November 10, 2006

Remembrance Day

Remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice  

By Julien Durup

With the coming 61st anniversary commemorating the end of the Second World War, it is important to get the record of Seychellois participation and sacrifice straight. This could start with the Board of Trustees and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission erecting a simple plaque with the names of all those who have died during the War, alongside the forty names in the Mont Fleuri Memorial. The same should  happen for those who fought in the First World War. Whilst it may be such a long time ago, many Seychellois sacrificed their lives during the First World War. In the 1914 war many people of the Seychelles participated not only with the British forces in East Africa but also in Mesopotamia (land between the rivers). Some even joined French forces and fought and died in Europe. Many more were in the British Navy.

Those in Mesopotamia were with the 6th Indian (Poona) Division together with a British contingent forming a combined force of 11,000 troops. They took part under Sir Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend in the onslaught on Ctesiphon (now Tak-I-kesra, in Iraq) against the victorious Turks. Two third of the forces died while being marched into captivity.

For the East African campaign against the German, 971 volunteers embarked from the Seychelles. While there, the Seychelles Carrier Corps lost 341 either at the hands of the enemy or from sickness. One is buried in Dar-es-Salaam, three in Bombay while forty-eight died at Mahe after repatriation. Among the forty-eight men laid to rest at Mont Fleuri War Memorial only two, Rodolphe Hoareau of La Digue and Charles Leveilleux have headstones erected by their family.  Later another headstone was erected by the Lemarchand and Hodoul family on behalf of Lieutenant France Le Marchand who had died and buried in Kirkee memorial cemetery in Bombay.

This list of names, on the Mont Fleuri Memorial commemorates those 289 men [Seychellois] whose graves are not known. In fact they were not all Seychellois; two of them were from Mauritius and one from Abyssinia. Their birthplace should be added on the Memorial.

In the Second World War Seychellois took part in the North Africa campaign as well as in Europe and many joined the British Navy. Some who died in active service were buried in Kenya, Egypt, Israel, Belgium etc and at sea. In Europe many were in the Royal Air Force. The following are the fallen and forgotten ones of the two World Wars whose graves and head stones are well marked in the respective countries:

Alcindor, René of the Seychelles Pioneer Corps he died on 18th November 1942 in Egypt  and his grave is in the Ismailia Memorial Cemetery Egypt.

Ally, Carosin of the Seychelles Pioneer Corps, he died on 27th January 1942 in Europe   and his head stone is in Brockwood Memorial Cemetery, Surrey, England.

Ally, William of the Seychelles Pioneer Corps he died on 14th February 1945 in Palestine  (Israel) and his grave is in Ramleh Memorial Cemetry Israel.

André, Elisabeth, of the Seychelles Pioneer Corps he died on 15th January 1943 in Europe and his head stone is in Brockwood Memorial Cemetery, Surrey, England.

Arissol, Adeline of the Seychelles Pioneer Corps, he died in Egypt on 19th    June 1941  and his grave is in the Cairo Memorial Cemetery.  

Barbé, Stephen of Seychelles Pioneer Corps he died on 24th May 1942, and his grave stone is in Heliopolic Cairo Memorial Cemetery Egypt.

Barbé, William of Seychelles Pioneer Corps he died on 17th July 1942, his grave stone is Tel El Kebir Memorial Cemetery in Egypt.

Bossy, Kino Parfait of the Seychelles Carrier Corps, he died on 29th July 1917 and buried in the Upanga Memorial Cemetery, Dar Es Salaam.

Bouchereau, Silvio of the Seychelles Pioneer Corps, he died in Kenya on 4th January     1942. His grave stone is in Mbaraki Cemetery Mombasa.

Confait, Sergeant Emile Confait was an air gunner in the Royal Air Force he died on 7th September 1942. He grave stone is in Heverlee Memorial Cemetery Belgium.

Decaila, de Lotbiniére, Henri of the South African King’s Riffle Corps, he died on 31st  August 1942. His grave stone is in the El Alamein Memorial Cemetery Egypt.

Facial, Ange of the Seychelles Pioneer Corps he died on 24th April 1941 and his grave stone is in the Hadra Memorial Cemetery Egypt.

Fidèle, Henri of Seychelles Pioneer Corps he died on 10th September 1942 and was buried in Tel El Kebir Memorial Cemetery in Egypt.

Gabriel, Joseph of Seychelles Pioneer Corps, he died on 1st March 1942 and buried in El Alamein Memorial Cemetery Egypt.

Jumeau, Captain, Clement Marc Special Operation Executive Intelligence Corps UK. He died in France and his grave stone is in the Brockwood Memorial Cemetery, Surrey, England.

Lafontaine, Sergeant, Armand, of the Seychelles Pioneer Corps, he died on 10th May 1942. His grave stone is in the El Alamein Memorial Cemetery Egypt.

Larose, Sergeant, Camille, of the Seychelles Pioneer Corps, he died in Europe on 13th March 1942 and his grave stone is in the Brockwood Memorial Cemetery, Surrey,   England.

Lavigne, Philippe, of Seychelles Pioneer Corps, he died in Europe on 3rd September 1942. His grave stone is in the Brockwood Memorial Cemetery, Surrey,  England.

Lemarchand, Lieutenant, France of the Seychelles Carrier Corps, he died in Bombay on 6th July 1917. He has two graves stones one in Kirkee Memorial Cemetery Bombay, India and the order one in the Mont Fleuri Memorial Cemetery, Mahé. 

Monchougay, Sergeant, J C of the East Africa Military Labour Corps Carrier Corps. He died on 1st July 1917 in Madagascar and buried in the Diego Suarez Memorial Cemetery.

Nancy, Moise of the Seychelles Pioneer Corps, he died in Egypt on 3rd April 1942 and buried in the Tel El Kebir Memorial Cemetery in Egypt.

Payet, Ange of the Seychelles Pioneer Corps he died Kenya on 1st April 1942 and buried in the Mbaraki Memorial Cemetery Mombassa.

Payet, Serjeant, Freddy, of the Seychelles Pioneer Corps, he died on 10th May 1942, and his head stone is in the El Alamein Memorial Cemetery Egypt

Rose, Emmanuel, of the Seychelles Pioneer Corps, he died on 9th August 1941 and buried the El Alamein Memorial Cemetery Egypt.

Roucou, Augustin, of the Seychelles Pioneer Corps he died on 10th May 1942 and buried in the El Alamein Memorial Cemetery Egypt.

Salom, Gustave, of the Seychelles Pioneer Corps, he died on 18th March 1942 and buried  in the El Alamein Memorial Cemetery Egypt.

Sandapin, Serjeant, David, of the Seychelles Pioneer Corps he died on 10th May 1942 and buried in the El Alamein Memorial Cemetery Egypt. 

Souris, William, of the Seychelles Pioneer Corps, he died on 10th May 1942 and buried in the El Alamein Memorial Cemetery Egypt.

Tregarthen, Joseph, of the Royal Navy was an Able Seaman on the British freighted Dutch ship SS Tjileboet. He died at sea on 28th November 1942 and his name is in the Tower Hill War Memorial London.

Vidot, A, of the Seychelles Pioneer Corps he died on 4th December 1942 and buried in the Benghazi Memorial Cemetery Libya.

Copyright 2006: Seychelles Weekly, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles