(3) Epitaphs of Prisoners

I do not claim completeness for the following list, for neglect has allowed the obliteration of many stones in our churchyards which traditionally mark the last resting-places of prisoners of war.

At New Alresford, Hampshire, on the west side of the church:

‘Ici repose le corps de M. Joseph Hypolite Riouffe, enseigne de vaisseau de la Marine Impériale et Royale qui mourut le 12 Dec. 1810, âgé 28 ans. Il emporta les regrets de tous ses camarades et personnes qui le connurent.’

‘Ci-gît le corps de M. P^re Garnier, sous-lieut. au 66^me régiment d’Infanterie Française, né le 14 Avril 1773, mort le 31 Juillet 1811.’

‘Ci-gît le corps de M. C. Lavau, officier de commerce, décédé le 25 de Xbre 1811, et la 29 de son âge.’

‘Ici est le corps de Marie Louise V^ve Fournier, épouse de François Bertet, capitaine au Corps Impérial d’Artillerie Française, décédée le 11^me Avril 1812, âgée de 44 ans.’

‘Ci-gît Jean de l’Huille, lieutenant d’Artillerie Française, décédé le 6 Avril 1812, âgé de 51.’

At Leek, Staffordshire:

‘Çy-gît Jean Marie Claude Decourbes, enseigne de vaisseau de la Marine Impériale de France, décédé 17 Octobre 1812, âgé de 27 ans—Fidelis Decori Occubuit Patriaeque Deoque.’

‘Jean-Baptiste Milloy. Capitaine 72^me cavalerie, décédé 2 Sept. 1811, âgé de 43 ans.’

‘Joseph Debec, Capitaine du navire “La Sophie” de Nantes. Obiit Sept. 2^me 1811, âgé de 54 ans.’

‘Charles Luneaud, Capitaine de la Marine Impériale. Mort le 4^me Mars 1812.’

There also died at Leek, but no stones mark their graves, General Brunet (captured at San Domingo, with his A.D.C. Colonel Degouillier, and his Adjutant-General, Colonel Lefevre), Colonel Félix of the Artillery, Lieut.-Col. Granville, Captain Pouget, Captain Dupuis of the 72nd Infantry, Captain François Vevelle (1809), Lieut. Davoust of the Navy, son of the General, and Midshipmen Meunier, Berthot, and Birtin—the last-named was a prisoner eleven years, and ‘behaved extremely well’. Also there are registered the burials of Jean le Roche, in 1810, aged 44, J. B. Lahouton, died 1806, aged 28; ‘C.A.G. A French Prisoner’ in 1812, aged 62; and Alexander Gay, in 1850.

At Okehampton, Devon:

‘Cette pierre fut élevée par l’amitié à la mémoire d’Armand Bernard, né au Havre en Normandie, marié à Calais à Mlle Margot; deuxième officier de commerce, décédé Prisonnier de Guerre à Okehampton, le 26 Oct. 1815. Agé 33 ans.

A l’abri des vertus qui distinguaient la vie,

Tu reposes en paix, ombre tendre et chérie.’

‘Ci-gît Adelaïde Barrin de Puyleanne de la Commune de Montravers, Dép^t des Deux-Sèvres, née le 21 Avril 1771, décédée à Okehampton le 18 Fév. 1811. Ici repose la mère et l’enfant.’

In the churchyards of Wincanton and Andover are stones to the memories of Russian and Polish officers.

In the churchyard at Tenterden, Kent, there is a tomb upon which is carved a ship and a recumbent figure, with the epitaph:

‘Hier Legt Begraven Schipper Siebe Nannes, Van de Jower in Vriesland, is in den Heere Gernstden, 8 November, 1781. Oudt 47 Jaren.’ On the other side is inscribed:

‘As he’s the first, the neighbours say, that lies

First of War captives buried in this place:

So may he hope to be the first to rise

And gain the Mansions of Eternal Peace.’

By the way, it may be remarked, in association with the above Dutch burial, that there are to-day in Tenterden work-people named Vanlanschorten, who are said to be descended from a prisoner of war.

At Bishop’s Castle church, in Montgomeryshire, there is a stone opposite the belfry door inscribed:

‘A la Mémoire de Louis Pages, Lieut.-Col. des chevaux-légers; chevalier des ordres militaires des Deux Siciles et d’Espagne. Mort à Bishop’s Castle le 1^er Mai 1814, âgé de 40 ans.’

In the Register of the same church is recorded the baptism of a son of Antoine Marie Jeanne Ary Bandart, Captain of the 4th Regiment of Light Infantry, Member of the Legion of Honour, a prisoner of war; and fifteen months later the burial of the child. These are in 1813 and 1814. In the latter year also is recorded the baptism of a son of Joseph and Maria Moureux.

In the churchyard of Moreton-Hampstead, Devon, are ranged against the wall stones with the following epitaphs:

‘A la mémoire de Louis Ambroise Quanti, Lieut, du 44 Rég^t du Corps Impérial d’Artillerie de Marine. Agé de 33 ans. Décédé le 29 Avril 1809.’ The Masonic compass and dividers follow the inscription.

‘Ici repose le corps de M. Armand Aubry, Lieut, du 70^me Rég^t d’Infanterie de Ligne. Agé de 42 ans. Décédé le 10 Juin 1811. Priez Dieu pour le repos de son âme.’ This is followed by two crossed swords.

‘A la mémoire de Jean François Roil; Aspirant de la Marine Impériale, âgé de 21 ans. Décédé le 22 Janvier 1811.’ This has as emblem a sword and anchor crossed.

There are still in Moreton-Hampstead two shops bearing the name of Rihll. To the register-entries of two of the above deaths is added: ‘These were buried in Wooling, according to Act of Parliament.’

In the churchyard of Ashburton, Devon, is a stone thus inscribed:

‘Ici

Repose François Guidon natif de Cambrai en France, Sous-Lieutenant au 46^me Rég^t de Ligne. Décédé le 18 7bre 1815. Agé de 22 ans. Requiescat in Pace.’

At East Dereham, Norfolk:

‘In memory of Jean de la Narde, son of a notary public of Saint Malo, a French prisoner of war, who, having escaped from the bell tower of this Church, was pursued and shot by a soldier on duty. October 6th, 1799. Aged 28.’

Mr. Webb, of Andover, sends me the following registrations of death:

J. Alline. Prisoner of War. March 18, 1802.

Nicholas Ockonloff. Prisoner of War. March 19, 1808.

Michael Coie. Prisoner of War. November 9, 1813. [For an account of his funeral see pp. [439]–40.]

At Odiham, in Hampshire, are the graves of two French prisoners of war. When I visited them in August 1913, the inscriptions had been repainted and a memorial wreath laid upon each grave. The inscriptions are as follows:

‘Cy-gît Piere Feron, Capitaine au 66^e Régiment de Ligne, Chevalier de l’Empire Français, né à Reims, Départ^t de la Marne, le 15 Août 1766, décédé à Odiham le 8 Mai 1810.’

‘Pierre Julian Jonneau, son of Jean Joseph Jonneau, de Daure, and of Marie Charlotte Franquiny de Feux, officer in the administration of the French Navy. Born in the Isle of Rhé. Died at Odiham, September 4th, 1809, in the 29th year of his age.

‘“He was a Prisoner of War. Death hath made him free.”’

During the Communist trouble in France in 1871, quite a large number of French people came over to Odiham until order should be restored, and it was during their stay here, but not by them, that the above-mentioned graves were put in order. The old houses facing the Church and the stocks in Bury Close, and those by the large chalk-pit at the entrance to the town, remain much as when they were the lodgings of the prisoners of war.