Source: File: Corporal Jules Andre Peugeot. See
an original image at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A_photo_of_Jules_Andre_Peugeot.jpg>
[Accessed 4 August 2016]
Source: File: Lieutenant Albert Otto Walter Mayer. See an original image at:
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lt_Mayer.jpg> [Accessed 4 August
2016]
With the anniversary of war,
Came thoughts of 2 years before,
To discuss who had been the very
First casualty of the Great War.
In truth it was not just one man
But two who would die within short
Time of each other - a German
And French man, on 2 August 1914.
Albert Mayer born 1892, grew
Up in Alsace at Mulhouse and
Joined the army in 1912 - by 1914
Becoming a cavalry lieutenant.
Only thirty miles away born a year
Later, 1893 was Jules Peugeot
At Etupes - in desire to teach, Jules
Took a post at Villers le Lac, 1912.
With compulsory military service,
A year later saw Peugeot in army,
To become corporal by April 1914 -
Likely to become an officer cadet.
From the base
at Lons-le-Saunie
His infantry
brigade was located
To Montbéliard
- following threats,
After July
royalty assassinations.
In very likely
escalation to conflict,
The 27th Infantry
Brigade readied
For war footing,
to move into Alsace;
Orders to guard
10 km from border.
In opposition
to French mobilisation on
1 August 1914
29th cavalry Brigade,
In which
Lieutenant Mayer served,
Took orders to make reconnaissance.
These cavalry patrols noted lacking
Of French presence on their border -
New orders came - they were to cross
The border to seek out information.
Taking to their horses on 2 August
Eleven German patrols set off about
Belfort - Lieutenant
Mayer took
His into France,
east of Courtelevant.
Some miles away,
that same day,
Corporal Peugeot
was at Joncherey
Village, manning
a eastern sentry
Point of
Joncherey - Faverois road.
Sunday 2 August
1914 began - a new,
Clear summer’s
day, as German troops
Began their
attempt of a Luxembourg
Invasion - a
low-key event using cars.
A strangely odd
affair, lacking clarity
To see
destruction at Troisvierges of
Telegraphs and
rails, prior to being
Told the
invasion was to be day after.
One incident of
three customs officers
Shouting, had provoked
threats from
One officer – while
a German group
Requested
directions into France.
Elsewhere,
almost 9 a.m., a German
Party arrived
at the French frontier east
Of Belfort, at Petit Croix – a German
Officer stepped from the Customs house.
Officer stepped from the Customs house.
The first
fracare began where three
Customs officers
were shot on - only
To withdraw
without a reply - but other
Staff came once
more under fire.
In charge of
the Customs House,
Capitaine Dentz
returned the very first
Shots in
confirmation of war - between
Them 49 rounds
but none hit the other.
From
Sepois-le-Bas Lieutenant Mayer
And seven
Jaegers took a break, next
To a small
stream, allowing their horses
To drink as
the hour moved forwards.
10 a.m. Corporal
Peugeot paused
In the mornings warmth and dipped
His hands into water to wash, ready
To eat breakfast on the summer’s day.
Stationed opposite Msieur Docourts
Farm house whose daughter, Nicolet,
Went to fetch drinking water - she ran
Back calling ‘the Prussians are coming!’
The 9-year-old girl repeated the fact -
German soldiers watering horses close
To Faverois - yet Nicolet's warning was
Too slow as the Germans approached.
Lieutenant Mayer's patrol was closing
In on the sentry post
- already seen, a
Sentry sounded alarm to take up arms -
Peugeot and others went to the road.
The sentry
stepped out, leading the patrol.
Lieutenant
Mayer swiped his sabre down
At the guard,
cutting only his equipment
And coat, Peugeot
called out ’Halte-la!’
The French
intent was to make their arrest,
But Mayer was
not having this, as he pulled
A revolver and
took a shot - the first bullet
Missed, but
another hit Peugeot’s shoulder.
The next bullet
missed but damage had been
Done, as the
German bullet hit the Frenchman,
Out through his
right shoulder - despite this
Peugeot fired
back as he fell, but missed.
Now the French
opened fire on the German
Cavalry - while
the others scattered Mayer
Was hit, first in
the stomach, then a direct
Shot to the
head, that killed him instantly.
Corporal Jules
Peugeot stood, to stagger
A few paces -
to see the first German dead
Along with two
horses – carried to Docourt’s
House he died
on the steps, with another 30
Hours until war
would be officially declared.
By Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916. First
War Victim. The Daily Telegraph, [online]
3 August 1916. P.10. Col.6. Available
at:
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12212426/Daily-Telegraph-August-3-1916.html>[Accessed:
4 August 2016].
Source: File: Brothers in Arms.The First to Fall: Peugeot and Mayer, 2
August 1914. Available at: <The First to Fall: Peugeot and Mayer, 2 August
1914 - See more at:
http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/great-war-people/brothers-arms/1515-the-first-to-fall-peugeot-and-mayer-2-august-1914.html#sthash.gwGyIUjN.dpuf>
[Accessed 4 August 2016]
Source: File: Skirmish at Joncherey. Available at:
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skirmish_at_Joncherey> [Accessed 4 August
2016]
Source: File: Jules-André Peugeot. Available at:
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skirmish_at_Joncherey> [Accessed 4 August
2016]
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 4 August 2016).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1France
