Bazoilles, commemorative plaque
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Meeting room, Bazoilles Town Hall.
TO THE GLORIOUS MEMORY OF LIEUTENANT PIERRE BASTIAN
BORN IN BAZOILLES-SUR-MEUSE ON JANUARY 16, 1907
OFFICER IN THE 7th B.C.A.
HAVING JOINED THE SECRET ARMY (1942) TO FIGHT AGAINST THE BLOODTHIRSTY ENEMY
AND THE TRAITORS OF VICHY, HE WAS CHARGED WITH MANY
PERILOUS MISSIONS. AT THE REQUEST OF THE RESISTANCE OF THÔNES
(HAUTE-SAVOIE) HE BECAME MILITARY LEADER OF THE MAQUIS IN THIS REGION.
(1943) HE INSTALLED AND TRAINED MORE THAN 300 VOLUNTEERS. IN A FEW MONTHS, HE MADE THEM REAL SOLDIERS. LOVED BY HIS MEN, ESTIMATED BY
HIS LEADERS, SURROUNDED BY THE GENEROUS FRIENDSHIP OF THE SAVOYARD POPULATIONS,
HE ORGANIZED THE FAMOUS CAMP OF GLIÈRES (I-1944) WHERE THE FRENCH ARMY RESUMED
IN FULL OCCUPATION ITS LIFE, ITS TRADITIONS, ITS WEAPONS, ITS FIGHT.
DURING THE UNEQUAL BATTLE AGAINST GERMANS AND MILITIA,
HE HEROICALLY TRAINED HIS SOLDIERS. (III-1944) WOUNDED AND PRISONER,
HE SUFFERED A MONTH OF GERMAN BARBARISM. DESPITE THE WORST TORTURE,
HE KEPT FIERCELY SILENT, THUS SAVING HIS COMRADES
AND ALL HIS FRIENDS. THE GERMANS COWARDLY SHOT HIM IN THÔNES
ON APRIL 28, 1944.
HE LEFT HIS COUNTRY AND THE YOUTH THE EXAMPLE OF HIS SUBLIME
SACRIFICE. PASSER-BY, REMEMBER!
GRATEFUL LORRAINE AND SAVOY. SEPTEMBER 15, 1946
