Nous venons d'apprendre le décès de Jean Dupuis, héros de la Résistance, rescapé du Brédin, médaillé de la Légion d'honneur.
Recueillement et hommage s'impose en plus pour ce grand monsieur héroïque et courageux qui nous avons eu le plaisir de rencontrer cette année.
Repose en paix camarade.
Sincères amitiés
Sincères amitiés
L'équipe du blog
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| Mr Dupuis et sa Légion d'honneur |
A lire également :
Jean Dupuis : Le rescapé du Brédin (Chabanais le 1er août 1944) (lien)
The Germans began to set fire to the town, including unknowingly a gas canister storage. The explosions from the storage made the Germans think that they were under heavy bombardment and quickly left the town.
A month later the city of Angoulême, close to Mr Dupuis' home, was liberated and he said that he would have loved to have been there to take part but was still recuperating from his injuries.
Jean Dupuis : Le rescapé du Brédin (Chabanais le 1er août 1944) (lien)
I feel privileged to have been able to have spent an afternoon in Mr Dupuis' company earlier this year. In June my good friend and colleague on the blog Tony arranged for us to visit Mr Dupuis at his home. Aged 90 he had not lost his enthusiasm to speak about his experiences during the war. And like all old soldiers his wallet contained photos of himself from that time.
Earlier in the year he had been awarded les insignes de chevalier de la Légion d'honneur, when you read his incredible story (Jean Dupuis - Le rescapé du Brédin : une jeunesse sous l'Occupation et dans la Résistance by José Délias) you realise this award is well deserved and you wonder why it was only in his 90th year that it was received.
He had so many scraps with death that I had to ask him if he was extremely lucky or unlucky, he wasn't sure. He had owed his life to a family that had taken him in, severely wounded during fighting against the Germans at Chabanais on the 1st August 1944. He had lost all his comrades and had been shot five times. The family took him in and when a German officer entered their house they made out that Jean was their son, caught amongst crossfire. The Officer said he would return knowing that Jean was going nowhere. All Mr Dupuis could think about was the plight of this family if the Officer returned.
The Germans began to set fire to the town, including unknowingly a gas canister storage. The explosions from the storage made the Germans think that they were under heavy bombardment and quickly left the town.
A month later the city of Angoulême, close to Mr Dupuis' home, was liberated and he said that he would have loved to have been there to take part but was still recuperating from his injuries.
Later in the year he rejoined his unit who were fighting the Germans at Royan and fought on to the end of the war until Germany had surrendered.
After two hours in his company it was hard to know if we had over stayed our welcome but as we prepared to leave he wanted to show us his collection of old papers and posters dedicated to the Résistance. In his garage he also stored his mobile Résistance exhibition, which he had presented numerous times to schools and at local events.
After two hours in his company it was hard to know if we had over stayed our welcome but as we prepared to leave he wanted to show us his collection of old papers and posters dedicated to the Résistance. In his garage he also stored his mobile Résistance exhibition, which he had presented numerous times to schools and at local events.
It was a truly memorable day and it is sad to think that he is no longer with us. I can only repeat what I read earlier today - Qu'il repose en paix dans un paradis bien mérité.
Alain