 l
above - the memorial in Cypress Hills National
Cemetery, and below, the plaque at its foot
Below - two of the plaques that are mounted on the
individual graves
(Matelot
Leroux's place of birth should read Brest -
thanks to Daniel Bechennec)
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Introduction
Joann E Montgomery of New York kindly sent me
information about 25 French sailors who died in
World War 1 and are commemorated in a New York
cemetery. Although the main tablet refers to 25
sailors, only 21 are listed here with one grave
unmarked and three bodies exhumed and carried back
to France. As with so many US Navy deaths at this
time, influenza/pneumonia accounted for all but one
of the French sailors whose cause of death is known.
I am grateful to Joann for this information and for
helping to throw a little light on the role of the
French Navy in the Atlantic in the Great War and its
links with the United States. My thanks also to
Daniel Bechennec from Britanny, France for advice on
ranks.
Left - a
list of the twenty-one named sailors commemorated in
the Cemetery (click to enlarge; a key and the list
in alphabetical order follows)
Key
1. Information is in order - Last Name, First Name,
Rank and Ship or Service, Date of Birth, Place of
birth, Died for France and Date of Death
2. The French Hospital was located at 450 West 34th
Street, Manhattan, New York (see list following)
3. Ranks listed are:
Premier-maitre -
Chief Petty Officer
Second-maitre - Petty Officer
Quartier-maitre, 1st classe - Leading Seaman
Quartier-maitre, 2nd classe - Able Seaman
Matelot - Seaman
Quatre-maitre de Cannonier - Able or Leading
Seaman Gunner
Chauffer brevete - certified Fireman or Stoker
Soldat d'Infantrie - Infantryman, possibly French
Marines
4. Vessels and Services are:
L'A.M.B.C. -
Armement Militaire des Bātiments de Commerce,
merchant ship gunner (British DEMS or American
Armed Guard)
Coloniale de Pacifique - Pacific Colonial Service
GLOIRE - Gloire-class armoured cruiser, launched
1900, 10,200 tons, spent war in Atlantic,
finishing as convoy escort, collided with American
liner City of Athens in May 1918, repaired in New
York
Gloire
MARSEILLAISE - Gloire-class armoured cruiser,
launched 1900, 9,500 tons, spent war in Atlantic,
finishing as convoy escort
Marseillaise
MONTCALM - Gueydon-class armoured cruiser,
launched 1900, 9,500 tons, completed refit in
September 1916 and joined 4th Cruiser Squadron in
West Indies, escorted Atlantic convoys from July
to November 1918
Montcalm
...... a reminder of North Atlantic convoy
conditions
The
Casualty List in Alphabetical Order
with added information researched by Joann E
Montgomery
ADAM, Francois M (parents - Yves Marie Adam &
Marie Gonidec), Matelot de la Gloire, pneumonia, The
French Hospital, died 19 October 1918
AUTRET, Francois M, Maitre de la Marseillaise, died
11 October 1918
BATARD, Eugene, Matelot de la Marseillaise, died 4
October 1918
CALIMACHE, Francois, Matelot de la Marseillaise,
influenza, unknown hospital, Kings County, Brooklyn,
died 22 November 1918
CONSEIL, Jean-Marie, Quatre-maitre Canonnier du
Montcalm, died 18 October 1918
DUCTEIL, Pierre, (parents - Louis & Jean Clair),
Chauffer brevete de la Gloire, influenza, The French
Hospital, died 14 October 1918
GLEMAREC, F J M, Matelot de la Marseillaise, died 12
October 1918
GODEFROY, Pierre, Matelot de la Marseillaise, died 2
October 1918
GRIGNOUX, Jean, Second-maitre de la Marseillaise,
died 11 October 1918
GUERMER, Francois T, Matelot de la Marseillaise,
died 4 October 1918
KERDELHUE, Piette, Premier-maitre de la
Marseillaise, died 4 October 1918
KERISIT, Henri, Matelot de la Marseillaise, (death
certificate not found), died 10 October 1918
LANCIAUX, Abel, Matelot de la Marseillaise, died 24
October 1918
LECERF, Henri Badin, Soldat d'Infanterie, Coloniale
du Pacifique, died 22 October 1918
LEROUX, Martial, Matelot de L'A.M.B.C., pneumonia,
unknown hospital, Kings County, Brooklyn, died 16
December 1918
NOBLET, Ernest (parents - unknown), Matelot de la
Montcalm, meningitis, The French Hospital, died 20
October 1918
QUINIO, Pierre Louis (parents - Pierre &
Louise), Quartier-maitre de la Marseillaise,
influenza/pneumonia, The French Hospital, died 9
October 1918
RAMPIN, Leon Eugene, Second-maitre de la
Marseillaise, died 4 October 1918
RASSIN, Albert (father - Albert), Matelot de la
Gloire, influenza, The French Hospital, died 12
October 1918
SIMON, Jean Francois, Matelot de la Marseillaise,
(death certificate not found), died 3 October 1918
TEPHANY, August (father - Agustus Hippolyte),
Matelot de la Marseillaise, influenza/pneumonia, The
French Hospital, died 7 October 1918
Links to
French Navy in World War 1
- The
French Navy: Honneur, Patrie, Valeur,
Discipline 1900-1922
- World
War 1 and Major Warship Lists in Outline
- Flag
Officers, 1914-1918
Those Who
Served:
- Louis
Bechennec, Fireman/Stoker, including Serbian
Evacuation
- French Navy Sailors commemorated in a New
York Cemetery (here)
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