EV-5534 Sjt Victor Letard, 124 RI.
From Dives-sur-Mer, Calvados, Normandy, Victor was born on 5 July 1896. As part of the ‘Class of 1916' he could have awaited his call-up and remained a civilian until 8 April 1915. However, he voluntarily enlisted into the army on 1 September 1914 (thereby changing to ‘Classe EV-1914') and was assigned to the 124th Infantry Regiment from Laval (Mayenne) in which, by 1916, he was promoted to Serjeant. After spending most of 1915 in the Champagne sector (where he was involved in the battles of June and September (including the actions at Moscow Farm, St.Hilaire, Suippes, etc), he was then sent to the front near the infamous ‘Main de Massiges' and then the Aisne.
At the end of April 1916, Victor's regiment was thrust into the cauldron of Verdun where they held the sector around Vaux devant Damloup. It was to be inside the ruins of this village that Victor was to die on 22 May 22. His grave is unknown (but likely to be in either the Ossuary or Cemetery at Douaumont), but he is commemorated on the town war memorial at Douvres-la-Délivrande, Normandy.
22 May 1916
Research by David O'Mara, Croonaert Research Services.
