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Memorial French Soldiers Durnal

In Durnal there is a memorial stone for the events of May 1940.
On May 10, 1940, Germany invaded Belgium. In the afternoon the first French troops arrived.
On May 12, the first clash occurred, 3 French soldiers lost their lives in the center of the village.

The three soldiers who died were:
- Hubert BLANCHART : born September 8, 1918, soldier 31st Dragons français
Killed as he lay resting behind a hedge opposite a path behind a courtyard
- Maurice VAUTRIN : born 1917, soldier 31st Dragons français.
Killed in a meadow between 2 houses.
- Raymond CHRISTINY : born December 18, 1914, soldier 31st Dragons français
Seriously injured, he sought shelter, dying in a pigsty in a corner of the courtyard of the Materne house.

Part of the information board reports on their funeral on October 23, 1940.
In the 1950s, the bodies of French soldiers were repatriated and reburied in their native country.
In addition, the board also contains information about their regiment, the "31st Régiment de Dragons".

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

  • Text: TracesOfWar
  • Photos: Marie-Christine Vinck

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