Years of service 1913-1914 Battles/wars Skirmish at Joncherey Battles and wars Skirmish at Joncherey Allegiance France | Rank Corporal Place of burial France Service/branch French Army | |
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Born June 11, 1893
Etupes, France ( 1893-06-11 ) Buried at Etupes Cemetery Doubs, France Unit 14th Infantry Division, 27th Infantry Brigade, 44th Regiment, 6th Company Died 2 August 1914, Joncherey, France | ||
Jules-André Peugeot (June 11, 1893 - August 2, 1914) was the first French soldier to die in World War I. He died one day before war was formally declared on France by Germany.
Contents
Early life
Before being called up for compulsory military service in 1913, Jules Andre Peugeot was a teacher.
Death
On mid morning on August 2, 1914, a German cavalry patrol led by Leutnant Albert Mayer patrolled into France before war had been officially declared. Upon crossing into French territory Albert Mayer slashed a French sentry with his saber before going deeper into France.
Around 9:30 Peugeot and his fellow soldiers were eating breakfast in a billet house owned by a certain M. Doucourt. The owner of the house's daughter, Nicolet, came in and told the soldiers that a German patrol had entered the town at which Peugeot and his comrades arose from breakfast to meet them. At 9:59 Peugeot yelled at Mayer and his patrol to stop, as they were under arrest, but Mayer pulled out a pistol and shot Peugeot in the shoulder. Peugeot stumbled and shot his pistol, missing Mayer, but Peugeot's comrades returned fire, hitting Mayer in the stomach and head, killing him. Peugeot went back to the billet house where at 10:37 am he died on the steps of the house.