30-9-18 
ALEXANDRE    Emile    7271    Marechal des Logis    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie recom MM - for his actions Tul Kekam 19-9-18 
ARQUIMBAUD    Andre    7852    Cavalier    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie shown WIA 19-9-18 Tul Kekam & recom MM - for his actions Tul Kekam 19-9-18 
ATTALAH    Ben el Bey    879    Brigadier    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie shown WIA 19-9-18 Tul Kekam & recom MM - for his actions Tul Kekam 19-9-18 
BARBIER - Saint HILAIRE    Eugene    8500    Cavalier    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie recom MM - for his actions at Damas 27-9-18 
BIGAULT    Andre        Lt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie 3Sqn (3rd Sqn of the 1st of Algerian Spahis) MC - for his actions crossing the Jordan at Hayarden 27-9-18 and Damascus 30-9-18
BOUHAUINE     N/R    N/R    Marechal des Logis    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie WIA 21-7-19
BOUSSENA    Amar    N/R    Cavalier    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie Spahis WIA 21-7-19
CHAPUT    N/R    N/R    Cpl    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie 
CHIRAULT    N/R        Lt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie OC MG Sect (machine guns of the 4th of Chasseurs d'Afrique) detached 6-18 
COURATIN    Julien    168    Marechal des Logis    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie 3Sqn recom MM - for his actions Tul Kekam 19-9-18 
CROCHARD    N/R        Sou Lt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie 3Sqn (3rd Sqn of the 1st of Algerian Spahis) Tos 8-18 to hosp 5-9-18 
DANDINE    N/R        Lt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie 2Sqn (16th Sqn of the 4th of Chasseurs d'Afrique) 12-17 return to Tunis depot 3-18 
DASPET    Francois    6150    Brigadier    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie recom MM - for his actions Tul Kekam 19-9-18 
DAVEJAC    N/R        Lt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie 2Sqn (16th Sqn of the 4th of Chasseurs d'Afrique) 12-17
DAZ    G.        Lt / Chaplain    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie RHQ possibly Chaplain mention in burial records 
DEBONY    N/R        Lt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie 1st Sqn (15th Sqn of the 4th of Chasseurs d'Afrique) 12-17 
DEBRET     Florimond    6093    Cavalier    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie MM - for his actions Tul Kekam 19-9-18 
DELAHAIE    N/R        Lt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie OC MG Sect (machine guns of the 4th of Chasseurs d'Afrique) detached 6-18 
DREVET    Desire    9217    Cavalier    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie recom MM - for his actions outside Damas 30-9-18 
EURVIN    Joseph    N/R    Cavalier    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie 1st Sqn (15th Sqn of the 4th of Chasseurs d'Afrique) died Saint-Louis hospital in Damascus
FRANCOU    N/R        Capt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie OC 2Sqn (16th Sqn of the 4th of Chasseurs d'Afrique)
FRAUDET    N/R        Sou Lt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie 3Sqn (3rd Sqn of the 1st of Algerian Spahis) 12-17 to rest camp 8-18 
GAND    N/R        Capt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie OC 1st Sqn (15th Sqn of the 4th of Chasseurs d'Afrique) 12-17 return to Tunis depot 3-18 
GAUCHER    N/R        Capt Vet    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie RHQ RVO 
GIACOMONI    Francois    6029    Marechal des Logis    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie DCM - for his actions Tul Kekam 19-9-18 
GRISONI    N/R        Lt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie 1st Sqn (15th Sqn of the 4th of Chasseurs d'Afrique) 12-17 attched staff to Commandant DFPS 8-18 rtn 11-18
GUICHARD    Charles        Capt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie OC 1st Sqn (15th Sqn of the 4th of Chasseurs d'Afrique) 12-17 recom MC - for his actions at Damas 21-9-18 
HENNIG    N/R        Maj Vet    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie RHQ RVO (replaced Gaucher) 
KERVERSAU    N/R        Capt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie OC 4Sqn (8th Sqn of the 4th Tunisian Spahis)
LE TRONE    N/R        Lt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie 4Sqn (8th Sqn of the 4th Tunisian Spahis)
LEBON    Emile        Maj Chief de Sqn     French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie CO RHQ to Commandant DSO - for his actions Tul Kekam 19-9-18 at Nablus 21-9-18 and Damascus 30-9-18 to LtCol 11-18 The Regt att 5 LH Bde from 21-8-18 to 21-10-18 
MARTIN    Charles    1251    Marechal des Logis    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie recom DCM awarded MM - for his actions at Nablus 21-9-18 
MORAND     N/R        Lt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie 4Sqn (8th Sqn of the 4th Tunisian Spahis)
NERET    Georges        Lt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie 3Sqn (3rd Sqn of the 1st of Algerian Spahis) (shown Laison officer 5 LH Bde) recom MC - for his actions at Nablus 21-9-18 
OVELINE    N/R        Capt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie OC 3Sqn (3rd Sqn of the 1st of Algerian Spahis) OC (replaced widolff) 1-19
PETRIACQ    Dominique    6475    Cavalier    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie recom MM - for his actions at Tul Kekam 19-9-18 
PICHON    Jean        Capt/Adjt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie RHQ Adjt (from vendeuvre) MC - for his actions at Tul Kekam 19-9-18 
RAFFALI    Gabriel    5939    Adjutant Chef    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie 2Sqn (16th Sqn of the 4th of Chasseurs d'Afrique) 12-17 recom DCM - for his actions Tul Kekam 19-9-18 prom Sou Lt 12-18 
RODET    Adrien    7035    Brigadier    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie MM - for his actions Tul Kekam 19-9-18 
SAOULI    N/R        Lt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie 4Sqn (8th Sqn of the 4th Tunisian Spahis)
SCHEPP    Lucien    8323    Pte    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie shown WIA 19-9-18 Tul Kekam & recom MM - for his actions Tul Kekam 19-9-18 
VALLARS    Raoul    6461    Brigadier    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie MM- for his actions Tul Kekam 19-9-18 
VEILLON    N/R        Maj Dr    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie RHQ RMO 
VENDEUVRE    Adrien Berthold Marie         Lt Adjt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie RHQ Adjt shown WIA 19-9-18 Tul Kekam & recom MC - for his actions Tul Kekam 19-9-18 
VIEUMET (VIENNET)    N/R        Lt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie 2Sqn (16th Sqn of the 4th of Chasseurs d'Afrique) 12-17
VINCENTI    Charles    3954    Cavalier    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie MM- for his actions Tul Kekam 19-9-18 
WIDOLFF    Francois Joseph        Capt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie OC 3Sqn (3rd Sqn of the 1st of Algerian Spahis) MC - for his actions near Nablus around El Mezze 30-9-18 
ZAMIT    Laurent        Lt    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie 1Sqn (15th Sqn of the 4th of Chasseurs d'Afrique) 12-17 recom MC - for his actions at Nablus 21-9-18 
TANNE    Pierre Ambroise    516    Cavalier    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie (1st Sqn of the 1st of Algerian Spahis) 
EURVIN     Joseph Leon Jules Marie    868    Cavalier    French Army    Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie (4th of Chasseurs d'Afrique) 
 

Thanks for the WIA as I didn't have these.

 

The ALH mention a few actions with the RMMC in which men were killed/wounded, but they don't mention French losses, and by the looks of it they didn't have any, so thats the reason?

 

I'll check your list of deaths to see if they are in the actions I am after.

 

Cheers

 

S.B