Interpreter B de Noblens

[temptage]

 

Whilst rummaging through all the GRRF's for Rocquigny-Equancourt I happened upon this strange entry in grave 6.E.24

 

With nothing other than 'attd 70 Bde. RFA', it looks like he is/was an Interpreter. There is no other mention of him on the CWGC database, so I am presuming that with a surname of Noblens, or more likely de Noblens, he might well have been a Frenchman 'attending' 70 Bde.

 

Even though he may not have been actually serving in the Army, just the fact that he was working with the RFA, wouldnt that mean he should be worthy of commemoration? There are 30 other Interpreters who are named on the CWGC database, including a couple of Civilian Interpreters.

 

Should he be added also?

Edited 1 August , 2020 by temptage

[Keith_history_buff]

Whilst there is at least one French interpreter with a CWGC headstone, there is no obligation on the part of the CWGC to enable the general public to see their names. None of the French fatalities can be found on the CWGC website.

There is a crowdsourced website which is pretty good for French fatalities, but has been unavailable for the past two hours.
http://www.memorialgenweb.org/memorial3/html/fr/index.php
I prefer this to the French ministry of defence website, which has a datset akin to SDGW that is freely available.

Thanks
Keith

[Keith_history_buff]

CHEYNIER LE JOUHAN DE NOBLENS Bernard Emile François

Birth : 11-04-1883 (Palaiseau - Essonne (ex Seine et Oise))

Recruitment : 1903

Death : 29-11-1917 (Ytres - Somme)

[JWK]

Here's his entry on www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defense.gouv.fr

Two of his brothers also fell for France

 

[temptage]

Interestingly, having searched his name on Google, it turns out that he was a French Canadian from Winnipeg in Manitoba, and not a pure Frenchman as I had presumed.

 

But he had served in the 19e Escadron du Train des Équipages Militaires (19th Military Crew Train Squadron) of the French Army as a Maréchal des Logis, before becoming an Interpreter for the 70 Brigade.

[Keith_history_buff]

That other website is back up and running. He seems to be recorded on several memorials, being claimed as a Breton. He was associated with Pornichet, which although adminstratively is Loire Atlantique, I see it was considered as historically part of the Duchy of Brittany. Below are his details at Albert, tombe 3062.
http://www.memorialgenweb.org/memorial3/html/fr/complementter.php?id=5638395

In the British Army, the intelligence staff were all associated with 10th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. In a similar manner, the thousands of interpreters in the French Army were grouped together as 19e Escadron du Train des Équipages Militaire, which must have made it the largest squadron in the French Army. I guess it makes sense that the means to communicate get considered as part of the train and logistics function of an army.

[JWK]

 

37 minutes ago, temptage said:

Interestingly, having searched his name on Google, it turns out that he was a French Canadian from Winnipeg in Manitoba, and not a pure Frenchman as I had presumed.

 

 

His familytree on geneanet makes me think he is a pure Frenchman though.

 

 

St Boniface War Memorial in Winnipeg has him and his brother as a "student"