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Seen Mametz, #Somme crop up on here quite a few times over the past week or so and, as it happens, I ended up obtaining an item to someone linked with the fighting there during the #FWW. … … However, he fought there in 1914, not 1916.
Here's a small thread on him...
Here's a small thread on him...
Emile Moulin was born in Paris on 15 June 1881 & worked as a waiter in a restaurant before embarking on his compulsory military service in Nov 1902. Serving with the 79e régiment d’infanterie, after training, he became part of the garrison at Nancy ...
On 8 October 1903, he was appointed ‘soldat 1er classe’ – a rank in which he remained until his liberation from full time service on 23 September 1905.
Returning to civilian life, he still had reservist commitments which he served with the 24e RI.
Returning to civilian life, he still had reservist commitments which he served with the 24e RI.
As a civilian, he rose to become a restaurant manager in Paris but, opon the outbreak of war, Emile was mobilised back into full time service with the 119e régiment d’infanterie, arriving at caserne Charras, Courbevoie, on 12 August 1914
soon transferred to the regiment’s newly formed reserve regiment, the 319e RI. Whilst in training, Emile’s regiment suffered heavy casualties during the Battles of Guise & the Marne & he became part of a draft rushed to the front, arriving as his regt was en-route for the Aisne.
After seeing his first actions on the Aisne, Emile’s regt arrived on the Somme - in the sector opposite Mametz - at the beginning of Oct 1914. Remaining in this same sector through Oct and Nov, defences were organised, and much time was spent establishing defensive networks
Relieved in the frontline from time to time by the 205e RI, the two regts alternated in the defence of the Sector - a situation that remained unchanged until orders were issued by général de Castelnau that offensive actions on the Somme front were to be resumed.
Consequently, on 17 December 1914, the 53e DI was to attack at dawn with no artillery preparation to retain the element of surprise, and must, as the order read, “succeed at any cost”.
At 4 a.m. on 17 December, the 319e RI left their trenches under the cover of darkness and crawled towards the enemy lines.
(initially with 21e* & 24e cies on the right, 22e & 23e cies on the left: primary objectives being the Halte de Mametz and bois Intermédiaire for the right group, & bois Allemande before moving to reinforce bois Intermédiaire for the left & then, combined, advancing into Mametz)
Surprise was successfully maintained at first as the troops stood and launched themselves into the GER 1st line, but the attack on the 2nd line of trenches was halted by machine gun fire emitting from the e. of Mametz that mowed down the attackers who had advanced across the open
Ferocious hand to hand engagements & grenade battles took place throughout the morning as the advance was attempted through the German defensive network of trenches but, though the Germans suffered significant losses, so did the attackers and the assault faltered.
However, the FR troops in the GER 2nd and 3rd lines of trenches found themselves gradually cut off as GER reinforcements arrived, & large numbers began the struggle to breakout in small defensive groups and return to the FR lines. .
A second assault was attempted during the afternoon of 17 December with no further success. The day’s actions at Mametz cost the regiment (1st estimate) 529 killed and missing and 143 wounded
One of the missing was Emile Moulin who had been part of a small party of 21e cie men taken prisoner in the vicinity of the Halte de Mametz after failing to break out during the afternoon of 17 December.
Initially transported to the Mannschafts Kriegsgefangenenlager at Metz, Emile saw the remainder of the war out as a prisoner of war at Friedrichsfeld (VII AK (Münster)) before being repatriated to France on 12 December 1918.
He was demobilised on 28 February 1919 and released from all military service in 1921 due to a lung ailment picked up whilst a prisoner of war...
END!
END!
(Incidentally: the trenches from which Emile's 21e cie moved forward into the assault on 17 December 1914 would become very famous in later years … they left from what would later become known as Mansel Copse)
