born on 2 May 1900 in Reims, died in 2005 in Mantes
Claude's mother
Years of War 14-18, and up to 1920
" Suzanne - born on May 2, 1900 - attended the Lacourt-Gily pension Reims;
the war having surprised him in Normandy with his Uncle THIRION, she entered high school Cherbourg
until March 1915.
Epernay, she prepared her basic patent which she passed to Shawls
One day of bombing.
She then devoted herself more specifically to the study of drawing and attended the courses of the school of arts at Tours. "
Memories of Granie
it itself:
"A painful tragedy came: it was the Great War, the greatest catastrophe of modern times. The men had to live in holes dug into the earth, throw themselves against each other by bayonet, it lasted four years, interrupted by the arrival of the Americans.
We were patriotic, my brother René entered the artillery at age 75, and he was exhausted in October. Verdun,
He was charged with a 75 with some territoriality, and managed to be transferred to be an observer in the air force.
The entry into war found me Asnelles (near Arromanches, Normandy) in THIRION for a few days, (see "Journal" by Suzanne for days from 3 August)In October we followed my uncle, an interpreter, to the
CherbourgWe were put in girls' high school, my teacher was an associate, and in five months the intellectual horizon changed.
I joined my parents at Epernay
where my father was back from his front, and retired in October 1916 in Touraine.
We settled in a small castle,(The House of the Three Tonnes, à Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire)
The war was tormenting us with isolation, the Spanish flu, it became sinister.
To take care of myself, after my father's treatment, I was pulling the needle or drawing at the school of fine arts, the teacher was an old engraver.
In 1920, my father wanted to get closer to Paris and he bought a house in Sceaux, my brothers were studying in Paris, they came on Sundays.
Granie - Feb 89 - ""
Journal held by Granie in August 14 in Asnelles, she was 14 years old.
(details)
Suzanne and Vonnette in Asnelles in summer 1914
On a small notebook, Granie, aged 14, noted her impressions of the first days of the war:
S. Maillet (text was returned with spelling errors, Suzanne was 14 years old)
""3 August 14
I have been in Asneles for 15 days, but the time has passed very quickly on vacation, but we have just spent a very sad week in fact it was the war before yesterday we had the general mobilization and this morning the hostilities have started fortunately it is we who are the winner since we destroyed a Seepelin and put out of combat 17000 hours while France has only had 8000. So far I did not believe in the war but unfortunately now we must resign ourselves because it is inevitable. But if we were defeated I would be German this word makes me shudder, fortunately that I hope with the courage of our troops and our strength since we have as allies countries and in addition with the help of God we will be victorious. Uncle Louis left yesterday morning the farewells were very sad he went to Paris and then was sent to Cherbourg as an interpreter of the General Staff. Fortunately he is not in danger there
4 August
Yesterday afternoon we went to the little Viganos (?) and as usual
We played the croquet and then we learned something else is that these first news was false the Germans only entered Luxembourg and appeared on seven different points on the French border Belgium is with us fortunately. This morning I was with Mrs. Bouvain doing some errands she slightly detrapped us on 2 August leaving Chateauroux to come here moreover she is not very patriotic although very good person and condemns the people
who are engaged either as a nurse or as my uncle, I don't think we're expecting news Vonnette to buy the paper.
5 August
The war has been declared since yesterday, England also declared it to Germany, I have a lot of confidence in the victory it seems that the ostilitys have begun, at least Belgium is invaded. Yesterday I was fishing with Simone
(From Saché?), Mrs. Lejuste and Jean Ponsard. He has very strange ideas from his theories that he explained to us we found enough.
Nothing new all these days in any case all the countries declare themselves against Germany so much better indeed it behaves very badly by shooting children and priests in Alsace. There is a major news Liège is invaded by the Germans. Belgians repulsively repulsed them. He settled in our gar a troop of people who must keep the road at night in order to defend the traffic.
10 August
Good news today the French took Mulhouse and entered Germany. I had communicated that morning for France and I learned this news at 11 am. It is also said that the English landed in Ostend - Calais - Dunkirk. This afternoon I was barefoot in Arromanche reading the dispatches, we went through the beach and returning I ate raw mussels, it's absolutely like the oysters
12 August
Yesterday the news was less good it seems that our troops after taking Mulhouse and Altkirch have retreated behind Mulhouse. Everyone was very sad there is nothing lost yet it seems that Italy would like to walk and against us. The great battle will take place soon all the forces are amassed on one side there will be a very terrible shock. Yesterday we had to go to St Come but we stopped on the way. Today we were in shrimp but there was nothing."
Letter from Marguerite Maillet to her daughter Suzanne in Cherbourg, February 9, 1915, telling life near the front.
Suzanne's letter to her parents on March 7, 1915, from Cherbourg to Dornecy or Epernay?
Sept. 27, 1915, payment of Suzanne in gold francs
Further to Suzanne Maillet's story:
to Chapter 512 for the years 1921-27
to Chapter 520 for the years 1927-39 (Rougier family) and the following chapters: 521-534 (Rougier family all subsequent years)