6182 Sdt Francois-Joseph Brouillard, 150e RI.
Born at Aulnoy Les Valenciennes on 2 March 1891, Francois-Joseph, being ‘Class of 1911', was still engaged in his compulsory active army service at the outbreak of war and thus served from the very earliest days. During the war, he saw action on the Woevre (1914), Lorraine, Argonne, Champagne, Verdun (Mort Homme), the Somme throughout 1915 and 1916 and back to Verdun, Champagne and St.Mihiel in 1917.
In 1918, after seeing yet more action on the Marne and at Reims, Joseph was mortally wounded in a German assault on his position at La Cohette on 15 July. He died, at St.Martin d'Ablois (‘(field)Ambulance 231') of his injuries the following day. During the war , he was awarded the Croix de Guerre which was followed by a posthumous Medaille Militaire. As an aside, his son - Roger Brouillard of the 54e RI de Forteresse - was, like his father, also 27 years of age when he died during the next war... killed at Dunkirk on 3 June 1940. Both their names appear on the local war memorial at Aulnoy.
16 July 1918
Research by David O'Mara, Croonaert Research Services.
