Joann 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 her 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 - the memorial in Cypress Hills National Cemetery, and above 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)
Below - the twenty-one named sailors commemorated in the Cemetery (click to enlarge; a key 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)

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

MARSEILLAISE - Gloire-class armoured cruiser, launched 1900, 9,500 tons, spent war in Atlantic, finishing as convoy escort

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

also Coloniale de Pacifique - Pacific Colonial Service

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

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added 20/12/08