JULES PEUGEOT MEMORIAL
Joncherey
Haut-Rhin
France
GPS Coordinates: 47°31'27.4"N 7°00'40.3"E
Image © Johan Pauwels
Location Information
The Jules Peugeot Memorial is locate to the east of Joncherey in the Haut Rhin region of France. Coming North from Delle turn right at the roundabout onto the Rue du Caporal Peugeot (D463) and continue to the Memorial which is on the left.
The Jules Peugeot Memorial is locate to the east of Joncherey in the Haut Rhin region of France. Coming North from Delle turn right at the roundabout onto the Rue du Caporal Peugeot (D463) and continue to the Memorial which is on the left.
Jules-André Peugeot (11 June 1893 – 2 August 1914) was the first French soldier to die in World War I. He died one day before the German Empire formally declared war on France, in the same skirmish in which Albert Mayer became the first soldier and first German soldier to die.
Jules-André Peugeot was born on 11 June 1893. Before being called up for compulsory military service in 1913, Jules Andre Peugeot was a teacher.
On mid morning on August 2, 1914, a German cavalry patrol led by Leutnant Albert Mayer patrolled into France before war had been officially declared. Upon crossing into French territory, Mayer slashed a French sentry with his saber before going deeper into France.
Around 9:30, Peugeot and his fellow soldiers were eating breakfast in a billet house owned by a certain Louis Doucourt. Doucourt's daughter, Adrienne, came in and told the soldiers that a German patrol had entered the town, at which Peugeot and his comrades arose from breakfast to meet them. At 9:59, Peugeot yelled at Mayer and his patrol to stop, as they were under arrest, but Mayer pulled out a pistol and shot Peugeot in the shoulder. Peugeot stumbled and shot his pistol, missing Mayer, but Peugeot's comrades returned fire, hitting Mayer in the stomach and head, killing him. Peugeot went back to the billet house where, at 10:37 am, he died on the steps of the house.
On the seventh anniversary of Peugeot's death, the French government erected a monument on the Alsatian border to commemorate the place where he died.
Sourced by Wikipedia
Jules-André Peugeot was born on 11 June 1893. Before being called up for compulsory military service in 1913, Jules Andre Peugeot was a teacher.
On mid morning on August 2, 1914, a German cavalry patrol led by Leutnant Albert Mayer patrolled into France before war had been officially declared. Upon crossing into French territory, Mayer slashed a French sentry with his saber before going deeper into France.
Around 9:30, Peugeot and his fellow soldiers were eating breakfast in a billet house owned by a certain Louis Doucourt. Doucourt's daughter, Adrienne, came in and told the soldiers that a German patrol had entered the town, at which Peugeot and his comrades arose from breakfast to meet them. At 9:59, Peugeot yelled at Mayer and his patrol to stop, as they were under arrest, but Mayer pulled out a pistol and shot Peugeot in the shoulder. Peugeot stumbled and shot his pistol, missing Mayer, but Peugeot's comrades returned fire, hitting Mayer in the stomach and head, killing him. Peugeot went back to the billet house where, at 10:37 am, he died on the steps of the house.
On the seventh anniversary of Peugeot's death, the French government erected a monument on the Alsatian border to commemorate the place where he died.
Sourced by Wikipedia
