WW1 ended last week...

Mr Lazare Ponticelli, the oldest French veteran of WW1, passed away last week aged 110 and was buried yesterday. He was not the last one of all these young men engaged in the turmoil of WW1 as it still remains 8 of them...

I am always struck that what we call "history" is actually so close from us.... within the lifespan of a veteran... who was himself contemporary with the latest veteran of Waterloo and Napoleon wars... biological memory...

Talking about rugby, we all know the heavy tribute paid by sportsmen and ruggers in this conflict...

Instead of listing names, I have just recollected some figures from Stade Français. In 1914, this leading omnisport club accounted for 1400 members of which 650 were engaged (the other being either women, too old or too young). Out of 650, 168 were killed (25%) and 225 wounded (35%)...

This postcard shows a small monument erected in Stade de Colombes near Paris, dedicated to French rugby players killed during WW1.



Identificateurs Technorati : rugby, ww1, stade de colombes

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[Snödroppe]

Je découvre today que nos dernières notes se rejoignent...