The
Englishmen and the Dessenne's Family – Villeret
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The “Dessenne” and Villeret’s Englishmen (1915-1916) |
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Marie
Dessenne, 64 years old,
called
Marie Coulette (See photo)
Florency Dessenne, 34 years old,
Son of Marie (See photo)
Marie
Therese Duelz,
Spouse
of Florency Dessenne
Starting in 1915, during
the next 16 months, four Englishmen lived in their house attic (See photo)
on “Rue d’en Bas”.
They came from the North and were found hiding in the
little woods south of Villeret (Trocme Wood) by Mr. Tordeux and Mr. Dubuis. At
first, they were hidden in the Little Priel Farm and were fed by the
inhabitants of Villeret.
(Willy X – Thomas Domec – David Martin – Robert Digby)
The four Englishmen knew few words of the French language
but lived the entire time with the villagers, worked in the fields, walked to
and from the village together.
Robert Digby and Claire (Grand Daughter of Marie Dessenne)
fell in love and had a female child named Helene.
Month passed
without problems, despite repeated warnings from the Germans that helping the
enemy could result in the death penalty or severe punishment.
They
repeatedly tried to re-join their lines to no avail. On the 16th of
May, 1916, German investigators were led to their hiding place in the
Dessenne’s loft and captured (Willy X – Thomas Domec – David Martin). They were
informed upon by one of the villagers and this led to their eventual capture,
imprisonment and execution.
On the 20th
of May, the war council decreed the following sentences for all who were
implicated in this event:
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The 3
English Soldiers ………….........….. Death
Penalty
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The
Mayor, Mr. Parfait Marie………… Forced
Labor
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Mr.
and Mrs. Dessenne Duelz………….. Forced
Labor
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Mrs.
Suzanne Morelle………………....…. 1
year Imprisonment
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Mr.
and Mrs. Leon Lelong……………..... Pendized
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The
postman, Mr. Achille Poette.…. Deported
After having hidden himself for a few days, on the 23rd of May,
Robert Digby turned himself into the local German Commander and was immediately
sentenced to death.
On the 27th of May, Willy X –
Thomas Domec – David Martin were executed by German Firing Squad near the Le
Catelet Castle and later buried in the Le Catelet Cemetery
(See photo).
On the 30th of May,
Robert Digby was executed by German
Firing Squad in Le Catelet and also buried in the Le Catelet Cemetery.
(See
photo).
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Letter of Robert DIGBY
with
Claire
DESSENNE
little
time before its execution
May
30, 1916
These events
were told to me by:
1.)
My
Grand-Mother, Clara Dessenne, maiden name Bochard, Daughter-in-law Aunt’s Marie
and Claire, died in 1962.
2.)
My Father,
Emile Dessenne, Son of Clara, Grand-Son of Marie and Claire’s Cousin, died in
1976.
These dates
and circumstances came from the
“L’invasion de 1914 dans le canton du Catelet” book.
(St. Quentin Academic Society – 1933)
Jean
Dessenne – 1933
Mayor of Villeret from 1968 to 1995
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Last posting in the Villeret Town Hall,
April 1916
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Villeret in 1914 |
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The ruins of the Villeret Town Hall in
1919 |
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The ruins of the Villeret Church in
1919 |
